Virtual event will focus on practical artificial intelligence (AI) workflow strategies decorated-apparel professionals can employ to enhance sales, marketing operations, automation and shop growth
The decorated-apparel education and training community Shirt Lab has announced its upcoming 2026 Shirt Lab AI Summit, a one-day virtual event designed specifically for the decorated apparel industry to help shops understand how to apply artificial intelligence in practical, profitable ways.
The Shirt Lab AI Summit will take place Tuesday, June 23, 2026, bringing together industry experts and experienced operators to demonstrate real-world AI workflows for screen printers, embroiderers, DTF shops and promotional product companies.
Real-world use of AI for decorated-apparel sales, production, marketing
According to event organizers, in contrast to the many generic AI conferences out there with their focus on theory and hype, the Shirt Lab AI Summit will focus on practical implementation, actionable workflows and operational systems attendees can begin using immediately inside their businesses. To this end, Shirt Lab has assembled a team of AI experts, including Charity Gibson, Brian Piper, Ali Banholzer, Ritanshu Dokania, Jesse Freeby and Chris Bates.
“Most decorators are hearing about AI everywhere, but they still don’t know what to actually do with it,” said Marshall Atkinson, co-founder of Shirt Lab. “This summit is about cutting through the noise and showing real workflows, real implementation, and real business applications that help shops save time, improve efficiency, and compete at a higher level.”
AI strategies for decorated-apparel shop owners, sales teams and more
According to Atkinson, the summit will follow a structured progression covering strategy, data, sales, marketing, automation, systems and creative implementation. Sessions are designed to help everyone from shop owners to production managers, sales teams and marketing specialists move beyond experimentation and begin building repeatable AI-driven processes inside their companies.
Specific topics will include:
- Using AI to define ideal customers and identify qualified sales prospects
- Building AI-powered outreach and sales workflows
- Marketing automation and content generation
- AI systems for operational efficiency and workflow improvement
- Practical automation without requiring coding experience
- Creative AI applications for decorated apparel businesses
Tickets for the AI Summit are $97. In addition, every registrant will also receive:
- Full access to the event recordings for future review and team training
- A companion digital workbook designed to help attendees organize ideas, document workflows, and apply what they learn after the event
“The decorators who learn AI systems now will build a significant advantage over the shops waiting on the sidelines,” Atkinson said. “AI is quickly becoming operational infrastructure, and the businesses learning how to use it effectively today will move faster, market better, and operate more efficiently tomorrow.”
For additional information or to register, visit: https://shirtlabtribe.com/events/ai-summit
