The Long Beach Impressions Expo (formerly called ISS) is coming up January 20-22. It feels like there is quite a buzz about it and probably a dozen people who I thought were not going decided to go in the past couple days. It feels like everybody’s autos and dryers are worn out and they want…
Best piece of equipment in the shop in terms of bang for the buck is my folding safety box opener. The opener has a nub to split the tape on the top of the box, so you don’t cut the shirts. (We once did work for a big retailer and they made us put cardboard…
The New York Times reports that some World Cup soccer (football) jerseys are being made my workers with pay of $2.27 per day. You read that right, not by the minute, not by the hour, $2.27 per day. There is no standard of living in the world that supports paying people that low, even Myanmar. …
Sometimes an observation is proven wrong with experience. I’m here to tell you that this one rings true again this year. Vacant stares, silly mistakes and absences seem to be the holiday norm right now at our factory. Needing or wanting to get more critical work done doesn’t matter, Christmas time’s a comin’. Here’s the…
Gildan recently released their 3rd quarter financial report. My take-away for our industry is that they have record sales and substantial profits in activewear. They are not hurting from supply chain or inflation issues as one might have imagined. You can read the entire press release below. Gildan Press Release Gildan Activewear Reports Strong Results for…
Beginner or experienced, everyone can get a lot out of attending the Fort Worth Impressions Show. What’s all this about DTF? What is the latest in DTG? What’s latest in the packaging world? Meet your decorator peers and talk to your vendors in person. Lots of exhibitors, a free happy hour, and free Shop Talks with the industry’s best and…
A Utah company specializing in right wing apparel was fined $211,000 for bogus (the government actually used the word “bogus”) claims about their shirts being made in the usa. They were fined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for ripping out Made in China labels from shirts and sewing Made in USA labels into the…
SAATI has announced that they have bought most of the assets of Ikonics from Terawulf Inc. in a long anticipated sale, since apparently Terawulf just wanted to be publicly traded on the NASDAQ and had no interest in the Ikonics business. SAATI, based in Como, Italy and in the USA in SC bought Ikonics (based…
Tom Davenport and Brett Bowden are leaving the Ink Kitchen management to devote more time to their company MADE Lab as well as other pursuits. Pam Ikegami and Rick Roth will carry on with the Ink Kitchen. All four of us remain friends and supportive of each other’s efforts and will collaborate in ways large…
I knew Charles Kernaghan personally through my work with Amnesty International and I can say he was a truly great human being. You can read his obituaries in the Washington Post and NY Times. He was known as one of the originators of the anti-sweatshop movement and as “the man who made Kathie Lee cry”…
