Two of the driving forces behind every successful business are credibility and quality. The two, as with the many other factors of success, go handⁱ-in-hand though they are both equally individual. Quality—the creative, unique and professional products you produce—affects your credibility, how creative, unique and professional the services you offer are. And, to those who are painfully aware, it only takes one sub-quality product out of a million to ruin years of hard-earned credibility.

The term “walking billboard” has never been more literal in our industry with the emerging trend of customized footwear making noticeable tracks in the realm of decorated apparel. With this segment trying hard to shed its specialty-market stigma, personalized shoes, socks, slippers and work boots are appearing in more mainstream programs, and making considerable margins for their sellers. 

According to the author, owning a manual press means much more than simply using the only available piece of equipment that’s within your means. There’s a wide range of apparel-printing work that is actually more appropriately performed on a manual.

Challenging designs and certain special-effect inks may actually be better printed on a manual screen-printing press due to the versatility today’s manual presses provide. Printing on a manual allows you to make many on-press adjustments as you print, whereas an automatic press operates within a more rigid confine.  -Read more-

This country was the only country born, not of chance and tribal warfare, but as a rational product of man’s mind. This country was built on the supremacy of reason—and, for one magnificent century, it redeemed the world.”

When it comes to the environmental buzz of late, T.S.Designs’ Tom Sineath has a lot to say and even more to show for his company’s persistent commitment. A T-shirt decorating and dyeing company, its CEO’s viewpoint as it relates to apparel is threefold, encouraging patrons to ask: “Is this shirt’s fabric sustainable? Is it made by a socially-responsible manufacturer? Is it decorated in an environmentally-friendly method?” Breaking it down even further, Sineath describes a sustainability spectrum of sorts on which each eco-component can be plotted. Between, for example, choosing between 100 percent organic produce or simply fruit from factory farms, everyone makes choices within a set of extremes. Sineath hopes to skew people toward better choices. “You’re picking some point along the way.  -Read more-

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to interpret the statistics of the present economy—from consumer confidence indices to a record number of bankruptcies and foreclosures, and a skyrocketing unemployment rate—and realize things are not good these days. But, these are not the worst economic times in American history.

It may, however, be the worst journalistically. As we are bombarded with a ceaseless barrage of negativity from the media day in and day out, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep the faith and see any glimmer of hope on the horizon. It is almost as if people are wishing for a repeat of the Great Depression just to say later they survived it . . . or succumbed to it.

A wise frog once quipped, “It’s not easy being green” and, in some ways, he is still right. Today there are greener, safer, smarter choices available, but understanding what all of them mean and knowing their hierarchy requires some research. The highest priorities are personal and consumer safety, while greener or environmentally preferable products can be conscience- or marketing-driven, or both.

Q:

 The local zoo purchases a large quantity of shirts from my company every year as a reward item at an event for children who attend with their parents. This particular event is held to increase attendance and familiarize younger visitors with the zoo’s attractions. I believe if I presented the marketing department with some ideas aimed at making the event more successful, I would be able to increase my business with them. Do you have any ideas for me?

A:

Year after year, one of the most common questions I’m asked is “how long should a screen last me?” What the customer wants to hear, of course, is that the screen will last forever and need about as much attention as they’d give a doormat. In reality, a screen can last between about one minute and ten years depending on how it is used and/or abused. Anyone who presumes to put a definite timeframe on a screen’s life is either dishonest or simply naïve. In this article, we will discuss how the typical screen-printing screen is processed, and the potential pitfalls that may occur during its time in your facility—the idea being that, the better you understand the screen-making life cycle, the better it can accommodate your needs and expectations.

Tensioning

With an inborn earth conscience from his past, and a certified-green operation in his present, Goza Gear founder Steve Melgoza feels compelled to merge mind and business, going into his future. Organic fabric was the first milestone along his green path, the end of which is a long-term goal he actively pursues by seeking earth-friendly processes and likeminded people to help him on his way. Melgoza’s is a story of connections and convictions, and another example of a uniquely-paved eco-highway that others can follow.