The State of Garment Printing

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Christopher Bernat, CRO at Vapor Apparel (Booth 2745), and a member of the SGIA Garment Decoration Committee, gave his thoughts about the space and what attendees should know.

The state of the garment printing really “depends on who you ask,” he points out. “From our vantage point, we are seeing more and more call for print-on-demand type activity. We do a lot of e- commerce fulfillment printing, and the changes in consumer behavior are driving that part of the business. Sublimation continues to rise and we are seeing substantial growth in the performance and UPF50+ sun protection markets.”

There are some trends that Bernat believes will have the most impact going forward. “Runs are getting shorter and the mix of products is increasing,” he says. “We are seeing more and more people using dye sub/screen combo work. I think the long-run game is going to continue to be challenged by short-run and the desire of retailers to minimize inventory commitments. We also see more demand for ‘Made in the USA’ in certain markets.”

While at SGIA, Bernat suggests taking a two prong approach to learning more. First, he says, “The Garment Decorator’s Luncheon is a must see. Tim William from YR Store has an amazing
business and anyone who wants a healthy group of customers 10 years from now should be listening to his words of wisdom.” The event will be held on Wednesday, October 11, from 12 noon to 2 pm, and is invitation-only — so those who wish to attend should visit the SGIA Expo website to request one as soon as possible.

Second, get on the show floor and talk to as many vendors as possible. “Honestly I would encourage them to visit sublimation companies on
the floor of the show,” he says. “Vapor Apparel will also be there, and we will be having conversations about how we can support private label and full package solutions with digital printers anywhere in the USA.”

For a list of both the manufacturers of dye-sublimation printers, as well as the substrate providers on the show floor who sell sublimation-ready materials, see the lists below. Don’t miss this chance to learn everything you can about this segment, which is rapidly growing.