Why do we often struggle with some of the seemingly simplest things, like slathering screen-printing ink onto a decorated-apparel garment. Slathering so that it looks clean, bright, opaque and altogether attractive.
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Understanding the differences between machine embroidery needles and knowing which needle to use for each project will go a long way in developing your skills as a proficient commercial embroiderer.
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Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a secret formula for designing a best-selling T-shirt for a sports team, a business or for your own pre-print line?
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Whether you’re running a small boutique embroidery shop or managing a large-scale decorated-apparel operation, attracting more customers to your business is crucial for growth and sustainability.
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There’s nothing more frustrating than being under pressure to get a job out and having something go wrong—and there are so many things that can go wrong!
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So, your customer returned again this year asking you to reprint their usual spirit-wear design for the upcoming football game. That’s great. But why stop there? Think of all the potential that exists for increasing your sales by taking that one design and using it to create an entire collection.
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As is the case with any craft, when it comes to screen-printing T-shirts and other apparel the devil is in the details. The best art, the best press in the world will inevitably come up short if you don’t take care of the little things as well.
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Screen making is vital to good apparel decorating, since the quality of a screen-print design will be very influenced by, if not dictated by the quality of the screen.
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Once you have chosen the type of emblem you want to use, you must decide which application method will be best.
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Choosing the correct backing is a vital part of the embroidery process. Unfortunately, it can also create a fair amount of anxiety and confusion for embroiderers.
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Many apparel decorators have decided to diversify their businesses, and with newer technologies being simpler to adopt, there are now more shops with more decorating choices available than ever.
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Quality control is an essential part of growing any manufacturing business and maintaining customer satisfaction and loyalty. Screen printing has its challenges, but that’s what separates the good from the excellent.
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My career started in the imprinted sportswear industry selling both screen-print and heat-transfer equipment for embellishing caps.
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Whether it has been sewn on or heat sealed, it is both cost effective and makes all the sense in the world to remove an old emblem and replace or adhere it to another article of clothing.
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The end of the year is a great time for garment decorating. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas–all are the perfect reason for creating fun, festive designs for printing, and with dye sublimation, in particular, sales opportunities abound.
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Direct-to-film (DTF) transfers provide a new, fast-growing garment-decoration method that’s ideal for designing layouts for sports apparel. From team and practice uniforms to fan wear, DTF transfers allow you to easily and inexpensively incorporate full color into layouts.
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Embroidering caps on commercial embroidery machines can cause struggles and stress. Most cap styles are unique in their shape and the way they are made. Here, let’s consider different cap styles and ways to hoop them, as well as different types of cap frames that are available.
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In Part 1 of this series, step-by-step techniques were listed for everything from press setup to preparing pallets and applying pallet adhesive. In Part 2, we'll start with emulsion practices and sufficient coverage on screens.
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To understand why direct-to-film (DTF) apparel decoration matters so much, ask yourself two questions? Why has the plastisol transfer had such enormous success for decades? Why does it still have loyal customers today?
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From the moment I enrolled in my high school printing class as a freshman to the time I printed my first shirt, I’ve been hooked on screen printing.
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Embroidery is a creative, fun and expressive way to personalize bulky items, including bags and luggage, to create a one-of-a-kind, timeless piece.
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Since apparel decorating is a small market, the number of companies investing in innovation has been extremely limited, especially in the embroidery sector. However, this doesn’t mean that embroidery innovation has died.
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Designing graphics for headwear requires a specific expertise. A full-front graphic that looks good on a T-shirt will not necessarily work on a hat.
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One of the top complaints I have heard in my career is that textile inks, whites in particular, are not opaque enough.
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Adding glitter to a print design instantly elevates its value and fashion appeal.
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Embroidering on headwear typically presents challenges that can scare away some embroiderers, even those who have years of experience.
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The print/cut process is not only a great way to create designs for heat-printing wearables, but you also can create decals for cups, windows, walls and all kinds of hard surfaces.
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As you may have heard by now, hybrid printing is rising in popularity. New screen-printing chemistry is available; decoration on more specialty products is being attempted and achieved; and more new users are adopting this technology into their workflows.
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Companies using flexo printing no longer see digital inkjet printing as a disruptive technology, and industrial inkjet printing is no longer dismissed as an inferior process.
