The Ink Kitchen

Milissa Clark, of US Blanks, joins Shop Talk at Impressions Expo Long Beach 2020 to discuss the why, when, who, and how of custom apparel sourcing and manufacturing…

Justin Lawrence, Owner of Oklahoma Shirt Company, delivers a tour de force on Social Media Marketing at Shop Talk Impressions Expo Long Beach 2020…

In my approach to t-shirt design, the first consideration is the blank or base-product as this informs so many of my decisions (color, techniques, ink selection, print placement, etc.)  throughout the design process.  I’ve done it this way for so long that I’m virtually incapable of working on a t-shirt design without this critical piece…

Perhaps the most experienced and knowledgeable three minds in DTG formed this all-star panel to discuss the future of garment decoration.  It’s Shop Talk with Jacob Edwards (Jakprints), Alex Phelan (OvalJet), and Kevin Tsukahara (DTG Expert)…

Our main man Jason Murphy, of SanMar, returns to Shop Talk to share what’s new in the world of transfers… Links to the companies Jason referenced: https://www.fmexpressions.com/ https://supacolor.com/ https://transferexpress.com/ http://www.613originals.com/ https://www.lionbrothers.com/ https://www.instagraph.com

I was exchanging emails with a fellow decorator about the issue of garment twisting/torquing affecting the outcome of the final printed product.  This is a challenge many of us face when working with fashion blanks and tri-blends.  How do you avoid crooked or off-center prints? How do you manage customer expectations?  This conversation reminded me…

Aaron Draplin, Andy Mac, and the Surfrider Foundation Aaron Draplin is a bearded Midwesterner and genius designer with a presence only to be overshadowed by his booming voice and epic wit.  Andy MacDougall is a bearded Canadian and legendary flatstock printer with a presence only to be overshadowed by his kindheartedness and willingness to share…

Talking Shop at Shop Talk The Decorated Apparel Community had historically been plagued with misinformation, suffered a lack of communication, and had fallen prey to hucksters and snake oil salesmen.  We looked to experts and gurus to solve our problems. We were afraid to share with one another and learn from each other.  We turned…

What’s all the RuckUs About? If you came of age in the 90’s (as I did) you know that it was a sometimes glorious, sometimes hideous, and nearly always a confusing time to be alive.  With the huge exception of the Gulf War, we weren’t really at war.  Hubble launched and so did the WWW. …

The Show Floor There are so many good reasons to attend a trade-show: Learning, networking, socializing, talking shop, happy-hours, fancy dinners, parties, bars, etc.  Ok, ok, let’s not forget why we are there in the first place: the show floor.  Companies expend tremendous resources to exhibit at a trade-show.  It’s not just the cost of…