How to Win an Apparel-Decorating Award

Heed one screen printer's advice on what it takes to produce award-winning designs. June 07, 2011
By Pierre John Jamnick as told to Deborah Sexton, Contributing Writers

Pierre John Jamnicky feverishly learned how to do simulated and four-color process printing that resulted in him earning second place in the Simulated Process category of the 2010 Impressions Awards after less than two years in business.

Many successful shop owners start in this industry with literally no information on how to screen print. Because this apparel-decorating technique has so many variables, it takes a certain level of commitment, trial and error, as well as patience to produce high-quality prints. Some screen printers are satisfied with good-enough designs, while others strive every day to improve and fine tune, all in the constant search to create the ultimate print.

From the beginning, I had a goal to be one of the best screen printers in the country and I was determined to do everything in my power to get there. After two years of hard work and persistence, my efforts paid off when my 2010 Impressions Award entry, “Hellfire,” took second place in the Simulated Process Screen Printing category. My entry was beaten by a print from Andy Anderson, Anderson Studio, Nashville, Tenn., a well-known printer who has won more than 60 awards for his work over the past 30 years. I, however, had been screen printing for less than two years.

Following is the story of how I achieved an award-winning print in such a short time period.

I co-owned a very successful computer business selling liquidation equipment from IBM that, at one point, was doing $5 million a year in sales. One of the biggest reasons I exited the business was the uncertainty. Everything was bought on bids, and I never knew what I actually was getting. It was a feast-or-famine roller coaster ride, and it wasn’t a good business model.

To me, contract screen printing is just the opposite of the computer industry. It is very stable. The computer industry debuts new products every six months, but decorated apparel has more or less been the same product technology for the past 30 years. It has growth potential, and it’s built on repeat business. Success is not built on closing a new sale each time, which I was tired of doing.

I had a good friend who owned an embroidery business called Blue Moon Embroidery in Eastlake, Ohio. While I was still working with computers, I occasionally helped him grow his shop using my business and marketing knowledge.

After talking to him, I became intrigued by the stability and repeat sales potential of decorated apparel. His clientele had been asking him to supply screen printing, so I knew a customer base already existed. It had many other factors I desired, so I decided to jump in.

Though our businesses currently are separately owned, my friend and I initially operated as partners. Playing off his company name, we named the shop Blue Moon Screenprinting. This allowed us both to offer one-stop shopping for all of our customers.

Steps Toward Success
Since I started the company in September 2008, Blue Moon has grown from a shop with a six-station, six-color manual press and no employees grossing $40,000 in its first year, to a shop featuring an automatic press with three employees known for high-quality simulated and true four-color process printing. It’s on target to produce 200,000 impressions this year, and I’m projecting growth to continue past 1 million prints in the next three years.

Following are eight things that helped me reach my goals.

1. Invest in top-quality equipment.
Although investing in top-notch equipment right from the start may sound risky, it doesn’t have to be. I was able to get a 10-station, eight-color MHM automatic press from a leasing company that had repossessed it from its previous owner. It ended up being a great deal, as the machine was only four months old. With top-quality equipment, the resulting product has the best chance of being the highest in quality. Having a high-end press motivated me to live up to its capabilities.

2. Put in the necessary time to learn your equipment and the process.
I had seen a friend of mine perform the screen printing process prior to starting my shop. I stood next to him while he was pushing a squeegee on a manual press, but that was about the extent of my experience with screen printing. I didn’t really know or understand how it worked or what needed to be done.

When I got started, I was determined to learn how to produce high-quality screen printing as quickly as possible. For months, I averaged more than 100 hours a week, and some weeks I spent closer to 120 to 140 hours — totaling about 3,000 hours in a six-month span — simply learning the intricacies of the process.

During this time I not only learned how to operate the automatic, but also how to do simulated and true process prints. While that may sound like a lot of time, it was required for me to attain my goal of becoming successful quickly. You have to want it that much to win an award.

I wanted to be able to say that I had an award-winning shop. I didn’t take any shortcuts, but I was determined to spend a shorter time period dedicated to learning to achieve a high level of recognition.

3. Plan on practicing.
I accepted my first four-color process job without really knowing how to do it. The sampling took me roughly 30 hours on those early jobs. I put that much time and effort into these orders because I knew my clients had high expectations, and I wanted to get it correct from the beginning. This is a crucial step to becoming an award-winning shop. Without trial and error — and trying again — a shop can maintain its level of quality, but not improve it.

4. Do your homework.
For as many hours as I initially spent learning how to operate the equipment and work with inks and Adobe Photoshop for separations, I spent nearly as much time researching processes, tips, etc., in online forums. I asked a lot of questions and read information posted by others. I also went to all of the manufacturers’ websites — for inks, emulsions, etc.- — and read all of their technical papers. A lot of it was over my head, but it got me started in the right direction.

5. Take every opportunity to train.
Beyond reading information online, I also attended about $1,000 worth of training classes at the Imprinted Sportswear Shows (ISS), Graphics of the Americas (GOA), the local community college and online. Early on, I went to a couple of ISS events; this year, I’ve attended each ISS and have taken classes at every one of them. The real secret is to keep learning by continuously taking classes. Learn more and then implement it.

One of the classes I took was a four-color process class taught by Charlie Taublieb, Taublieb Consulting, Englewood, Colo., where I was inspired by two prints done by Anderson. We exchanged e-mails that were kind and supportive. Establishing this relationship with someone who has succeeded to the level I wanted to reach also helped me attain my goal.

My prints are nowhere near the level of Anderson’s, but I will continue trying to reach that echelon. Absolutely every aspect of my printing needs to be improved compared to his. There is plenty of room for me to learn more.

6. Hire a consultant to evaluate your operations and final products.
After spending several months learning my equipment and perfecting the processes, I hired consultant Dan Campbell, Dot-Tone-Designs, St. Cloud, Fla., who had been helping me with separations, to assess my shop.

I had plenty of questions for him. For example, I wanted to know why it was taking me two days to sample something. Campbell validated all of my procedures, letting me know that at the level I was printing, the time spent on certain processes would be lengthy.

We established the baseline of how I was operating and made changes from there. We changed the way I coated, adjusted exposure times, adjusted the screen washout process and tweaked the RIP. I was very happy with my decision to bring in a consultant, as it resulted in a huge improvement in the processes and products.

7. Hire experience.
In addition to hiring a consultant, I also had an experienced printer for several months come in to help with the four-color processes and other color needs. He didn’t want to return to the industry, but was willing to help get me started. His knowledge was a little outdated, but the color theory was correct, so that got everything off the ground. He helped me get a solid foundation on how to look at and approach certain processes to make them work, which was important.

8. Set your goals high.
Winning my first Impressions Award wasn’t an accident. It was a goal I set and pursued. After seeing Anderson’s prints, I wanted to get on that award winners’ wall. To do it, I pursued the right artwork and separations, and learned how to print better. A lot of people lack having a goal, and it is difficult to get somewhere unless you set one — and actually work toward it. Winning is a consequence of perseverance and doing what needs to be done to accomplish it.

Pierre John Jamnikcy is the owner of Blue Moon Screenprinting, Eastlake, Ohio. Deborah Sexton, the former editor of Impressions, has been writing about the decorated apparel industry for more than 30 years. For more information or to comment on this article, e-mail Pierre at pjj@bmpromotional.com or visit bmpromotional.com.



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