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A look at five unique pallet attachments to make specialty application screen and digital direct-to-garment (DTG) printing a breeze.
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Although hand embroidery and appliqué have been around for millennia, computerized machine embroidery is only about 40 years old.
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Impressions gives apparel decorators from around the world an opportunity to submit their most impressive work, compete alongside their peers and show off their talents to the industry in its annual Impressions Awards decorating competition.
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Does your existing customer want to see something new or special you can do to their logo or design? Or do you want to wow a new client?
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Plastisol inks have been a mainstay of the textile screen-printing industry for the past 40-plus years. Although new technologies are popular in some applications such as high-solids acrylic (HSA), silicones, discharge and new water-based inks, plastisols still are the go-to product for most of the imprinted sportswear market.
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When you first start off as an embroiderer in the decorated apparel industry, you learn that there are many elements that go into mastering your craft and producing a beautiful design
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Clothing trends are cyclical; the popularity of certain concepts ebbs and flows all the time. Such is the current situation with tie-dye. People usually have a love-hate relationship with the tackiness of it, but the tie-dye trend currently is on the rise.
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There are many reasons why a T-shirt shop should learn how to screen print inks using a wet-on-wet technique.
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Embroidery continues to maintain its popularity as a reigning imprinting option for company branding.
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Not all inks are created equal. Lately, there’s been a lot of buzz regarding “eco-friendly” inks. Without going into too much detail on the make-up of these screen printing inks, I’d like to give a brief guideline of what to look for when switching to or using “eco-friendly” inks.
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Having the right screen-printing supplies is important for all apparel decorating businesses. One of the best supply items you can have is low cure plastisol inks.
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Reducers reduce the Viscosity or thickness of an ink when you feel the need to make an ink creamier or easier to print.
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When a race car driver wins a race and stands at the podium to accept the coveted prize and recognition, he gets the praise, accolades and the headlines.
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Embroidering caps on commercial embroidery machines can cause struggles and stress. Most cap styles are unique in their shape and the way they are made.
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Depending on your screen-printing production and business goals, there are a lot of different conveyor dryer options out there. Since a dryer is often one of the largest investments a shop makes, it is important to analyze all of your choices.
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Although you may have only been doing embroidery for a short time, you probably have learned some tricks through trial and error.
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In the screen-printing business, everyone seems to be battling for the same customers. But what if you could add new business that your competition isn’t getting?
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The process for printing on T-shirts has fundamentally remained the same for decades because it mostly was done on 50/50 blended and 100% cotton T-shirts.
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Screen printing on fleece is by no means a new process; fleece is only second to T-shirts among garments in terms of printing popularity. This installment of the Impressions Tech Tips Newsletter will feature printing on the American Apparel® Mason Fleece Drop Shoulder Sweatshirt (style HVF496W).
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Tips for finding high-quality ink at a reasonable price
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Each year, Impressions invites decorators from around the world to enter their most impressive work, compete alongside their peers and show off their talents to the industry in the Impressions Awards decorating competition.
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Tips for proper curing during the colder months of the year
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During the past decade, there has been a new revolution in garment-manufacturing technology. Consumer demands have necessitated new fabric and style development using a wide variety of different organic and synthetic fibers.
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When a vintage style meets an innovative performance fabric, the possibilities for the garment can soar. When tasked with embroidering a design on such a garment, imaginations can be difficult to contain.
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Make the right choices when embroidering fleecewear for first-rate results
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The direct-to-garment (DTG) printing process rapidly is growing as a preferred decoration method for many garment printers.
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Learn the ins and outs of embroidering garments in this popular apparel category.
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In this Impressions Tech Tips Newsletter, sponsored by Comfort Colors®, we will explore the possibilities available to decorate two kinds of dyed shirts.
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Follow these easy steps for designing and creating unique embellishments.
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There recently has been a virtual explosion of personalization, including monograms, in many decorating disciplines.
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A step-by-step guide for turning embroidery designs into patches
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How and when to adjust corners in a digitized design
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Offering clients the latest in apparel styles and fabrics is key for a successful textile screen-printing company.
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Appliqué may be a fancy-sounding word complete with an accent mark, but the process is nothing more than simply sewing a piece of fabric on top of another and adding a neat border of stitches.
