APRIL 2022 RETAIL INSPIRED FASHION BASICS YOU CAN TRUST
WATER PROOF RX770 HV BOMBER JACKET S-5XL RX760 HV CARGO TROUSER S-5XL SHOWER RESISTANT NEW STYLE RX730 HV SWEATSHIRT S-5XL RX700 WAISTCOAT S-6XL AVAILABLE IN 25 COLOURS Find our full range of high visibility clothing by scanning this code. HV Orange Navy HV Yellow Navy HV Orange HV Yellow HV Orange HV Yellow Navy PENCARRIE: 0800 252248 PRESTIGE LEISURE: 0800 6521234 RALAWISE: 0800 212180 RALAWISE IRELAND: 1 800 599599 www.prortx.com @PRO_RTX @PRO_RTX @PRORTX ProRTX High Visibility introduces the new RX770 HV Bomber Jacket into our other 10 certified high visibility styles. Essential high visibility wear for an array of workplaces and ideal to complete the ProRTX uniform. Satisfactory testing has been carried out and each product is noted with either Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 or non certified indicators. Please visit our web page for further details and to download the Pro RTX High Visibility brochure. P R O F E S S I O N A L C L O T H I N G . E X T R A V A L U E .
www.images-magazine.com 02 images APRIL 2022 SHOP TALK 04 Editorial 08 Print Shop Pooches #77 Gwen, Doris and Florence from DoomsdayCo 16 Readers‘ choice 20 Decorated product of the month 88 Up close & personal Zsolt Petrik of Fifth Column NEWS HUB 06 Industry news M&R launches Polaris DTG printer, Brother, Lynka and Result help Ukrainian refugees, DecoNetwork and TheMagicTouch launch DTF tools, and PenCarrie celebrates five-millionth order KNOWLEDGE BASE 26 The Business Clinic How to reduce the amount of debt your company is carrying, and how to improve website engagement 28 Digital helpdesk Irida Gogolou of Polyprint guides you through pretreating garments, including pretreating in bulk 30 Anatomy of a print Culture Studio uses glow-inthe-dark ink and a highdensity base to elevate its company logo from simple to outstanding 65 Printwear & Promotion Live! 2022: Preview Event director Tony Gardner tells Images readers what to expect from the first Printwear & Promotion Live! show in two years 66 Printwear & Promotion Live! 2022: The exhibitors Want to know what the hot stands will be at P&P Live! 2022? Here’s a tour of our must-see stands 72 Split the difference Custom splits are an ideal way to add dimensional effects to your embroidery, reveals Maria Palma of Wilcom 74 Ask Tony This month, Artie Pallari of Fanéla asks: “I hate seeing the guys taping up screens, it’s been a bugbear for me for years. Surely there must be a better solution?“ 76 Honourable discharge Learn how to create bright and beautiful discharge effects in this step-by-step guide from Paul Woodward of MagnaColours 79 10 things to stop doing right now Just stop it and read Marshall Atkinson‘s advice on ‘not-do’ lists instead. 81 Standing out from the crowd Dominic Bunce of digitiser David Sharp explains how best to satisfy the demand for unique retail clothes with clever embroidery 82 Purchase power Thinking of taking advantage of the super deduction in tax to buy some new kit? Take note of Erich Campbell‘s advice on how to buy the right embroidery machine for your business PRODUCT FOCUS 38 Time to tee up The T-shirt is still top of the garment decoration market, with more choice available than ever. We review the latest decorator-friendly options 45 Telling it like it is: Directto-film printers Four garment decorators tell us how their new direct-tofilm printers are working out for them 50 Go digital! From entry-level and massproduction DTG printers to hybrid and direct-to-film printing systems, we round up the industry’s newest digital garment and textile printing solutions 58 Summer lights As the weather gradually starts to warm up, it’s time to check out the lightweight jackets, gilets and fleeces on offer from the industry’s leading brands that will see your customers through the spring and summer seasons INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT 32 Creative licence Mark Ludmon discovers how licensed apparel specialist Fashion UK has branched out from screen printing with the addition of a DTG operation based on the new Brother GTX600 printer CONTENTS APRIL 2022 RETAIL INSPIRED FASHION BASICS YOU CAN TRUST 36 38 38 72 81 76 30 50
BAGBASE.COM © 2022 – Beechfield Brands Ltd. All Rights Reserved. pencarrie 0800 252 248 prestige leisure uk 0800 652 1234 btc activewear0800 012 4542 ralawise 0800 212 180 MOLLE TACTICAL 35L BACKPACK BG850
www.images-magazine.com 04 images APRIL 2022 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 News editor: 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 2022 | VOL.31 NO.4 EDITORIAL A land war in Europe in 2022 - it seems inconceivable, a throwback to more primitive, less connected times. Yet it’s happening and at the time of going to press the Russian invasion of Ukraine is entering its fourth week. Millions of Ukrainian men, women and children have been displaced, fleeing from the attacks, and thousands of Ukrainians and Russians have lost their lives. All of Europe – indeed, all of the world – finds itself poised on yet another precipice, staring at an even more uncertain future. It’s too early to say how Russia’s actions and the Western governments’ responses will affect the global economy, let alone the garment decoration The industry steps up 1992-2022 industry and individual businesses, but coupled with already rampant energy and commodity price increases and rapidly accelerating inflation they are almost certain to have profound and lasting consequences on all aspects of trade. Against this bleak backdrop, it was heartening to hear how businesses in the garment decoration industry have stepped up to help the victims of the war. Distributor and garment decorator Lynka, which is based in Poland, worked with clothing company Result to, amongst other things, donate reflective vests printed with ‘volunteer’ or ‘interpreter’ to people helping Ukrainian refugees at the border with Poland (page 8). Meanwhile, garment printing and sewing specialist Brother Industries