Impressions - Team & Spirit Apparel - Fall 2010 - (Page 8)

• Today, there is a cutter material designed for every type of athletic fabric. Imprintables Warehouse offers materials for mesh, nylon, performance, and stretchy fabrics, according to Bob Robinson, sales and education representative. Photo courtesy of Imprintables Warehouse, Masontown, Pa. “There is nothing other than testing that will make things good. Start with the label on the product to learn what it’s made of. There are usually two ways to ﬁ nd out: Call the manufacturer or do an Internet search to ﬁ nd out what it is.” Fabric is manufactured in lots, and typically there are slight discrepancies from one lot to the next. So even though you are using the same brand of uniform from the same supplier, if your order contains uniforms made from different fabric lots, the printing characteristics may vary enough to throw off a proven printing formula that worked in the past. This means the printer needs to perform constant ink tests on uniforms before the order goes into production. LASER APPLIQUÉ & EMBROIDERY In terms of technological advancements in uniform decorating equipment, singlehead and laser bridge machines that are hooked up to embroidery equipment are having the greatest impact in terms of production speed and innovation. A singlehead laser can be hooked up to between one and four embroidery machines, while a laser bridge is generally hooked up to 6-head machines and larger. In both cases, the time it takes to do appliqué on split-front jerseys and other 8 • Fall 2010 types of sports uniforms has decreased incrementally over traditional methods. Decorating options, however, have increased. In addition to distressed and reverse appliqué, lasers can easily do multiple layers, which allows for appliqué to have more colors, as well as kiss cutting. The popularity of the distressed look, which has been used in appliqué by retailers for years, is now carrying over into team uniforms. To do distressed appliqué, you either need to use a laser or purchase pre-cut distressed appliqué pieces. Scott Goldstone, president, Team Wearhouse, Rahway, N.J., purchased a laser bridge for his screen printing and embroidery shop about three years ago and it has been a boon for him — his shop’s efﬁciency has increased by nearly 40%. “Clients are asking for different fabrics and non-traditional processes,” he says. “They want chino fabric, rough edges, distressed appliqué and more multilayer and multicolor.” He estimates that about 50% of his team uniforms are screen printed while the other 50% use embroidery or laser appliqué. Rob Dubow, president, Dubow Textile, St. Cloud, Minn., has had a similar experience. “Creativity has changed. I’ve seen appliqué on the hip and vertically down the garment,” he says. “We’re seeing different fabrics besides just polyester twill, such as cotton and lighter-weight polyesters.” The increasing use of laser cutting with embroidery machines means that decorators can offer customers softer, lighter appliqués in concert with lighter uniforms, says Ed Balady, president, BITO, Oceanside, N.Y., which distributes the Proel line of laser equipment. “Before, you needed stiff appliqué fabric so the operator could handle it easily,” he says. “Today, people want team numbers in material like lightweight cotton. Once you cut it, it will look vintage if you leave the edges rough; or you can embroider the edges for a ﬁ nished effect. That’s used a lot in England for soccer uniforms.” Adds Henry Bernstein, North American director, Seit Laser, Hirsch Intl., Solon, Ohio: “Laser bridges make you more efﬁcient at decorating team uniforms. You can be more effective, more creative, and more responsive. You can go beyond the traditional boundaries of appliqué work.”

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - Team & Spirit Apparel - Fall 2010

Impressions - Team & Spirit Apparel - Fall 2010
Flexfit/Yupoong
American Apparel
Contents
Augusta Sportswear
A&E Robison-Anton Embroidery Thread
Trends in Team Decorating
Sportco Masters the Team Game
Stahls’ ID Direct
School or All-Star Spiritwear?
Boxercraft
Dalco Athletic
Transfer Express
Gear Bag
Digital Art Solutions
Pepco Poms
Hanes

Impressions - Team & Spirit Apparel - Fall 2010