Off the Cuff: Wallowing Won’t Help Your Business
Yes, the tough economic times remain with us. There’s no need to dwell on what you already know and have been dealing with for the past few years. All that said, there are some silver linings to consider and opportunities to be found if you look for them — or more to the point, create them or adapt to them in ways that your competition is not.

Recession Survivors Reveal Strategies for Staying in Business
To get a pulse on how today’s decorators are faring three years after the start of the Great Recession, we interviewed six decorators from Rhode Island to the California coast. Some of our panelists saw sales drop in fall 2008, while others began to feel its effects in early 2009. But regardless of when these shop owners felt the recession affect their businesses, they all experienced a significant plummet in sales.

CPSIA: Three Years Later
Adopted in 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) remains one of the most misunderstood pieces of legislation within the garment decorating community. There are several reasons for this: the continued stay of enforcement for both testing and certification; the lack of clear, consistent guidance from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regarding the applicability of the phthalate content limits; and the applicability of the tracking label system.

Off the Cuff: Industry Outlook for 2011
While unemployment remains high and the real estate and the construction markets remain anemic, there are abundant signs of life in the overall economy and some encouraging trends for those of us whose livelihoods are tied to graphic apparel sales. Here are some signs that the decorated apparel industry is moving in a positive direction overall.

Special Report: The Cotton Crunch
We all know and love cotton. The fabric of our lives is a part of virtually every human being’s wardrobe. Basically, cotton has been around forever — it was first cultivated more than 7,000 years ago.

Why You Should Attend A Trade Show
I have been attending major industry trade shows since the early 1980s, and now I am a self-professed trade show junkie. I have found that a trade show is a wonderful opportunity to meet with customers and vendors, discuss new technologies and find profitable ways to improve my shop.

Thought Leaders: Views on a New Decade
Decorated apparel is an entirely different animal today than a decade ago for a variety of reasons. In addition to fashion and function, numerous factors have enhanced — and changed — the way the industry operates.

From the Outside Looking In
As an entrepreneur, you probably find it a bit difficult to take advice from others. After all, to this point, you’ve grown your business just fine by following your own instincts. However, even the savviest shop owner can only grow his decorating business so far before he needs professional help — I’m talking about a consultant, not a therapist (although the latter might not be a bad idea either).

Make the Most of Your Industry Trade Show Visit
Attending your first decorated apparel trade show is exhilarating. Even though the cost of travel is up, I don't think you can afford to miss the trade show closest to your home town. If you are new to the industry, prepare to be astounded by the number of new products and suppliers you will find. If you are an old hand in the industry, expect to find new products, ideas and processes to keep your business innovative and on the right track.

Off the Cuff: How the Decorated Apparel Industry Has Weathered the Recession
Though various sectors and regions appear to be slowly clawing back to normalcy, if you own a screen printing, embroidery or promotional products business, you’ve felt firsthand the challenges to your sales endeavors and your enterprise’s profitability.

Recession Strategy: Survive and Then Thrive
You’re probably sick and tired of hearing about the ongoing economic crisis. Yes, times are tough and businesses are hurting — but what, exactly, are custom apparel decorators supposed to do about it?

Decorators Peer Into the New Year
While the economy is still on everyone’s mind, fewer question marks exist about how to compete. The turbulent climate has purged some local competition, giving the surviving decorators opportunities to pick up the failed shops’ business. Impressions interviewed six proactive decorators to get their take on the year to come.

Off the Cuff: How to Measure Key Barometers of Business Health — Part 2 of 2
In Part One, our veteran decorated apparel industry consultant outlined the seven key barometers of business health and marketing performance. In Part Two, he reviews specific goals and remedies impacting those seven areas.

Off the Cuff: How to Measure Key Barometers of Business Health — Part 1 of 2
In Part One of a two-part series, our veteran decorated apparel industry consultant outlines the seven key barometers of business health and marketing performance. In Part Two, he will review specific goals and remedies impacting those seven areas.