Performance apparel manufacturers are rolling out new options that not only keep wearers cool, clean and dry, but also are suitable for everyday use.
Enough was enough for Kevin Plank. In 1995, Plank, then-special teams captain of the University of Maryland football team, decided he had grown tired of repeatedly changing his soaking-wet cotton T-shirts during games.
November 01, 2008
Add to your embroidery shop's profits by serving the lucrative animal enthusiast niche.
There's no question that there is money to be made in the pet market. The mainstream press is full of information about the number of pets and how their owners take care of them.
November 01, 2008
Learn how to decrease design run time to increase profitability.
In this politically charged season there has been a lot talk from all sides about wasting resources and the need for change because current policies are ineffective. This week, I’m jumping into the fray.
October 24, 2008
As with any stretchy fabric, embroidering on performancewear can be tricky if you don’t use the right stabilizer. It’s possible that the embroidery may look fine when you finish it, but without proper support it can pucker and even lose registration in the wash as stitches are pulled out of shape.
October 13, 2008
Effective marketing unlocks the profit in eco-friendly products and processes; here's how.
The worldwide "greening" of industries is not a passing trend, as social responsibility has become a mainstay in conducting business these days. Companies in the decorated apparel industry are doing their homework to properly educate and deliver green products and an eco-friendly philosophy to customers. But effectively marketing green products presents unique challenges for apparel decorators, so it pays to learn some green marketing lessons from the big boys.
October 01, 2008
Specialty detailing, functional features and washes give wholesale wovens advantages that rival those at retail.
The old saying, "You can't please everybody," doesn't apply to woven shirts in the wholesale apparel market. Today's wovens manufacturers offer an array of styles, fits and performance qualities to suit even the pickiest of customers. Specifically, in the corporate realm, these wholesale manufacturers have added specialty detailing that will allow custom decorators to give retail wovens a run for their money.
October 01, 2008
Follow these simple steps to add dimension to basic embroidery designs.
This month we will continue to look at processes in embroidery that are a little outside of the norm. While some of these processes are popular, like 3-D foam, there are other special techniques, like trapunto, that are less well known. Most of these are pretty easy to pull off, as the complicated work is done in the digitizing.
October 01, 2008
Churches could be a great market for your custom embroidery work.
Religious-themed embroidery is some of the most beautiful in the world, and is crafted using time-honored methods. Today's commercial embroiderer can continue the tradition of creating ceremonial worship embroideries, as well as selling more contemporary products to churches and other religious organizations.
October 01, 2008
Think of metallic thread as the equivalent of the foil effect that's popular on screen printed T-shirts sold at retail today. It adds a similar trendy look whether used in concert with other apparel decoration applications or alone.
October 01, 2008
In the post-press phase of screen printing, as throughout the production cycle, efficiency is your primary goal — and having set procedures in place is the key to achieving it. By laying out the steps that must be taken, you'll speed up the process and help ensure that everything is done properly.
October 01, 2008
Soft-shell construction, year-round usability and high-tech features top 2008 trends for jackets and outerwear.
Technological advancements are flourishing across many industries. Apple just released its second-generation iPhone, and Philips recently demonstrated a 3-D television that doesn't require viewers to wear plastic anaglyphic glasses. Even apparel is becoming more and more futuristic. Workout gear featuring heart rate monitoring and motion sensors is now in stores, and "smart clothes" that fend off insects and mask cigarette smoke are in the pipeline.
September 01, 2008
Follow this guide to enter your best work in embroidery contests.
I confess, I'm a competition junkie. I loved winning the 2007 Impressions Awards Grand Championship. The First Place, Second Place, Best of Show and Grand Championship ribbons, along with plaques and awards from various magazines, other organizations and EMB magazine, proudly adorn my office walls.
September 01, 2008
Follow these simple steps to add pizzazz to basic embroidery designs.
Several processes in embroidery are a little outside of the norm and are used to give different looks or effects to designs. Many people avoid anything unfamiliar because they think it requires some great skill they do not possess. But often, they are just intimidated because they know nothing about these techniques.
September 01, 2008
Thanks to the introduction of two products from Gunold USA Inc., Kennesaw, Ga., small embroidery shops now have an efficient two-step method for producing small quantities of patches.
