The more things change, the more they stay the same—or do they? Obviously, there continues to be change across the decorated apparel industry, but does this change mean more of the same? I don’t think so, not anymore, for the simple fact the rate of change is now increasing in a way that’s truly unprecedented.
Ease of use, production capacity and flexibility are central to the functionality of Epson’s new SureColor G9070 DTF printer. Photo courtesy of Impressions Expo
Arguably, at the heart of this paradigm shift is the idea of print-on-demand, or POD, as is reflected in the fact it’s featured in not one but two of the other stories in the issue you now hold in your hands. This in turn has affected everything else having to do with the decorated-apparel industry, from ordering to production to the speed with which a completed order goes out the door.
It has also resulted in a breaking down of the barriers between different decorating techniques: a situation that is true both in terms of the nuts and bolts of the decorating being done and the fact specializing in one technique alone, to the exclusion of all others, no longer represents a viable business model.
Flexibility, as was fully evident at the first two Impressions Expos of the year in Long Beach, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey, is key. Adapt or die, both in the years to come and the here and now.
E-commerce, Hybrid Systems and Decorated Apparel
Not just leading the charge in these areas, but serving as a kind of crossroads for the various different technology trends making these kinds of changes a reality is STAHLS’ newly launched Fulfill ONE (SF-1) Innovation Hub in Chesterfield, Michigan. As much a “next-generation digital decorating and heat-printing innovation hub” as it is an actual decorating shop, the facility leverages the power of the company’s Fulfill Engine production management and e-commerce platform to implement the kind of POD order fulfillment that would have been inconceivable as recently as a few years ago.
More than just a decorating shop, STAHLS’ newly opened Fulfill ONE (SF-1) Innovation Hub serves as a kind of living laboratory for the industry as a whole. Photo courtesy of STAHLS’
And we’re not just talking about heat-press decoration. The facility, which is designed to function as a kind of tech showcase for the industry as a whole, goes well beyond STAHLS’ original remit as a heat transfer specialist to include embroidery and direct-to-garment (DTG) as well.
Similarly, embroidery specialist Melco recently introduced something it calls its SUMMIT Manager Software system, a production management platform that leverages the inherent capabilities of its Melco SUMMIT embroidery machines in order to offer a real-time view of the entire production floor via a single intuitive interface. The new system also makes it possible to take full advantage of its SUMMIT machines, by mixing and matching the capabilities of multiple connected systems, letting you scale from single head to multi-head production without sacrificing flexibility.
Finally, in another example of how the barriers between production techniques and technologies continue to break down, there’s the new ROQ HYBRID PRO+, a fully automated system that combines screen printing and high-resolution digital decorating as part of a single, seamless whole. The result is a system that makes it possible for high-capacity decorators to have their cake and eat it too in terms of the pluses and minuses of these two decorating technologies.
Decorated Apparel and Straight-line Speed
Complementing this increase in flexibility and process control is a combination of all-out speed and ease of use as well.
When it comes to raw speed, it’s hard to beat the new ZSK Racer-R with its 2,000 stitches per minute. Photo courtesy of Impressions Expo
Nowhere is this more evident than with the new Racer R1W embroidery machine from ZSK, which made its official U.S. debut in Long Beach this past January. In addition to featuring ZSK’s “One-Touch Thread Tensioning” system, the Racer R1W is equipped with no less than 18 needles and capable of production speeds of up to 2,000 stitches per minute. That’s right, 2,000 stitches per minute. The system is also available with ZSK’s “Roll2Roll” system for use with labels and other such items, ensuring the ultimate in production capacity.
Then there’s Brown Manufacturing Group’s Yet-Tee Stomper line, a bid to take direct-to-film (DTF) automation to a whole new level with what the company describes as its “single operator full production” approach, whereby workers simply load the garment; scan a barcode specifying the design to be created; and hit “press.” The Yet-Tee system takes it from there—printing, curing, heat-pressing and even peeling the transfer paper from the garment being decorated.
Staking out an arguably more conventional but no less impressive position in the DTF space is the new EPSON SureColor G9070 DTF printer, also making its debut in Long Beach: a system engineered to take reliability and ease-of-use in this now well-established area of decorating to a whole new level.
Features include a user-replaceable PrecisionCore Micro TFP printhead with Nozzle Verification Technology; twin-roll print flexibility allowing users to print two media rolls simultaneously; a comprehensive battery of automated system maintenance routines; user-friendly controls; and the company’s Epson Cloud Solution to enable things like job tracking and cost accounting. “Unlike systems that constantly demand attention, it is designed to just work,” the company says.
Screen-printing—Not Dead Yet!
Meanwhile, not to be outdone, equipment developers in the screen-printing sector are also continuing to refine their offerings, further evidence this centuries old decorating technique remains relevant as ever.
Precision ink management and mixing is now possible for smaller shops as well, thanks to Avient’s new DMC DispenseMaster. Photo courtesy of Impressions Expo
Helping out in the area of screen-printing job prep, for example, is the newly introduced Avient DMC DispenseMaster, a scaled-down version of the company’s DM4 DispenseMaster. In addition to being optimized for use in smaller shops where floorspace is limited, the system’s front-accessible configuration allows it to be placed directly against a wall while still affording ease of maintenance. Operationally, it links seamlessly with Avient’s IMS 3.0 ink management software in order to better achieve a wide range of Pantone or custom color formulas and manage inventory more efficiently—all with an eye to helping screen printers achieve that much more consistent color matching
Along these same lines, the 2026 Impressions Expo in Long Beach also saw the introduction of M&R’s new HORNET automatic screen-printing press, a system that is as easy to use as it is effective. Specific features include everything from a 7.5-inch, high-resolution touchscreen interface designed for fast learning and intuitive operation to a clean, modern icon system to help guide operators through setup and daily use with a minimum of training; onboard diagnostics; and a state-of-the art laser locator system to help operators position each garment that much more precisely and at speed.