has donated €500,000 to help people affected by the invasion of Ukraine. The sum, equivalent to around £420,000, is being given through UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, to support humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine and neighbouring countries (page 22). We also know that many decorators have organised their own fundraising activities and donations. Have you raised money, or donated garments, or otherwise sought to help the people affected by the war in Ukraine? Get in touch, we’d like to hear from you. On a more upbeat note, the P&P Live! exhibition returns to the NEC, Birmingham this month (see page 65 for an interview with the show organisers and a preview ‘tour’ of the exhibition). If you see us there, please say ‘hello’ – we’d love to stop and have a chat. Jonathan Vince Lynka and Result have donated printed reflective vests for people helping Ukrainian refugees at the border with Poland REGISTER Subscribe now to receive your own free monthly copy of Images: imagesmag.uk/subscribe UPDATE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS Working from home? Moved to new premises? Update your details online: imagesmag.uk/subs-update 1992-2022 I always look forward to my issue of Images arriving as it keeps me up-to-date with industry news, provides great tips on methods of printing, running the business side of things and much more. Features such as Decorated Product of the Month are also great, as they showcase businesses’ work and it helps them gain recognition. It’s always a privilege to be featured as it helps sell your services to new and existing clients. Shaun Barritt, Barritt Garment Printing
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INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 06 images APRIL 2022 Follow the links to the full news stories online www.images-magazine.com M&R launches high-speed Polaris DTG printer Screen-printing specialist M&R has launched Polaris, an industrial highspeed direct-to-garment (DTG) printer that the company reports can achieve over 320 prints per hour. In development for three years, the new machine is said to merge the durability of M&R’s Stryker automatic oval screen printing press with the print engines of the DS 4000 Digital Squeegee hybrid printing system. Set to be introduced globally including the UK, the new machine is fitted with two high-speed digital print engines – one white, one CMYK – which are each equipped with 16 Ricoh Gen 5 print heads. It has a compact on-board pretreater, inline heat presses and quartz flashes, and can be operated clockwise or anti-clockwise. It can print on triblend in multiple colours and blended fabrics with polyester as well as 100% cotton. It cannot currently be used for 100% polyester, but M&R is working on developing more applications. M&R reports that the Polaris can print over 320 prints an hour for a 35.6cm by 40.6cm format at 600×600 resolution in four-pass mode on dark 100% cotton fabric. It has a list price of around £600,000, which includes a start-up kit, spare part kit, training and support, plus a crating charge, making it suitable for larger print shops, especially those servicing the print-on-demand market. imagesmag.uk/mrpolaris The cover of Result’s new Padded brochure M&R’s new Polaris DTG printer Creative Apparel sold after going into administration Creative Apparel, a specialist in garment printing and embroidery, has been sold after it went into administration in the wake of trading losses during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Stockport-based business and all its assets have been sold by joint administrators Rick Harrison and Howard Smith from Interpath Advisory to a new company, Apparel Services Limited. The deal, announced on 4 March, has saved the jobs of 14 of its staff who have transferred their employment to Apparel Services under TUPE regulations. The company’s premises in Oakfield Road in Stockport have been sold to a separate new company, Oakfield RD Limited, which is owned by the same third party. The administrators were appointed after Creative Apparel suffered trading losses in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, the administrators said that sales to one of the company’s significant customers reduced materially during 2021. The company had also begun construction of a new manufacturing facility in 2020 and experienced cashflow pressures as a result of increasing construction costs and project delays. It was concluded on 3 March that it was in the best interests of the creditors for the company to be placed into administration. Founded in Stockport in 1988, Creative Apparel employed over 80 people at its height and was led by founder and managing director Phil Millar. imagesmag.uk/creative-sold Creative Apparel was placed into administration in March Result releases new Padded outerwear range brochure Clothing brand Result has released a new brochure dedicated to its Padded range of outerwear. It presents all styles with both lifestyle and product photography, providing all details on the garments, including decoration options, in English, German and French. It is available both as a hard copy printed on paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and for downloading, with in-depth garment specs and printable PDF data sheets for all the new styles that have been launched. Result’s Padded range features garments with two layers of fabric, with a synthetic alternative to down placed in between, which creates a vacuum where the outside cold air exchanges with the warmth of the body to keep its wearer fully insulated. imagesmag.uk/result-padded
BTC Activewear 0800 0124 542 · PenCarrie 0800 252 248 · Prestige Leisure UK 0800 652 1234 · Ralawise 0800 212 180 www.kustomkit.com K U S T O M K I T® KK500 HUNKY®TEE A classic premium 100% cotton t-shirt, ideal for a range of decoration techniques. STYLED in an on-trend, 90’s oversized fit. 2 NEW COLOURS FOR 2022 HEATHER GREY LIGHT SAND BUY LESS BUY BETTER BUY KUSTOM KIT
INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 08 images APRIL 2022 PRINT SHOP POOCHES [L-R] Gwen, Doris and Florence are busy looking out for cardboard boxes for Florence to rip up #77 Gwen, Doris and Florence Whether it’s pedigree pups or mangy mutts, decorators’ dogs are valued members of staff at embroidery and print shops from Barking to Furness. This month we have Gwen, Doris and Florence from DoomsdayCo in Bridgend, South Wales Full names: Gwen, Doris and Florence Breed: Gwen and Florence are both cane corsos while Doris is a boxer. Age: Gwen is 18 months old, Doris is four years old and Florence is just 11 months. Job title: Gwen is head of HR, Doris has the role of head supervisor, and Florence is full-time box-ripper. Job description: Gwen’s main role is making sure everyone feels welcome and enjoys their time at work. Doris makes sure everything is running smoothly and greets every visitor with a hug and kiss. Florence has the weighty task of making sure every cardboard box in the studio is compacted to the smallest chunks possible. Special skills: Gwen always listens, Doris will cheer anyone up no matter what, and Florence – you’ve guessed it – can rip apart anything in seconds. Favourite colour: B69574, a favourite for Gwen due to matching her fur. Doris has opted for red 032 C, and Florence’s top colour is black 6 C. www.doomsdayco.com Lynka and Result support effort to help Ukraine refugees European distributor and garment decorator Lynka has been working with clothing company Result to donate hundreds of reflective vests to people helping Ukrainian refugees. The vests, printed with ‘volunteer’ or ‘translator’ in Ukrainian, are being worn at the border with Poland by the teams providing support to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion. By early March, the United Nations reported that the number of refugees from Ukraine had reached two million, representing the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two. The support has been spearheaded by Lynka, which is based in Skawina, on the outskirts of Kraków in southern Poland – only 230 kilometres west of the Ukrainian border. Separately, Result sent a shipment of R039 Polar fleece 300gsm blankets and PPE worth another £25,000 in March in a 40ft trailer donated by its transport partner, Simarco, to Poland Red Cross in Warsaw. Closer to home, Lynka has “adopted” a local ‘Centre for Ukrainian Refugees’ in the nearby village of Grabie where 300 Ukrainian people have already started moving in. Lynka is supplying furniture, beds and clothing to the new residents. Lynka’s US partner company, Vantage Apparel from Avenel, New Jersey, has joined forces with Lynka on this initiative. Lynka has also changed its website’s home page, adding an image featuring the Ukrainian flag and the message ‘Stand with Ukraine’. imagesmag.uk/lynka-ukraine Follow us on Twitter @imagesmaguk Virus Inks launches sustainable black ink for screen printing A new eco-friendly sustainable black ink has been launched for textile screen printing that has been manufactured from organic waste. Virus Inks has created Virus Rethink Black ink in partnership with Silicon Valley’s Bioforcetech, which has developed a bio-dryer system that can turn organic waste into a biochar with high colouring properties. The new black ink is described as a high-performance ink that is easy to print with good durability on a wide range of fabrics and materials. It can be used on nylon, synthetic and recycled materials. Announcing the new Virus Rethink Black, Virus Inks explained: “The vast majority of black inks and dyes used in the various industries are made with a highly polluting pigment called Carbon Black, obtained from the incomplete combustion of heavy oils. “For each ton of this material produced are emitted in the atmosphere more than three tons of CO2, the main cause of global warming. “The health risk, the high carbon footprint and the dependency on fossil fuels associated with this material led to a rapid growth of the demand for alternative ecological inks.” imagesmag.uk/virus-black Result reflective vests donated via Lynka to help on the Polish-Ukraine border The new sustainable Virus Rethink Black printed on garments
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INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 10 images APRIL 2022 Mimaki unveils new sublimation printer and plotting cutters Mimaki Europe is to launch a sublimation transfer inkjet printer for textiles as part of its new 330 Series as well as a new range of plotting cutters. The launch of the new products reflects Mimaki’s objective to grow both its high-end and entrylevel product range. The new TS330-1600 textile printer is designed for high production and high image quality, and is equipped with new functions to improve stable operation. Part of the broader 330 Series of printers, it was unveiled along with the new CG-AR plotting cutters at Mimaki’s Global Innovation Days event in March. The TS330-1600 can achieve a printing speed of 69sqm/hr in ‘draft’ mode with a four-colour ink set, with the fastest mode reaching up to 135sqm/hr, and has optional addons to further increase efficiency, including a 10kg ink tank supply unit. The new CG-AR Series plotting cutters are available in three different sizes – CG-60AR, CG-100AR and CG-130AR – going beyond the entrylevel options that were previously available. Recognising customer demand for shorter delivery times, these cutters provide increased speed and accuracy, with user-friendly operability. The new products will all be showcased at Fespa Global Print Expo in Berlin from 31 May to 3 June 2022, and will be released worldwide this month. imagesmag.uk/mimaki330 Partial victory for protesting Haiti garment workers The minimum wage in Haiti has been increased after demonstrations by garment workers at companies manufacturing clothes that are exported to countries around the world including the UK. Since February, garment workers have been