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Countless small-shop owners, garage-based operations, hometown printers and startup decorators make a living via the manual screen-printing process, as it remains the heart of most garment printing.
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Strategies for digitizing faces and silhouettes
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Allover print sublimation graphics are popular in the fashion world and among traditional apparel decorators.
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A recent video from Stahls’ TV, explores how to create sew files for the appliqué process using Twill Stitch Pro PLUS software.
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Attention to detail is everything when you want to digitize realistically
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Stahls’, Sterling Heights, Mich., has released a new video as part of its “Project Press It” series that details how to transfer cool metallic heat designs onto oversized, short-sleeve shirts.
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Approach is everything when you want to digitize realistically
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Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing is unique among garment decorating techniques because the garments will, in part, determine the quality of the final image.
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Monogramming has surged in popularity during the past few years and now has become a fashion statement similar to the way it was in the 1950s…
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Performance T-shirts, compression apparel and other garments that include stretchy or synthetic fibers can be difficult to screen print and properly cure.
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The secret to making money with multi-media starts with a great design concept and artwork. Then, to make it profitable and production friendly, you need to purchase the right “toys” so the process flows smoothly and is not so time consuming.
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So you really think you want to offer cut-and-sew services? You have seen the demand for customized sublimation growing all around you. You have maximized your traditional spot hit and all-over-print business and you still want more?
Full StoryIn the world of digital printing (direct-to-garment, transfers, sublimation) there is a lot of emphasis placed on ink costs, yet they account for a very small percentage of production costs.
Full StoryWhat’s in a logo? That depends upon whom you ask. An apparel decorator, trained in a specific process, sees a logo through production process lenses. A vinyl cutter operator sees details and layers…
Full StoryCalculation of quantity price breaks for development of price sheets.
Full StoryAs you run larger orders you benefit from considerably less downtime in regards to pre- and post-production activities.
Full StoryHow to get a realistic view of the total costs to produce a job from beginning to end.
Full StoryIt is impossible to set any kind of logical prices without understanding what something costs to produce
Full StoryFiguring out your total costs can mean more profit for your digital decorating business.
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The dryer preforms a very important job in a screen-printing shop. If it’s not working properly it can result in the ink that cracks, or falls off after a garment is washed.
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When you create a digitized design, it is important to know what will happen with the stitches in your sewout.
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Caps are a staple of the embroidery business, so it makes sense to take the time to learn how to sew them well.
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Puff is back in style. But instead of the stiff puff prints of yesterday, here is an instructional how-to video on screen printing a stretchy puff design.
Full StoryLayering multiple colors or materials to create a single design is not difficult using heat-applied graphics materials.
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Sublimation continues to grow in all types of markets. From athletics and streetwear to outdoor and coastal retailers, increasing demand for sublimation is evident.
Full StoryIn the world of apparel decoration, perceived value is what sets the bar on pricing, not a formula. People only are willing to pay what they think a product is worth.
Full Story“There’s something wrong with the ink.” “There’s something wrong with the printer.” “There’s something wrong with…” a hundred of other reasons direct-to-garment (DTG) prints look dull, stiff or otherwise imperfect.
Full StoryIn this installment of the Impressions Tech Tips Newsletter, sponsored by American Apparel, we will showcase the ladies’ Ultra Wash tee (style RSA6320).
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I wholeheartedly believe that if our industry held one philosophy above all others, scrape rates (misprints) would drastically decrease and profits would subsequently increase.
Creating stock designs gives you the freedom to express yourself and the process can be rewarding. However, there are restrictions to that freedom.
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Did you know that Instagram has more than 100 million users? That’s a lot of potential customers that you may not be speaking to about your products and services if you offer sublimated hard goods.
Screen printing halftones on textiles is not as daunting of a process as some people make it out to be. However, there are steps that must be followed to ensure success.
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Sales are the backbone of a successful apparel decoration business, and a well-orchestrated sample kit is the key to turning sales opportunities into real profits.
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Now that it’s evident that jackets can be as profitable — if not more so — than the “normal” stuff most embroiderers sew, let’s look at the challenges of working with jackets.
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As a departure from the typical step-by-step review of decorating one particular garment, let’s review the challenges and processes for printing on two new garments from American Apparel.
Follow these expert guidelines for producing brilliant fleece prints while avoiding the pitfalls of this lint-producing fabric.