September 01, 2008
What comes to mind when you hear the word "fleece?" In today's fleecewear market, you should be picturing sleek, full-zip hoodies instead of bulky, oversized sweat shirts. The fashion-forward looks that infiltrated the T-shirt market a couple of years ago have overtaken the fleecewear niche. Now, manufacturers are producing fleece collections to target fashion-conscious consumers who not only want to stay warm, but look good doing so.
August 01, 2008
Once a popular street or hip-hop item, the hoodie has now infiltrated all markets. "It started out as a more rugged, street look, but now, a lot of retail designers have been buying it," says Morey Mayeri, president of Royal Apparel, New York. "Distressed and vintage looks are probably the hottest treatments that people are doing to our hoodies. You can do an enzyme wash or a stone wash. There are so many ways to make it look worn." Edge grinding has been popular, he adds, but it's more for the designer market.
August 01, 2008
As one of the industry's most popular fabrics, fleece is warm, soft and fuzzy on the inside, making it super comfortable to wear. However, it has a few hidden quirks that can make it tricky to embellish. Embroiderers must prep properly to produce crisp, sharp embroidery in perfect registration.
August 01, 2008
Learn how to determine the proper features and scale your needs to run and grow your business.
There was a time at the beginning of every new apparel decorating business when the owner could recite by heart the details of every order in house — sizes, colors, styles, design particulars, due date and total sale amount to the penny — along with details about the event or client for which the garments were printed.
August 01, 2008
Understanding the cultural influences on tweens, teens and all that falls between.
Any adult raising an adolescent can tell you it's tough to get a good read sometimes. And with nearly 54 million U.S. children ages 8 to 19, marketers targeting these lucrative consumers have the same problem: How do they attract this tween and teen demographic?
August 01, 2008
Design dimensions impact the entire digitizing and sewing process. Follow these tips to get it right the first time.
Corporate logos might seem to be among the easiest of embroidered designs to digitize because they are so well-designed from a graphics standpoint. However, that's only true to a certain point. As the size and placement of a logo changes, you have to make some critical choices in types of stitches and fills needed to make the final sewout look exactly as it should.
August 01, 2008
Decorators share their secrets for generating new revenue from decorated garments associated with social events and clubs.
Some embroiderers automatically think "team sports" when they think of school embroidery. From football, to basketball and cheerleaders, the embroidery related to team sports draws us in like a magnet. Varsity jackets, travel shirts and cheer regalia are certainly worthwhile to pursue, but let's dig a little deeper to look beyond the obvious to see some other profitable markets in your local schools.
August 01, 2008
Ten years ago, Terrie Wierciak turned her love of appliqué into an embroidery business, Terrific Originals of Ottawa, Ill. After she mastered a professional embroidery machine, Terrie and husband Larry expanded the business to include image transfers, glass etching, sublimation and direct-to-garment printing.
July 03, 2008
Childrenswear vendors are mirroring top trends in adult apparel such as fashion-forward colors, super-fine fabrics and larger-spec sizing.
Gone are the days when wholesale apparel vendors stocked only a few basic, unisex kids' styles to satisfy customer demand. That won't fly with today's parent, who expects children's garments to be as synced to top retail trends as his or her own clothing. "The childrenswear market is definitely changing from basic wear to more stylish, trendy outfits [that] mirror adult styles," says Amit Gupta, vice president of MONAG, Victor, N.Y.
July 01, 2008
If you're wondering exactly how the monogram letter "E" was created on the shirt featured on Impressions' cover this month, it was sewn by a patented process called Fuwari 3-D Embroidery. This unique process involves embroidering a design using a special adhesive bobbin thread along with a special topping. The design also must be digitized specifically for this process. The design is sewn as usual and then heat is applied to melt the adhesive on the bobbin thread. This locks the threads in place.
July 01, 2008
The slow economy may not be as bad for decorators as for other industries, but any economic downturn will affect some businesses more than others. Here's how you can make the best of the situation.
The Mandarin Chinese character for crisis, wïi j¥ (Figure A), looks similar to the Chinese character for opportunity, or j¥ huay (Figure B). This similarity, in addition to other factors I'll leave to the linguistic experts to argue over, has led to the mistaken notion that in Chinese culture, a crisis is regarded not merely as a danger but also as an opportunity.
July 01, 2008
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Maximize the Potential of Your Embroidered Apparel Business
Impressions is a valued resource for those in the embroidered apparel business. From learning new machine embroidery designs to finding the perfect source for commercial embroidery equipment and supplies, no embroidery business should be without Impressions.
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