leading the protests in the capital, Port-au-Prince, calling for higher wages and better working conditions, supported by wider strike action. In response, the Haitian government increased the minimum wage by up to 54%. Employees in the clothing manufacturing sector received a 37% increase. This increase takes garment workers’ wages to the equivalent of about £5.70 per day – still much lower than the £11.47 per day union leaders had demanded to keep pace with the rising cost of living. Last year, the price of rice and beans rose by nearly 135%. Haiti has long been a centre for clothing manufacturing partly due to low wages. In 2017, workers in Haiti began demanding higher wages, but the government said this would lead to companies moving operations to other countries such as the Dominican Republic. The clothing industry is Haiti’s largest employer, providing jobs for over 55,000 people, and accounts for 90% of its total exports. imagesmag.uk/haiti-wage 1992-2022 I’m pleased I subscribed to Images as it has helped me no end, as well as kept me up-to-date. I’ve had the privilege of appearing in the magazine myself, which was an achievement and showed me that they really keep their eyes on what’s going on in the industry. The articles are very informative for beginners and advanced businesses alike. I would, and do, recommend the magazine to anyone and everyone that will benefit. – Lee Simmons, Elephant Boy Garment Printing Snickers Workwear adds new LiteWork range Snickers Workwear has introduced the new LiteWork range of clothes made with long-lasting, innovative new fabrics. The garments have the features of highperformance sportswear, using the brand’s 37.5 technology which is quick-drying and functional as well as providing UPF 40+ sun protection. The fabric is also described as longerlasting and more sustainable than other comparable workwear. imagesmag.uk/snickers-litework Check out our full-length Decorator Reports: www.images-magazine.com The flag of Haiti. Credit: Jorono/Pixabay The new Mimaki TS330-1600 sublimation transfer inkjet printer for textiles The new range comprises trousers, shirts, shorts and jackets as well as a high-vis line
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INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 12 images APRIL 2022 Involution, the Leedsbased branded workwear specialist, has appointed Nathan Cookson as its new operations director. He previously held the position of strategic development manager at the company, working alongside department heads and directors to maximise the output and efficiencies of the business. Since joining Involution, Nathan has been integral in the company’s growth, including increasing turnover by 250%, 30 new staff hires, capital investment of £1.3 million and 700% physical expansion. Involution, which was founded in 1999, has ambitious targets to achieve by 2025. Under Nathan’s management, it will be striving to double its production capacity and increase sales by 83% from £3.6 million to £6.6 million. imagesmag.uk/involution-ops Ricoh UK has announced the appointment of experienced industry professional Paul Hilton to the role of inkjet technical specialist, with a focus on customers in the north of England. With immediate effect, he will be the go-to expert for Ricoh and its partners’ software, RIP, hardware and finishing solutions, with the aim of supporting complex pre- and post-finishing sales engagements with Ricoh’s UK-based customers. He will lead the development of new applications for the largeformat print market, including sales tools and customers samples, as well as support sales activity such as product demonstrations and training. imagesmag.uk/ricoh-hilton CTS UK, the North Yorkshirebased supplier of uniforms, workwear and PPE, has strengthened its team with two senior appointments. Adam Booth, who previously worked for workwear and business supplies company Heatons Group in the northwest, has taken on the role of CTS UK’s sales director. Tom Mundy has joined from Aspect CPM, a specialist in branded clothing, workwear, promotional merchandise and print management, as strategic accounts manager. imagesmag.uk/cts-booth CHANGING FACES Nathan Cookson Paul Hilton [L-R]Tom Mundy and Adam Booth Trutex celebrates recycled bottles milestone Schoolwear manufacturer Trutex reached the milestone of saving over 18 million plastic bottles from landfill in 2021 through using recycled polyester. The data is taken from sales across blazers, trousers and skirts in styles that are made from certified 100% recycled polyester that is made from plastic bottles. Trutex blazers, made with all recycled fabric including the internal lining, were launched in 2021. Each Trutex blazer now saves around 46 plastic bottles from ending up in a landfill site while a pair of boy’s trousers or a skirt saves 19 bottles. A whole uniform, as pictured, is said to save 65 plastic bottles from landfill. imagesmag.uk/trutex-bottles Visit us on Facebook: @imagesmaguk A full school uniform uses recycled polyester made from 65 plastic bottles Trotec goes on tour with laser roadshow The team at laser machine developer and manufacturer Trotec is taking the company’s laser engravers and cutters on tour with a series of roadshows over the coming months. Visitors can experience a range of Trotec laser engravers and cutters such as the entry-level R400 cutter and the advanced Speedy Series including the dual-source 300 Flexx and the Speedy 400 Run on Ruby in Tortworth on 4 April, Guildford on 5 April, Frodsham on 26 April, Blackburn on 17 May and Swansea on 14 June. Attendees can get accurate processing results for their own products and materials as well as advice on how they can improve their production process. Booking is now open for the events. For more information or to book an appointment for any of the shows, contact Trotec at enquiries@troteclaser.co.uk. imagesmag.uk/trotec-tour Russell Europe celebrates 120th anniversary Clothing supplier Russell Europe launched a new campaign in March to celebrate the 120th anniversary of 26-year-old Benjamin Russell establishing the Russell Manufacturing Company. The campaign, called ‘We Are the Original’, celebrates the versatility of the sweatshirt, highlighting how “it’s an original must-have for every target group and application – and that it can be paired perfectly with other product groups”. Russell Europe will communicate this message all year long with campaigns including print ads, email newsletters, social posts, web banners and PR activity. imagesmag.uk/russell120 Vintage photo of early Russell sweatshirts
