Impressions - April 2012 - (Page 42)

Creating and decorating with digital transfers enables many traditional decorators to step outside the box to meet the ever-changing needs of today’s clients. By Josh Ellsworth, Contributing Writer Here, an opaque transfer is being printed. Opaque digital heat transfer media contains three parts, one of which is a white, print-receptive top layer (usually polyurethane or PVC-based). t’s a regular morning in Anytown, USA, and Jack the Decorator mumbles to his new marketing manager over a morning coffee and bagel. “Pantone spot-color matches, eightcolor logos, color gradients, patterns and a photo of a dog … these are the designs that walked through my door yesterday,” he utters. “I can’t do this cost effectively with screen printing. Some of the jobs only wanted six pieces. And you’d think I could do these jobs with my new garment printer, but they had to ask for nylon jackets, leather pad folios, swim suits, polyester cheer shells and — get this — an umbrella!” Jack’s marketing manager unknowingly replies, “People print stuff on umbrellas.” After a sigh, Jack replies, “Yes, it’s not 42 Impressions | April/May 2012 i like it used to be. If I can’t do it, then the customers will just go down the street or online to buy it.” While this scene may be a dramatic, hyperbolic one, don’t be fooled. There are many such real-life examples like this playing out in cities and towns throughout the United States and beyond. The question is: Are you Jack the Decorator or the shop printing on umbrellas down the street? Wouldn’t it be great if decorators could just fit all customers into that 144-piece cotton T-shirt job with a single-color graphic and a simple, full-front placement? Today, there’s no such chance. Customers are more creative and demanding, and less conforming; they want things their way, believe it or not. And there’s no use in complaining; there’s just time to change. Heat printing can help you in this area, specifically with digital transfers and their Swiss Army-like functionality. They make it possible to profit on yesterday’s unprofitable, unwanted jobs — even Pantone spot-color matches, eight-color logos, color gradients, patterns and photos on jackets, umbrellas, performance fabrics and more. Below, I’ll review and explain the process of creating a digital heat transfer. THINK OF INK The digital printing market has been growing for the past 10 years and shows no signs of slowing down. Originally created as a device for streamlining the process of impressionsmag.com http://www.impressionsmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - April 2012

Impressions - April 2012
Contents
Making Economic Sense of Sustainability
From the Show Director
FYI
ISS Conferences
Product Gallery
Spotlight on Caps
Outfitting the Active Customer
Future Leaders
Primed for Print/Cut Media
Financing Your Start-Up Decorated Apparel Business
Making Economic Sense of Sustainability
Shop Spotlight
Embroidery Technique
Screen Printing Graphics & Design
Screen Printing Technique
Online Directory
Digital Decorating
Business to Business
Classifieds
Ad Index

Impressions - April 2012