There are so many ways to add value and make your garments stick out from the competition. I’d suggest experimenting as much as you can and networking with professionals throughout the industry.

If you’re tired of standard, basic prints, your customers are probably bored too. Try some of the different methods suggested here and then pair them with another that will make a huge impression on your customers.

Explore these six popular, but unique special effect techniques for screen printing:

New article from Marshall Atkinson at atkinsontshirt.com. One of the greatest things about the decorated apparel industry is the diverse spectrum of customers that we can appeal to for our services.  We literally can do anything for anybody.  This is such a true fact that I think a lot of shops get lost when trying to figure out who they should be marketing to in their area.
I’ve asked plenty of shop owners this question: “What is your perfect order?”  A good chunk of them will come back with the “Oh, we’ll take anything!  We sell to everyone!”
Does that sound like you?

I visit hundreds of print shops a year - teaching, training and sharing. I also visit a few trade shows and distributors' open houses. One thing I see in the trade shows and open houses that I rarely see in professional print shops is printers who are pushing the squeegee instead of pulling.

Most screen printers are familiar with the flash-cure unit, and many shops use this piece of equipment as part of their production sequence.  A flash-cure unit is used during production to cure the surface of the ink only, at least, that’s what it’s intended for.

It is important to understand the relationship between several factors that play a role in how well the flash cure gels the ink, and how to manipulate each to get the best results. Here’s what to watch out for when trying to set up the flash for optimal use:

New article from Marshall Atkinson at atkinsontshirt.com. I was running the other day and about halfway through my route when a song came on my playlist that lifted my spirits immensely.  “Get Rhythm” by Johnny Cash.  Sure, it’s an old song.  But sometimes I like to hear tunes that have a little grit and history.  Plus I’m a big fan of the Man in Black.  Not all singers have to shriek through a song like they have their testicles in a vice, right?
Listening to the lyrics of the song (below at the bottom of the article), it occurred to me then that not a lot of people that I encounter daily do things to make themselves feel good or change their position about something. Why is everyone always in a sour mood these days?
Being happy, makes other people happy too.
This can be crucial to your success, especially if you are in a position of leadership or management.  Don’t think others notice that you are in a cranky mood?  Don’t delude yourself.
A crappy mood is like luggage that you are carrying around with you all day.  It is a unnecessary burden, and it affects everything you touch because unless you put down those bags, you aren’t going to handle things correctly.  Everyone you bark at, insult, or growl instructions to just thinks you are a jerk…or worse.
Want to change your outlook and find your happy place so you can interact with others well?  Here are a few ideas that could influence how you see things internally for the better:

With the choices of white inks in the market, it’s understandable that there is a lot of confusion as to which ink to use and what the differences are between each white.

Obviously, we cannot break down the differences of all the white inks on the market, but we’ve created a couple of tools to help differentiate the white inks that International Coatings manufactures.

The first is our updated Infographic (see image above), basically delineating which white ink to use for two main substrates – cotton vs. polyester.

The second tool is our White Comparison Chart, great for a quick reference, as it lists temperatures, and other ink characteristics.

Check both of them out