ImagesMagUK_April_2021

www.images-magazine.com 06 images APRIL 2021 Published by: 360 Communications Ltd images magazine, 360 Communications Ltd, 58a Livingstone Road, Hove, BN3 3WL, UK 01273 748482 | www.images-magazine.com Advertising: advertising@images-magazine.com Editorial: editorial@images-magazine.com Subscriptions: subscriptions@images-magazine.com | Images is available free of charge to UK subscribers Subscribe online: imagesmag.uk/register | Update your subscription/contact details online: imagesmag.uk/subs-update Publisher/advertising: Jonathan Vince | jonathan@images-magazine.com Features editor: Rachael Glazier | rachael@images-magazine.com Features writer: Mark Ludmon | mark@images-magazine.com Publishing assistant: Gaby Bowring | gaby@images-magazine.com Design/Production: ATG Media | production@atgraphicsuk.com Printing: Stephens & George Ltd | Goat Mill Road,Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 3TD ( issn 0966 7512) Opinions expressed by contributors in this magazine are not necessarily shared by the Publisher. Editorial contributions are invited, on the understanding that the Publisher has the right to alter or abridge all such material as he sees fit. While the greatest care has been taken to ensure accuracy, the Publisher accepts no liability for either errors or omissions. APRIL 2021 | VOL.30 NO.4 EDITORIAL A s I write this, the sun is shining, the cherry blossom is in full bloom, Easter is just over the horizon, and spring is about to make its annual entrance... at last. It’s been a harsh winter, but with vaccines rolling out and the government planning to remove all restrictions on socialising from June, there is now every reason to feel optimistic about the months ahead. There’s good news from the Bank of England, too. In its February Monetary Policy Report the bank concedes that “the economic outlook continues to be unusually uncertain”, but predicts that UK GDP is likely to recover rapidly towards pre-Covid levels over the course of 2021. It estimates that the reduction in consumer spending activity during the pandemic has led to consumers accumulating a stock of savings of over £125 billion in excess of what might otherwise have been the case, and that this stock is likely to continue rising. Based on past evidence, the bank predicts that, following the easing of restrictions, consumers will spend 5% of these savings and suggests “there are reasons to think that households may choose to spend more [than this]”. That spells good news for all garment decorators – whether you’re involved in direct B2C sales of Reasons to be cheerful, Pt. 3 decorated apparel, servicing the soon to reopen hospitality and events sectors with staffwear and merch, or you have business clients that are planning to mark their return to a normal level of business activity with a refreshed corporate wardrobe or new sales promotions and incentives schemes. In addition to the upturn in the weather, downturn in the infection rate and brightening financial outlook, there are other developments to get excited about this season. For starters, Kornit will be announcing the details of its new 3D textile printing technology this month (see page 48 for our interview with Phil Oakley, UK and Ireland country manager). Then there’s the growing demand for hyper- personalised products. Both Marshall Atkinson (page 66) and Dominic Bunce of David Sharp (page 72) address the sales opportunities in this emerging, high-margin sector of the market. Digital printing, and on-demand printing in particular, has been a chief industry talking point over the past 12 months. We present an overview of the latest digital textile print equipment (page 50), and talk to two decorators about their recent purchases of digital printers (page 58). The good news continues with the Chancellor’s announcement of the new super-deduction tax break, which will allow you to reduce your taxable profits by 130% of the cost of new equipment. If you’re thinking of investing in new equipment, now’s the time to do it! Finally, a word of congratulations to Andy and Jon Lunt on the sale of T Shirt & Sons, and to PF Concept, the proud new owner of this pioneering digital print- on-demand operation. See page 8 for further details, and page 27 for our interview with Adam Golder, the company’s commercial director. Jonathan Vince The recent Bernie Sanders meme lends itself to hyper- personalised apparel designs: find out more on page 66 There’s double brochure delight in this issue, which comes with both the So Denim and Just Ts 2021 brochures