The new SEDDI Decorator system replaces the static digital mockups the industry has long relied on with true-to-life 3D online garment representations. Image courtesy of SEDDI
Meanwhile, for all you operators out there still stuck with having to reclaim your screens by hand (not to mention managers doing their best to try and retain workers in an increasingly competitive labor market) there’s Bluewater Labs brand-new HP-1 High Pressure Washer. A fully enclosed, high-pressure screen cleaning system providing a combination of speed and consistency in a compact footprint specifically engineered for use in smaller shops, it might not make screen reclaim your favorite job exactly, but it sure does make it better!
Finally, no discussion of the new tech making its debut at this year’s Impressions Expo in Long Beach would be complete without a mention of the new SEDDI Decorator system: a purpose-built visual platform that replaces the static 2D digital mockups the industry has long relied on with true-to-life 3D garment representations that have to be seen to be believed. According to the folks at SEDDI, “The result is a faster sales cycle, greater confidence in approvals, and a more reliable through-line from concept to finished product.” A pretty accurate summary of the state of the custom apparel industry as a whole these days if ever there was one!
Anything for Everybody All the Time
As for the T-shirts, hats and hoodies side of the equation, pity the poor blank apparel industry! Time was consumers didn’t just know the trends they should be following; they followed them. Not anymore! Look at a bunch of photos from the ’70s, ’80s and even ’90s, and you’ll likely have a pretty good chance of knowing the decade in which they were taken thanks to the clothes the people are wearing. These days, though, the nature of the internet and the countless influencers that make it tick—among younger consumers especially—is such that anything goes.
Next Level’s new long-sleeve thermal looks good and is also good for the environment. Photos courtesy of Next Level
Medium weight tees, for example, are said to be all the rage this year, but you better retain a few lightweight options in your product line just in case! Same thing with colors. Earth tones have been described as setting the pace for a number of months now. But it didn’t take much searching at the last couple of Impressions Expos to find plenty of colors on display that would have worked just fine on the set of the movie “Pretty in Pink.”
That said, as is the case with screen printing, the blank apparel sector isn’t anywhere near ready to give up just yet. Just the opposite, as it continues to both move the industry forward and do its best to try and anticipate the next “new thing.” Case in point, industry veteran Lane Seven recently introduced an all-new women’s collection. Similarly, Hanes has launched a new line of hospital scrubs—looking to tap into what has long been one of the country’s most important service industries—at the same time its Comfort Colors brand now includes an all-new cap and bags collection.
Along these same lines, Los Angeles Apparel was touting its Supima cotton line and all-new uber-sheer Cheesecloth collection at the Atlantic City Expo; Colortone had its “Vintage spray” on display; and Next Level was both looking good and doing good with its 8211 Thermal Long Sleeve waffle, made with 40 percent recycled polyester; the latter part of the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, which includes membership in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, an organization dedicated to creating a data-powered, traceable standard for U.S. Cotton production.
Flexfit is continuing to refine its easy-to-embroidery NU line of caps. Photo courtesy of Impressions Expo
Other new products and ideas on offer at the year’s first couple of Impressions Expos included Flexfit’s further refining of its proprietary “nu” line and its easy-to-embroider front panel constructions with the addition of both a decorative braid and super-sharp-looking laser-cut ventilation; Fairweather Johnson’s further bolstering of its eco-friendly product line with a line of T-shirts that isn’t just created using recycled materials but requires no additional dying; and AS Colour’s new Frame Soft Camo Cap’s, the company’s latest effort to create “canvasses for self-expressions that stand the test of time.”
Kudo’s as well to the entire industry’s ever-expanding commitment to lessening its environmental impact and fair-trade practices, as is evident not only in the above-mentioned initiatives on the part of Next Level and Fairweather Johnson, but Cotton Heritage’s newly launched “eco-essentials” tees, a line made of 100-percent regenerated cotton and recycled polyester, “reducing textile waste and conserving resources without compromising the quality.”
Same thing with Jerzees’ Eco fleece line, featuring a blend of combed, ring-spun U.S.-grown cotton and 100-percent recycled polyester. “Sell what you’re good at, both the basic stuff, and also your elevated products.” said Jerzees senior account manager Luis Irene, an outstanding business philosophy by any measure.
Sportswear provider Momentec is pushing to increase the amount of sublimation work it does for the corporate sector. Photo courtesy of Impression Expo
Last but not least, it’s interesting to see the latest changes taking place in the area of sublimation these days, with performance/teamwear providers Momentec and Dynamic Team Sports, for example, both looking to grow their customization business.
In the case of Momentec, this includes leveraging the power of the sublimation customization capabilities it has long had at its disposal to expand into the corporate market—think golf outings, etc. As for Dynamic, the strategy is based on taking full advantage of the combined power of its FSG America division and the company’s proprietary “Creator” online custom uniform creator and e-commerce platform to make ordering a great looking fully customized uniform, or uniforms, easier than ever.
The results in both cases are nothing less than spectacular, which come to think of it, is once again something that could be said for the decorated-apparel industry as a whole. Keep up the good work, everyone! Who knows? Maybe the more things change, the more they do, in fact, stay the same, at least as far as the decorated-apparel industry is concerned.