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® The Epson SC-F3000 is an industrial level DTG printer that’s designed for high volume print shops. It delivers high quality prints quickly and efficiently with incredibly low running costs and total cost of ownership. THE HIGH PRODUCTIVITY DIRECT-TO-GARMENT PRINTER
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INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 16 images APRIL 2022 Check out our Instagram Stories for the latest industry news @imagesmaguk Want to know what your industry colleagues really think of the garments and accessories they decorate? Each issue, one reader tells us why they rate a particular product Stephen Barron, managing director at Turriff Printing Services in Turriff, says his favourite garment to decorate is the Klassic Polo (KK403/KK703) from Kustom Kit. Being relatively new to the embroidery sector, Stephen says he has found this polo shirt a steadfast, durable and comfortable option. “It suits just about any industry, whether it’s for messy play or a messy workshop — it’s even a staple in our own print room.” Available for men and women in an extensive size range, the KK403/KK703 is made from Kustom Kit’s Superwash 60 fabric, which is designed to allow the garment to be washed up to 60°C. “It washes well, keeps its shape and never fails to satisfy our customers,” adds Stephen. “There’s a colour to suit all customers, allowing logos to stand out in any thread colour.” When embroidering small text onto the polo, Stephen says he uses Madeira UK’s Polyneon 60 threads for “a sharper, clearer look”. “Using a cut-away embroidery stabiliser with magnetic hoops also proves to be an efficient and reliable stitch-out.” imagesmag.uk/apr22-readerschoice www.turriffprinting.com READERS’ CHOICE Alexandra renews support for nursing awards Workwear company Alexandra is building on its record of supplying uniforms to healthcare professionals by supporting the RCN Nursing Awards 2022. The Bristol-based company, which has been designing and manufacturing nursing uniforms and scrubs for more than 150 years, will be headline sponsor of the Royal College of Nursing’s annual awards. For the second consecutive year, Alexandra will also sponsor the Patient’s Choice award which gives patients the chance to nominate a nurse or healthcare assistant who has made a real difference to their lives. imagesmag.uk/alexandra-rcn22 MyWorkwear named ‘manufacturing hero’ by Made In Group MyWorkwear was named a ‘Manufacturing Hero’ in February by the Made In Group, which champions manufacturers across the Midlands and Yorkshire. The Made In Group’s awards were established to celebrate manufacturers who have demonstrated strength in a time of crisis and to recognise the achievements of those who worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic. The Telford-based company has also announced that it will continue its sponsorship of a Midlands motorsport team, providing them all with uniforms. MyWorkwear will be workwear sponsor for University of Wolverhampton Racing Team (UWR) for a fourth time, and so will be supporting them throughout the 2022 motorsports season. The team is made up of student engineers from a range of university courses including motorsport, automotive, mechatronics, aerospace, manufacturing, mechanical and chemical engineering. Last year, the team won their class in the F3 Cup but for 2022, they will compete in the new Praga Cup, the Czech car manufacturer’s first onemake race series. imagesmag.uk/workwear-uwr imagesmag.uk/myworkwearmade Stephen says Kustom Kit polos are also a hit in his own print room Kustom Kit’s Klassic Polo can be washed up to 60°C [L-R] MyWorkwear managing director James Worthington received the Manufacturing Hero award from Made In Group chairman Lord Whitby Kirk Ehrlich
VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.STORMTECHPERFORMANCE.COM FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT OUR UK SALES OFFICE | EMAIL: SALES@STORMTECH.EU | TEL: 020 8953 3377 e r ppare Extrem Outdoo A l h available in t e United Kingdom from Stocking Distributors BTC ACTIVEWEAR Point 1 Opus 9, Axletree Way, Wednesbury WS10 9QY Phone : 0800 012 4542 www.btcactivewear.co.uk RALAWISE UK Zone 3, Deeside Industrial Park, Unit 112 Tenth Ave, Deeside CH5 2UA Phone : 0800 212180 www.ralawise.com PENCARRIE 14-15, PenCarrie House, S View Estate, Willand EX15 2QW Phone : 0800 252248 www.pencarrie.com
INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 18 images APRIL 2022 New CorelDraw updates boost creative connections Several “valuable” updates have been introduced for CorelDraw Graphics Suite, the professional graphic design software solution. The updates, available to subscribers, are designed to allow designers and decorators to maximise their creativity and productivity while remaining connected with clients and colleagues in real time. It means the all-in-one design solution is able to deliver a new “personalised learning experience” that empowers users to expand their knowledge and skills tailored to their unique needs and interests. At the same time, access to real-time collaboration is intended to make it easy for clients and teams to work together from anywhere. The updates also include accelerated photo editing alongside timesaving enhancements to a variety of features across the suite, making it faster than ever for subscribers to