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“Gellusion” is a special-effects printing technique that lends itself well to creating a shiny 3-D effect print on a garment.
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In this installment of the Impressions Tech Tips Newsletter, we will review the optimum printing techniques for embellishing the new suede fabric from Next Level Apparel
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In this Impressions Tech Tips Newsletter, we will look at the American Apparel unisex polyester mesh athletic tank (style H458) and T-shirt, and the different means of embellishing these garments.
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“Winning has nothing to do with racing. Most days don't have races anyway. Winning is about struggle and effort and optimism, and never, ever, ever giving up.”
Follow the advice in this Impressions Tech Tips Newsletter, sponsored by American Apparel, and rib knits will be coming off your presses in no time.
There are many ways to load shirts onto automatic screen printing presses, and much of how an individual operator does this is based on preference or habit.
If you’ve added a process such as embroidery to your screen printing business, then you’re probably a good candidate for adding direct-to-garment printing. That’s because you’re already looking at yourself as someone who offers decorating services, not someone who only does screen printing. The only question, then, is how to add the process to your shop.
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In the Spring 2014 issue of Team & Spirit Apparel, a twice-a-year supplement to Impressions, contributing writer Greg Kitson wrote a feature article about “Super Moms.”
Full StoryWith the expanded gamut of garment configurations entering the market today, screen printers must constantly remain aware of printing techniques and procedures required to print on these specialty fabrics.
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This Impressions Tech Tips newsletter will explore the use of a color-blocked JERZEES® NuBlend® fleece hoodie and an appropriate design solution that brings out the best in this garment.
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Are you looking for ways to save stitches but still produce top-notch embroidery with a good profit margin? Then appliqué may be the answer to your challenge.
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In this Tech Tips Newsletter, we will be working with an array of new denim products from American Apparel to create embroidered looks your customers will love.
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In this technical bulletin and video, we‘ll be using the JERZEES NuBlend 50/50 cotton/polyester fleece to demonstrate an effective method of optimizing printing on blended fleece.
Broaden your shop’s profit margins and add to your printing arsenal by learning the steps involved in this special-effects printing process.
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In responding to the various online forums, I am finding that one of the biggest topics in question is puffy letters.
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Get vibrant, soft-hand results on tricky fabrics that contain varying amounts of polyester, cotton and rayon.
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In this installment, we will review the primary variables that require controlling or standardization in order to maximize the desired quality results to maintain your primary client base.
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The June/July cover of Impressions features two tots wearing customized garments that were heat printed by Stahls’ Cad-Cut Direct, St. Clair Shores, Mich.
Full StoryIn this technical newsletter and accompanying video, you’ll learn how to achieve excellent color and tone range on your next true four-color process job (also known as 4CP or process color).
I frequently get calls from customers asking for advice on how to print on polyester. Although this topic has been covered in previous articles, here are some quick tips:
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This article will review the variables involved with printing on nylon and the correct procedures needed to ensure a winning product each time.
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As the popularity of poly-performance apparel grows, so does the interest in sublimation, since it’s the ideal choice for decorating anything made of polyester.
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The popularity of French terry has skyrocketed due to its comfort and adaptability to different apparel silhouettes.
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As the drive for additional styles and fabrics have flooded our industry, the need to perfect the printing on 50/50 blends has become a necessity for every screen printer.
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It’s one thing to be a great embroiderer, but you also must have strong sales to keep your business alive.
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One of the main determining factors in choosing the right knife is the purpose for which it will be used.
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Many screen printers initially focus on printing T-shirts, but you also can think outside the box and print fun items like stickers
With the popularity of allover printing, it's becoming increasingly common to screen print over zippers, seams and pockets, particularly on fleece apparel.
Appliqué on fleece, like any appliqué, is a fairly straightforward process. The two variances when compared to “normal” embroidery are the placement line in the design and getting the fabric cutout to fit inside that placement line.
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This video, courtesy of MESA Distributors, shows its Highland HM1501 15-needle embroidery machine in action.
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There are different types of fibers used for bobbins, including cotton and polyester.
Full StoryOiling your commercial embroidery machine is crucial to upkeep.
Full StoryBobbin tension is very important to an efficient embroidery operation. This video shows how to set bobbin tension on an L sized bobbin.
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