Shop Talk’s Rick Roth sat down with industry veterans Zahir “Zach” Sait, John Rusk, and Adam Walterscheid, of the popular Fairweather Johnson brand, to discuss Textisle, their new, effective method of recycling fabric waste to create more sustainable apparel.
Full Story
Born in Belize City, in Central America, John Pinnington’s early childhood was not an easy one. But he has since gone on to make his dreams a reality by going into the printing and decorated apparel business, where a combination of hard work and a no-nonsense emphasis on service and quality had led to continued success.
Full Story
Shop Talks Rick Roth recently spoke to Jed Seifert, co-founder of Stakes Manufacturing, about the benefits—and joys, literally—of hiring disable employees in the decorated apparel sector.
Full Story
Seemingly ubiquitous as a cliché (e.g., the dawn of time), embroidery possesses a rich, ancient-like history. A timeless classic, the art can be traced back to the Cro-Magnon days, roughly around 30,000 B.C.
Full Story
A love for aviation took Rocky Smith on a lifelong journey from pilot to apparel decorating specialist. Smith, who earned his private pilot’s license in 2001, has had a lifelong love of airplanes—World War II planes especially.
Full Story
In the beginning, Donwan Harrell and his wife, Jahayra, outsourced their company, Artmeetschaos’, garment manufacturing and printing overseas. But when minimum order quantities saddled the business with excess inventory, they decided to bring their screen-printing operations in-house.
Full Story
For this Shop Talk session, held at Impressions Expo Long Beach, Jan. 20-22, some of the most knowledgable water-based screen printers in the country gathered to discuss the artform of printing with water-based inks.
Full Story
Rich Khun is a man of many talents. He began his career in 2004 as a graphic designer, creating among other things, CD covers, nightclub flyers and billboard designs.
Full Story
Is AI a tool or a threat to a creative business? According to the experts, it depends on how you choose to look at it
Full Story
In the garment-decorating industry there are many different production methods available. Each method in turn requires a specific type of artwork and has certain specifications that need to be met in order for an image to be reproduced properly.
Full Story
It’s one thing to build a single successful business in a half-dozen years, but four successful businesses? That’s been the reality for Nikkie Chadwick, president of Walnut Creek Apparel & Gifts located in Beloit, Wisconsin, a small college town an hour and a half northwest of Chicago
Full Story
LaTonna Roberson, founder of Dallas, Texas-based Lady Print Boss, and Rick Roth, founder of New England’s Mirror Image Screenprinting & Embroidery and Ink Kitchen discuss how to grow your business beyond its current boundaries
Full Story
Dawaud Muhammad already had built a name for himself in the urban clothing game before the apparel world would formally be introduced to San Leandro, California-based Big Printing T-Shirt Co.
Full Story
The decorated-apparel industry has long been recognized as a place where creativity, innovation and giving back have become defining hallmarks of the community at large, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected everyone — regardless of occupation or industry — in the last two years.
Full Story
From beanies and blankets to caps and koozies. Messenger bags, sticky notes and writing tools, too — you name it and North Georgia Promotions can brand it.
Full Story
La Tonna Roberson always had a passion for apparel and design, but she had no idea the canvas she’d spend countless hours working on would be T-shirts.
Full Story
A lot can be said for hard work, a concept with which Justin Vu is all too familiar.
Full Story
Amber Penny Massey experienced her first case of severe anxiety at age 22. Upon getting her master’s degree in emotional behavior disorders from Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia, she worked as a special-education teacher in the Muscogee County School District.
Full Story
Six years ago, Scoreboard Sports started offering e-stores. And while several of the industry’s biggest players — Soccer.com, Eastbay and BSN Sports — already were striking gold with their own custom platforms, owner Sean Macklyn thought the initiative was worth the effort.
Full Story
In many ways, Ada Asenjo’s foray into decorated apparel exemplifies the quintessential journey on which many nascent business owners in this industry embark.
Full Story
When he was 17, Upstate Merch owner Dylan Gilligan was installing appliances for a New York Sears by day and practicing with his band at night.
Full Story
Sue and J.R. Howell own and operate Marshallton, Delaware-based Shacraft Inc., a home-based decorated-apparel business that offers screen printing, sublimation, embroidery and CAD-cutting services.
Full Story
Wendy Schenck-Benson’s first adventure in screen printing occurred in late-spring 1983 in Salt Lake City. The area had
record-breaking snowpack that melted because of a warm spring descended the mountains.
Phil Gandy calls it the “bulldog mindset” — that drive and ambition that was necessary when he started Gandy Ink in San Angelo, Texas, more than 30 years ago.
Full Story
Paul Whitmore still remembers the biggest job that rolled through Rhino Graphics. Not too long before a 44,000-shirt order came in, the San Marcos, Texas-based shop had just purchased an automatic screen-printing press.
Full Story
It’s probably no surprise that Dylan Houser and Woody Kumetat of Philadelphia-based Pink’s Inks love the color pink.
Full Story
To say that California Roots Presents (CRP) is a dynamic and intertwined group of creative businesses may be an understatement.
Full Story
“Hi, I like you.” It’s a simple phrase, but to Maui Screen Printing owner John “Johnny” Edelstein, it’s so much more.
