Impressions Expo and the decorated apparel business remain on a roll, with crowds and the overall feel at last week’s Impressions Expo Fort Worth confirming the industry continues to sustain its post-COVID momentum.
In terms of raw numbers, this year’s Impressions Expo Fort Worth saw a show floor chock-o-block full, thanks to a 25 percent increase in the amount of exhibitor space and an 8 percent increase in attendance compared to 2022—a year that was already seeing the event returning to pre-COVID levels.
ROQ was among the dozens of gear, materials and blank apparel suppliers on hand. 2023 PWP Studio Corporate Event Photographers
Equally, important was the business being generated—both in terms of immediate sales and future leads—in everything from the latest decorating tech to blank apparel. Despite the headwinds created by the higher interest rates put in place by the Fed to help tame the country’s recent bout with inflation, business remains solid—especially in the area of consumer sales. In fact, if there remains a single unifying concern across the industry it’s no longer costs or supply-chain issues, but finding enough workers.
As always, this year’s event featured a variety of different activities and networking opportunities. These included not one but two live printing stations; a complimentary happy hour at the close of the expo’s first full day; Shop Talk with the Ink Kitchen’s Rick Roth offering a series of 20-minute panel discussions on the show floor; and, of course, the Impressions Expo Conference series, with classes on everything from the finer points of screen printing to tips on systematizing your business, DTF and DTG, marketing and social media, and adopting the necessary mindset to not only get a new business off the ground, but make it a success.
Pretty much any kind of blank apparel and merch you can imagine was on display. 2023 PWP Studio Corporate Event Photographers
Next up is Impressions Expo Long Beach, in Long Beach, California, set to take place January 19-21, with the conference program kicking off January 18. With sales of exhibition space already setting a record pace, it promises to be bigger and better than ever as well. Don’t miss out on the action!
For more on the Long Beach show and all three Impressions Expos, including Impressions Expo Atlantic City, set to take place March 21-23 click HERE. The next Impressions Expo Fort Worth is set to take place October 24-26, 2024.
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American Apparel, Christ Church, Barbados, has announced a multi-year partnership as the official printwear supplier of Live Nation across festivals in North America.
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Gildan Activewear Inc., Montreal, has published its latest Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report, cementing 19 years of the company’s public ESG disclosures.
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