Impressions - May 2016 - 22

INNOVATION: APPAREL DECORATING

Innovation in
the Trenches
Successful decorators dish on the technology
that enables them to stay on top of their game.
By John Burns, Associate Editor

Decorators agree
that direct-to-screen
technology offers a
significant increase
in production and
throughput capacity.

U

HEARING THE t e r m
"innovation," it's natural to think
about technology as it applies to
products. But what about other
aspects of apparel decorating, such as
techniques, design, business practices
and marketing?
In this vast and ever-changing industry,
it can be difficult to understand why certain
decorating styles and techniques are popular,
or what shop owners can do to truly push the
needle on innovation. Acquiring that knowledge requires dialogue with those that are in
the trenches - standing behind the pallet,
in front of the screen or over the ink bucket.
Impressions recently spoke with four shop
owners about several industry trends, including
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technology, innovation, techniques, equipment
and marketing.

Technical Innovation

DURING THE PAST 20 years, new decorating
techniques, including dye sublimation and
direct-to-garment (DTG) printing, have come
to prominence, but many decorators are raving
about another technology that has significantly
boosted business: direct-to-screen imaging.
"I think [direct-to-screen] is a phenomenal
idea, a phenomenal concept," says Pierre John
Jamnicky, CEO of Blue Moon Promotional
Inc., Eastlake, Ohio. "It streamlines production and removes the human element, which
increases the consistency across production,
which is huge."

I M P R E S S I O N S M A G . C O M MAY 2016

Direct-to-screen, or computer-to-screen,
imaging can output an image directly onto
emulsion, eliminating carrier film and even
some human labor.
"As far as the quality of separations [and]
the speed of the separations, the accuracy
of direct-to-screen is one thing that has really helped propel our business," says Tom
Rauen, owner of Envision Tees, Dubuke,
Iowa. "With the quality and speed, it'll
take a shop to the next level when they have
that technology."
Along with improved quality, direct-toscreen technology offers a significant increase
in production and throughput capacity.
"Before we went [to] direct-to-screen, we
were averaging about six to eight minutes of
setup per screen on the press," says Danny
Gruninger, co-owner of Denver Print House,
Lakewood, Colo. "Now, we're averaging
under a minute per screen. We're getting jobs
up on the press a lot quicker, we're getting
them down quicker and getting the next job
ready to go a lot quicker. When we went [to]
direct-to-screen, we saw over 40% increase
in throughput right off the bat."
Some decorators may scoff at the expense
involved in direct-to-screen imaging, but
Gruninger, Rauen and Jamnicky insist that
if the technology makes sense for your shop,
it's worth the $50,000-$60,000 price tag.
However, another shop owner warns of the
downside to technology that affects so many
aspects of production.
"Where there's technology, there's failure as
well," says Greg Gaardbo, CEO and creative
director, Shockwaves Promotional Apparel,
Arlington Heights, Ill. "Now, if something
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Impressions - May 2016

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