Images_Digital_Edition_July_2019

INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 14 images JULY 2019 Stay in the picture with our Instagram feed and stories: @imagesmaguk Premium fashion apparel Want to know what your industry colleagues really think of the clothes and accessories they decorate? Each issue, one reader tells us why they rate a particular garment Nic Simons, director at Shirt Monkey in Winsford, Cheshire, says he and his colleagues “are big fans of the new range of Next Level garments” which are now available in the UK through PenCarrie. A particular favourite at Shirt Monkey is the NX6410 Next Level Apparel Unisex Sueded Crew Neck T-Shirt. “There is no other garment on the market that I am aware of that is this soft,” explains Nic. “From a comfort point of view, the garment is second to none. When customers come into our production facility to sample garments, as soon as they feel the fabric on this garment, they are immediately sold. The garment is relatively new in the UK so it is always exciting when something like this comes along and we can start to push it out to our clients.” Nic prints the tees on Kornit Avalanche HD6 machines. “They are a little thicker than usual garments so do require a little bit more fixation agent to ensure a nice print. We also recommend a delay between spray and print, this will allow the fixation to fully soak into the fabric before printing. If you really want your print to pop off the shirt, you can increase the white ink underbase levels slightly for dark garments.” The team at Shirt Monkey recommends the Next Level Apparel range to clients who have a focus on fashion and quality. “This garment is definitely not a throwaway product, it feels premium and offers our clients a great opportunity to print and rebrand into a very high-end finished product,” says Nic. www.shirtmonkey.co.uk Nic is a big fan of the Next Level Sueded Crew Neck T-Shirt Teemill launches renewable ‘circular’ T-shirts UK T-shirt manufacturer Teemill has launched its new ‘circular’ T-shirts, which are returned after use and then remade into new garments. The T-shirts are designed to be sent back to the company once they’re no longer needed, the old material is recovered and then a new product is made. For each worn-out tee returned for renewal, Teemill sends its customers a £5 discount code. Teemill said: “It is different to recycling or upcycling where material is turned into something different before it’s then thrown away. A circular economy is infinite because by design the material flows in a loop.” The circular tees are made from organic cotton and are designed to be reused without adding polyester, which produces “a pure material that makes remanufacturing possible”. This also results in products that are softer and not harmful to the environment, reports Teemill. The company’s packaging is also made from natural materials, rather than plastic. The company hopes to extend the circular supply chain to other branded T-shirts in the future, but for now will focus on remaking its own products. Teemill added: “It’s important to keep the materials stream pure and many other brands use plastic or semi- synthetic materials – even recycled plastic – that shed microplastics into our oceans, whereas our products are made from natural materials in a way that is designed for easy re-manufacturing.” By providing customers with free access to its circular supply chain online, the company said it intends to automate the complex decision- making process required to run a real time supply chain for tens of thousands of start-ups, brands and charities, which will be connected to its factory via the cloud. Teemill concluded: “Modern technology is disrupting the fashion industry and for us, conscientious application of tech means we can make sustainable fashion a reality. The future of fashion is circular, and we are building it on the cloud today.” www.teemill.com/circular-fashion The new circular T-shirts are designed to be returned after use and then remade into new garments again and again READERS’ CHOICE