use. imagesmag.uk/corel-update22 View daily news updates at: www.images-magazine.com Stitch-It Ltd This intricate design was embroidered by Stitch It Limited in Clitheroe onto workwear for Furrytail Trails dog walking service. imagesmag.uk/Stitch-It-Furrytails DecoNetwork and TheMagicTouch launch DTF tools Garment decoration software provider DecoNetwork has teamed up with TheMagicTouch to create tools to help companies moving into direct-to-film (DTF) printing. A selection of garment transfer templates and process guidelines has been developed with the technical team at TheMagicTouch in the UK, a specialist in digital image transfer technology that sells a range of DTF machines. These resources are now available on the DecoNetwork site for the commercial production, management and reselling of full-colour transfers. Jim Nicol, managing director of TheMagicTouch in the UK, said: “Under our DTFMagic brand, over the last year we identified [that] a number of users of the DTF technology wanted something simple and manageable that they could bolt on to their website to enable them to offer a transfer production service, and in doing so, create a new revenue stream into many new markets.” The DecoNetwork Business Hub gives print shops full management control to streamline day-to-day business with greater efficiency, from uploading artwork to the DecoNetwork online designer module, right through to the production management area. Tools include an artwork approval option, the ability to correct ready-made print files, and fully detailed worksheets. imagesmag.uk/deco-TMT TheMagicTouch has teamed up with DecoNetwork to create an online tool for DTF printers wanting to provide transfers DTG Digital to launch DTF printer for garment decoration DTG Digital, part of PigmentInc, is tapping into growing demand for direct-to-film (DTF) transfer printing with the launch of the Q1-T Series in May. It features dual print heads for faster print speeds and eight ink lines dedicated to both white and colour inks, giving users up to five times the volume of comparable garment decoration methods. DTG Digital, which is distributed in the UK by YES Group, will launch its new flagship DTF transfer printer at Fespa Global Print Expo in Berlin, Germany, which runs from 31 May to 3 June 2022. The Q1-T Series is a dedicated roll-to-roll DTF transfer printing system for indirect fabric decoration. It prints transfers onto a translucent PET film before passing through an in-line powder glue station and curing unit. Pigment Inc CEO Steve Richardson said: “The system is designed for 24/7 operation and perfect for any garment decorator looking to expand and simplify the entire transfer printing process.” imagesmag.uk/dtf-q1 DTG Digital’s new Q1-T DTF printer will be available from YES Group Artwork for the new CorelDraw updates
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www.images-magazine.com 20 images APRIL 2022 INDUSTRY NEWS Stay in the picture with our Instagram feed: @imagesmaguk It appears we’re not alone in loving this print – British GQ featured it in its ‘Best new menswear items in the world this week’ at the end of February. The T-shirts were ordered by Liam Klimek of Have A Gd Trip, an independent skate company dedicated to wellbeing, community and a ‘gd’ time. The tees were created in collaboration with the artist Zara Tisma as part of the company’s local artist series, with proceeds going to The Neighbourly Foundation, which administers grant programmes and responds to emergency needs within local communities. Alex Diss of Diss Prints screen printed 80 T-shirts across four colourways on a Riley Jr 4x4 press using ICC Colour Mixing System inks. Liam supplied the 100% cotton, 200gsm custom-made Have A Gd Trip T-shirts. “The response has been like no other T-shirt I’ve printed before,” says Alex. “I think that’s largely down to the combination of energy and ethos of the Have A Gd Trip brand and their supporting community.” www.dissprints.co.uk www.haveagdtrip.com DECORATED PRODUCT OF THE MONTH Artist Zara Tisma collaborated on this project with Have A Gd Trip Alex Diss screen printed the tees th at were featured in British GQ PenCarrie celebrates five-millionth order Wholesale clothing supplier PenCarrie is celebrating its five-millionth order since the company began trading over 30 years ago. The order was placed by Essential Embroidery Design, based in Dunstable in Bedfordshire and also home to Essential Workwear, which is a long-standing customer of PenCarrie. To celebrate this milestone, PenCarrie’s regional sales manager for the north, Karen Sutton, and its business development manager, Melvin Gauld, delivered a gift to Essential. Pictured with Melvin and Karen are George Georgiou, owner and managing director of Essential, and Dorian Tranter, sales and marketing director of Essential. Mike Symons, director of sales, marketing and customer service at PenCarrie, said: “We’d like to thank all of our fantastic customers for the support over the past 30 years, allowing us to fulfil such an amazing number of orders.” imagesmag.uk/pencarrie-essential [L-R] Karen Sutton from PenCarrie, George Georgiou and Dorian Tranter of Essential, and Melvin Gauld from PenCarrie 1992-2022 I love the modern layout of Images magazine; it makes it so easy to read. It’s full of useful print industry information, news and advice. Not to forget, the print shop pooches – it’s secretly my favourite segment! I particularly enjoy the business development section too, it’s always great to read and learn about different areas of the industry. – Emily Hyde, Direct Corporate Clothing Upload Printing These stunning T-shirts were printed by Upload Printing in Romsey for the Bournemouth-based band To Obey A Tyrant. imagesmag.uk/Upload-Obey-Tyrant
CORE TEE VAN106 Weighing in at 140gsm and crafted from 100% ringspun, semi combed cotton this garment offers the best make-up in its class and represents incredible value. exclusively at: yourvanilla.com xpres.co.uk Perfect for DTG and Screen Printing!
INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 22 images APRIL 2022 Brother Industries supports Ukrainian refugee efforts Garment printing and sewing specialist Brother Industries has announced it is donating €500,000 to help people affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The sum, equivalent to around £420,000, is being given through UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, to support humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. Announcing the donation, the company said in a statement: “Brother is extremely saddened that so many innocent lives are being negatively impacted by the current situation in Eastern Europe and have decided to extend our support to those in need. “We sincerely hope that everyone impacted finds safety and security, and our thoughts remain with all those affected in Ukraine and the wider area including our customers, employees and business partners. “The Brother Group sincerely hopes that this situation will be resolved as quickly as possible, and that the people of Ukraine can return to their safe daily lives.” imagesmag.uk/brother-ukraine www.unhcr.org Southwest Customised Clothing This brilliant workwear was embroidered by Southwest Customised Clothing in Minehead for local business Nelson’s Decorating. imagesmag.uk/SCC-Nelson-Decorating Find our digital editions online: imagesmag.uk/digital-issues Gildan reports record sales and increased profit Gildan Activewear has reported record sales and a sharp rise in profits for 2021, driven by an increase in trade to above prepandemic levels in the last six months of the year. Net sales for the apparel supplier rose by 48% to the record figure of $2,923 million (£2,153 million) in 2021 while adjusted gross profit rose from $306 million (£225 million) in 2020 to $903 million (£665 million) last year. Gildan reported that the “significant” improvement was due to several factors including a much stronger product mix, lower raw material costs, higher net selling prices and the non-recurrence of Covid-19. However, its business globally, including blank garments, was still hampered by factors such as lower international shipments and lockdowns in various regions. Gildan’s president and CEO, Glenn J Chamandy, said: “Today, we stand as a less complex, more competitively advantaged organisation, stronger than we have ever been and well-positioned for sustainable growth.” imagesmag.uk/gildan2021 Glenn J Chamandy Roland DG launches third-generation TrueVis printer/cutters Roland DG Corporation has announced the launch of the “third generation” of its TrueVis wide-format inkjet printer/ cutters. Available now in the UK, the new machines are the professional flagship VG3-640 and 540 models with up to eight colours of ink and the SG3-540 and 300 with four colours of ink. The new launches see Roland’s TrueVis series adopt a new eightcolour ink set of CMYKLcLmOrGr for high-quality colour matching and visual expression. They bring a wider colour gamut using special orange and green inks, and smoother colours with reduced graininess using light cyan and light magenta. According to Roland DG, the new TrueVis models were also designed to offer excellent usability without relying on the proficiency of the person operating it, and both the VG3 and SG3 models include a new media setting support function that reduces media skew for easier and more accurate media loading. imagesmag.uk/truevis3 The new Roland TrueVis SG3540 and 300 printer/cutters The flag of Ukraine. Photo: Jorono/Pixabay
www.images-magazine.com APRIL 2022 images 23 INDUSTRY NEWS DecoNetwork offers integration with Rating Captain DecoNetwork, the garment decoration software provider, now offers integration with Rating Captain, allowing its users to connect their DecoNetwork store to the customer review platform. “Customer reviews are vital in almost every business,” explains DecoNetwork. “From screen printers to restaurant owners to car dealerships, earning good customer reviews should be a huge priority.” Every time a customer leaves a review, keywords relating to the business are typed. The more keywords that are attached to your business, the more Google will understand what it is that you do. Receiving positive reviews will also show search engines that your business is trustworthy, adds DecoNetwork, and so increase its chances of showing at or near the top of the search results. “Using a service like Rating Captain allows you to start collecting reviews from any customer that uses your services,” adds the software company. “We will gladly send you a tutorial on how to link your DecoNetwork store to Rating Captain.” imagesmaguk/deconetwork-rating-captain Kornit looks to ‘metaverse’ for on-demand garment printing Digital print specialist Kornit has committed to helping garment decorators and manufacturers to be part of the ‘metaverse’, bridging the virtual and physical worlds. At a two-day event in London in March, Kornit Digital CEO Ronen Samuel said that print-on-demand technology was well positioned to capitalise on the growth of the ‘metaverse’ – the virtual-reality space where users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users. Ronen was part of a team from Kornit, including its UK distributor Amaya Sales UK, at the event at the north London premises of not-for-profit apparel manufacturer and decorator Fashion-Enter, on Friday 4 March. Kornit, based in Israel, is also preparing to announce new machines for digital printing as well as new automated functionality for its direct-to-garment (DTG) printers as part of its Tel Aviv Fashion Week from 4 to 6 April 2022. imagesmag.uk/ kornit-meta AT EUROPE’S LARGEST FOCUSED PRINT EXPO 31 May- 03 June 2022 Berlin, Germany PLATINUM SPONSOR GOLD SPONSORS SAVE €30 ON ENTRY USING PROMO CODE FESA238 REGISTER AT WWW.FESPAGLOBALPRINTEXPO.COM Ronen Samuel, CEO OF Kornit Digital, at the Fashion-Enter event DecoNetworks users can link their stores to Rating Captain
INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 24 images APRIL 2022 View our latest videos: vimeo.com/imagesmaguk Brand 88 Print & Design These amazing T-shirts were printed by Brand 88 Print & Design in Newquay for Rolling Joe Coffee Co. imagesmag.uk/Brand-88-Rolling-Joe Mantis World adds ‘inconversion’ cotton for 2022 styles Mantis World has launched new styles for 2022, including garments manufactured with ‘in conversion’ cotton. This is cotton that has been grown without any artificial fertilisers or harmful chemicals by farmers who are following organic practices but are still within the threeyear period before gaining full organic certification. By paying farmers fairly for cotton while transitioning to organic certification, there is a greater incentive for them to start the journey to organic. The new styles include the unisex M04 Essential Hoodie, a 280gsm brushed fleece hoodie, the matching MK04 Kids Essential Hoodie from Mantis Kids, and the BZ63 Baby Essential Hoodie from Babybugz. Also new for 2022 from Mantis are sweatshirts and T-shirts, along with a bodysuit and T-shirt from Babybugz. imagesmag.uk/mantis2022 Tru Uniforms wins schoolwear supplier award Schoolwear and workwear supplier Tru Uniforms has won a regional accolade in Corporate Livewire’s Prestige Awards. Located in Wythenshawe in south Manchester, the family-run business has been named School Supply Store of the Year for Manchester and north-west England 2021/2022. The shop, which also sells online, was formerly SMFA until it was acquired in 2020 and became part of Tru Schoolwear Group. Since then, it has expanded more into workwear, drawing on the embroidery, screen printing and vinyl printing resources of its Abbey Street Shopping Centre site in Blackburn, Lancashire. Tru Uniforms director Ankur Vij said: “It has been important for me that we give high levels of service so I am happy to get this recognition. I want to make sure parents get what they want and need. I am always listening to feedback.” imagesmag.uk/tru-prestige Inside Tru Uniforms’ store in Wythenshawe in Manchester Schoolwear supplier named employer of the year Schoolwear supplier One+All has been named employer of the year in the Greater Manchester Good Employment Awards in recognition of its commitment to fair employment for all. Judges were impressed by the company’s approach to caring for its people, demonstrated by its B Corp status, Living Wage accreditation, extensive colleague benefits, flexible working practices and training programmes. The awards celebrate members of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter delivering good employment practice. They were presented by Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, the driving force behind the inception of the charter. imagesmag.uk/oneall-employer Donald Moore and Nic Ryan at the Greater Manchester Good Employment Awards The new M04 Essential Hoodie from Mantis World Kornit Digital posts rise in annual revenue Kornit Digital’s annual revenue grew by 67% over the past year, with more growth and new products to come. Revenue for the full year to 31 December 2021 rose to $322 million (£238 million) despite supply-chain pressures. This included “record” fourth-quarter revenue of $87.5 million (£64.7 million) for October, November and December 2021, partly driven by demand for the new Atlas Max “exceeding expectations”. imagesmag.uk/kornit2021
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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT www.images-magazine.com 26 images APRIL 2022 How can I reduce the amount of debt my company is carrying? These days it’s easy to arrive at a point where growth is stagnant and profits fail to rise. There have been so many challenges to SMEs growing lately that it’s no wonder some are struggling. It’s sometimes disheartening in business to see things not go as well as you might have hoped. Market factors can often negatively impact what you feel is a watertight business plan, and failure to meet your challenges head-on means you can easily start to rack up debt. Often, businesses will simply focus on sales to get them out of debt, but this is frequently not enough, and if a business has gaping holes in its set-up or processes then it can mean sales are a help but not a solution to some key issues. Here are some ideas on how to remedy your situation, no matter the size of your business. Know the difference between good and bad debt This is where a lot of businesses simply fall down. Taking on unsecured credit (ie where a loan is given without collateral to support it) can spell disaster if cashflow becomes an issue. It’s better to take on longer, more secured debt (ie where an asset is put up to back the loan), if at all. Fix debts quickly Many companies use credit cards or other credit solutions to see them through lean times or to patch over quiet periods in their calendar. This is risky and could lead to worse problems. Concentrating on bad debt and shifting large amounts can mean that you end up in a much better position in terms of cashflow. If you are in this situation, concentrate on the cards with the highest interest rates to pay off first – don’t overstretch yourself, but know that this is one of the best ways to reduce your debt overall. Monitor your credit Making use of software that monitors scores and manages the credit with creditreporting companies is a great way to sort out debt. Some of these tools are thorough in score management as well as examining the scoregenerating metrics, which include credit available versus credit used. One major point to note is that business owners get higher personal ratings from reporting agencies when their target credit usage (credit used as a percentage of the credit available) is below 9%. Take up grants It may seem obvious, but taking on grants when they are available means that you can use them to service bad debts and smooth over some of your perceived good ones too. If help is out there, don’t be too hasty to dismiss it or feel that it is more suitable for new businesses. There is no shame in seeking help, and grants crop up more often than many people think. If they offer enough, they can also be used to improve your business. A piece of machinery, new business development staff or another way to bring your business into a new phase of success is always sensible. Negotiate your current debt The best time to reconsider your current debt is usually when there is an economic meltdown or at times of uncertainty. In such situations, lenders are more prone to consider a restructuring or renegotiation of interest rates and loan payments, using the Bank of England base rate as a guide. They will also be likely to be able to access programmes that support the present economic realities. Look at your outgoings for the basics Are you paying too much for some services? A review every so often of what you’re spending in terms of bills can make a huge difference to your bottom line. For example, with the current rising gas and electric prices, are you prepared for price hikes? Could you lock into a more valuable deal for your energy? There are always a host of ways companies can avoid or consolidate their debts, but constant reviews and keeping a keen eye on your outgoings compared with income is always the best way to avoid problems before they even present themselves. Expert advice on the business of running a garment decoration company Q&A Rick Smith is the managing director at Forbes Burton, a business consultancy with a specialism in insolvency. The firm offers free help and advice for distressed businesses which are struggling with financial problems, cashflow issues, and HMRC tax debt. www.forbesburton.com The best time to reconsider your current debt is when there is an economic meltdown or at times of uncertainty
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