Full Story
There’s something unique about the apparel-decorating community. Ask decorators about their counterparts and what epitomizes the good things about the industry and — surprise — they won’t ramble on about themselves. They’ll actually defer praise to others.
Full Story
When Nanette Finch opened Creeds & Crests Inc. 26 years ago, it was an experience that required her to, as she says, “fly by the seat of my pants.” Little did she know that she was perfectly equipped to handle such a scenario.
Full Story
Donray Printing has a rich history — a classic story of a man and his vision. Founder Art Ferriola was first introduced to sublimation printing when he worked as a press man — and eventually salesman — for Devries Printing in Saddle Brook, New Jersey.
Full Story
Jason Juranis is no stranger to hard work. His stepfather, a former marine who served in Vietnam, was a taskmaster who demanded perfection.
Full Story
In February 2018, during a lecture at Harvard Business School, Skya Nelson was asked how his company, organic sweatshop-free boutique apparel maker Fed By Threads (FBT), was going to change the minds of today’s corporate consumers regarding sustainability.
Full Story
Peter Daneyko was first introduced to large-format sublimation by his business partner, Joe Werner, whose friends in the printing business brought the trend to his attention.
Full Story
Drue Nickerson was only 11 years old when he began his T-shirt journey, drawing cartoon characters on garments with fabric markers and selling them.
Full Story
Eden Autism was started in 1975 as a nonprofit organization to help individuals with autism. The organization has made many strides in varying areas, including opening a school and offering adult services and various other outreach programs.
Full Story
In 2014, Mel Lay founded Gladstone, Oregon-based SandiLake Clothing to satisfy an unmet demand. She saw a trend in “statement clothing” for children, as well as matching sets for kids and adults.
Full Story
Stuart McKown doesn’t have a long history in the decorated-apparel industry. In fact, he was in a different industry during the country’s most recent economic recession in 2008.
Full Story
Don’t quit your “real jobs.” That’s what everyone told Adam McCauley and Ryan Dost, co-owners of Michigan-based Sandlot Sports LLC, when they floated the idea of starting the business in 2008.
Full Story
Fortunately, Doyle Rogers is as good at reading signs as he is at making them. When he took over his father’s Bridgman, Michigan-based sign shop in 2003, he soon realized the company was missing out on a lucrative business opportunity.
Full Story
When a large retailer arrived in Elmira, New York, in 2011, bought a local sporting goods company and left behind its affiliated decorator, Michael Maloney saw an opportunity.
Full Story
Every successful company has a “secret sauce,” that special element that allows it to rise above the competition and achieve prosperity. The ability to identify and fulfill a niche is, and always has been, key.
Full Story
Portland’s at-risk youth get job training and useful workplace skills through screen printing thanks to this local nonprofit.
Full Story
At first glance, Virginia Beach,Virginia-based Surf and Adventure Co.’s past appears rather complicated. But based on the retail shop’s current status, it seems that its history has positioned the printing business for a solid future.
Full Story
This Texas screen-printing shop has found success by sticking to its foundation.
Full Story
She smokes cigars and drives fast cars. But looking past the wafting smoke clouds and revving engines reveals a different side of Suzanne Whatley, owner of Branding Matters! LLC.
Full Story
This Nashville, Tennessee-based graphics and screen printing shop embodies a true rags-to-riches tale
Full Story
Glenn Robbins’ vision has always been to help people find their way.
Full Story
A Brit’s trip across the pond inspired a T-shirt business with a social mission.
Full Story
Stephen Terrell wanted to prove the naysayers wrong when they said his way of doing business wouldn’t work. That desire ultimately catapulted his company, Print Works, to notable success in a relatively short time period.
Full Story
In 2005, Tom Rauen was working as a bartender in the small college town of Dubuque, Iowa, and — like most new college grads — wondering where life might take him next.
Full Story
Large, high-volume printing shops don’t just appear. It takes years of
hard work to grow into a successful apparel-decorating business.
When Michael Rothermund got laid off from his fourth job in the engineering industry, he knew it was time for a change — and all signs pointed to the T-shirt business.
Full Story
It started in his high school graphic-arts class in the 1990s. That is where Jason Lansdell, owner of Rome, Ga.-based High Voltage Prints, learned about the printing industry…
Full Story
In its current incarnation, Goodfellas Merch is the ideal high-volume screen-printing business. It boasts three automatic and two manual presses…
Full Story
It seems fitting that Hi Voltage Productions, Mike Ritchey’s aptly named apparel-decorating business, occupies a former 5,000-square-foot electric power station.
Full Story
It took Andrew Blood six years to regain his independence after an accident, and he’s been working almost non-stop since to make up for lost time…
Full Story
Howard Potter always wanted to own a graphics-based business. That dream came true in 2003 …
Full Story
Yellowknife, Northwest Territorries is home to more than picturesque views and the Northern Lights. Sarah Erasmus, co-founder of Erasmus Apparel (EA), has made her dreams come true there, creating apparel for residents and visitors alike.
Full Story
The secret is simple, really, according to Rich Santo. Success not only comes when you can creatively and efficiently deliver on promises to your customers, but also when can push the limits.
Sometimes, an opportunity comes along and you just have to take it. Whether it’s a sure bet or a leap of faith, a new and different path can pay off handsomely.
Full Story
Absolutely Specialties proves you don’t have to be the biggest decorated apparel shop to be one of the best.
Full Story