Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

Taking Stock of Industry Associations

Published July 24, 2018

It’s been some time since we have taken a look at the state of our industry associations. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne conducted 17 interviews in late Spring 2018 with key industry players to get an update on status and strategies. We don’t cover every organization in the industry—there are simply too many—but it gives a good overview on the organizations and resources available to help printing businesses be more successful.

Purissimo from Devan Chemicals: A Textile Treatment Bringing Hope to Pet Allergy Sufferers

Published July 23, 2018

Do you have a cat or a dog? Or would you like to, if only you or someone in your household weren’t sensitive to allergens shed by cats and dogs? Devan Chemicals has an answer that may help. The company recently launched a technology to make textiles free from allergens shed by cats and dogs. Purissimo™ is a probiotic-based solution and is completely natural. We spoke to the company to learn more.

New Facility for IT Supplies

Published July 23, 2018

Jeff Lucido, General Manager for IT Supplies, celebrates the 20th anniversary of the company with a new facility and shares how it will help the industry.

The Advantages of EFI InNova Pigment Inks for Textiles

Published July 19, 2018

Paolo Torricella, Textiles Segment Manager for EFI Reggiani, describes the benefits of EFI InNova pigment inks for direct-to-fabric printing from vibrant colors to a lower impact on the environment.

Champion Thread Company Brings Manufacturing Back to the U.S.

Published July 18, 2018

Matt Poovey, President of Champion Thread Company, discusses the importance of automation in bringing textile and garment manufacturing back to the United States. This industrial sewing thread manufacturer is leading the way with a number of innovations.

The Future of Digital Print for Packaging

Published July 17, 2018

Sean Smyth with Smithers Pira discusses the value of the Digital Print and Packaging show and shares some data on packaging forecasts for digital print.

DuraVibe Fabric Pretreatment for Digital Textile Printing Opens New Business Opportunities

Published July 16, 2018

Digital textile printing is taking off, and solutions that increase flexibility while maintaining high quality standards will help speed this analog-to-digital transformation. We recently spoke with Ann Sawchak, co-founder of Expand Systems, about the company’s DuraVibe fabrics and the role they play in enabling more digital printing volume.

Speed Outweighs Cost in Textiles

Published July 16, 2018

Karsten Newbury, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Software for Gerber Technology, discusses the trends driving change in the textiles industry. Now more than ever, the industry is about speed with pressure on brands and manufacturers for faster time to market.

LACorp Is a Jack-of-All-Trades in the Textile Industry

Published July 10, 2018

Jeoff Bodenhorst, Jr., President of LACorp, talks about his contract cut-and-sew company that offers a wide range of services to the garment industry. He talks about how automation will continue to improve this part of the manufacturing process, which can often be a labor-intensive bottleneck.

DPInnovations: A Complete web2fabric™ Workflow Solution

Published July 5, 2018

Web-to-print is well established in the world of commercial printing, and web-to-fabric is now gaining steam in textiles, as the demand for shorter runs and faster turn times for customized and personalized textiles and apparel grows. We recently spoke with DPInnovations about its web2fabric workflow solution which has been installed in more than 20 customer locations.

Kornit's Ryan Kurek on the Analog-to-Digital Transformation in Textiles

Published July 5, 2018

Ryan Kurek, Director of Marketing for North America at Kornit Digital, discusses the analog-to-digital transformation as it relates to textiles. As the way we buy clothing changes, the textile industry must adjust, with faster time to market and less waste in the supply chain.

Bridging the Gap Between Corrugated and Folding Cartons

Published July 3, 2018

Mike Schliesmann, Senior Vice President of Great Northern Corporation, talks with Cary Sherburne about filling the gap between corrugated and folding cartons, plus developing ways to digitally print direct to corrugated.

As Consumer Buying Habits Change, So Does the Textile Industry

Published June 28, 2018

Yoram Burg, Regional Sales Director for EFI Optitex, gives us an idea of what to expect in the textiles market as the analog-to-digital transformation continues to unfold. Companies need to develop product and get it to market faster than ever before to keep up with consumers' changing buying habits.

Print Education is Important for Brands

Published June 27, 2018

Doris Brown-McNally of HP Graphic Solutions discusses the importance of educating brands on the value of digital print: First by imparting technology and marketing knowledge, then discussing the capabilities of digital print and helping with any challenges they may face.

OnPoint Manufacturing Automates Textiles

Published June 26, 2018

At TechTextil, Kirby Best, Chairman of OnPoint Manufacturing, talks about his company, which was founded based on lessons learned in the book industry. OnPoint produces original, beautiful textile work using automated production.

Smithers Pira Tackles Digital with Two Conferences

Published June 25, 2018

Smithers Pira hosted two terrific digital printing conferences in Chicago earlier this month—Digital Print for Packaging and Digital Textile Printing. Both had great content and were very interactive. In this article, we’ve just scratched the surface of what was covered. We highly recommend putting these conferences on your calendar for next year!

Lectra: For Fashion and Furniture

Published June 25, 2018

Carlos Jimenez, Professional Services Manager of Fashion and Apparel for Lectra, discusses the broad range of services the company offers to streamline the process from design to cutting room for textile-based products. Lectra serves the fashion industry, as well as furniture and other market segments where textiles play an important role.

New Pantone Polyester Standards Address Increased Demand for More Vibrant, Saturated Color

Published June 22, 2018

Pantone has been providing color standards for the fashion, home, and interiors marketplace since 1987. Cotton standards were introduced in the mid-1990s. Since then, Pantone has developed additional textile color standards, including today’s announcement of 203 new colors for polyester. We spoke with Laurie Pressman, Vice President at Pantone Color Institute, to learn more.

New Coatings for Performance Fabrics

Published June 21, 2018

Mark Sunderland, Textile Engineer and Strategist at Thomas Jefferson University, discusses the future of coatings for performance fabrics and their effect on sustainability.

Enhancing Label Production with Smart Workflow Automation

Published June 19, 2018

Leading companies in the labels business are benefiting from smart workflow automation. While some feel intimidated by the thought of changing a workflow that works—maybe not as well as it could—we've talked to folks who have made the transition and can't imagine how they actually functioned before.

Kornit Digital Offers Textile Printing Solutions

Published June 18, 2018

Sharon Donovich, Product Marketing Manager for Kornit Digital, talks about the offerings from this Israeli-based company, a solutions provider for printing on textiles. Kornit received a warm response to its line of direct-to-garment and direct-to-fabric printers at the recent TexProcess show in Atlanta.

Datacolor Rolls Out Spectravision for Measuring Printed Textile Samples

Published June 12, 2018

Mike Tancini, Director of Sales for North and Central America at Datacolor, describes Datacolor's services for the textile industry. The company recently introduced Spectravision, positioned as a game-changer for measuring printed textile samples.

MWW Upholds Tradition While Pursuing Innovation

Published June 11, 2018

MWW On Demand has leveraged automation and technology to gain its position as the single largest weaving and on-demand printing company for textile-based products in the U.S. The company employs digital printing technologies for heat transfer sublimation, direct-to-garment, and direct-to-textile, and is one of the few—or perhaps the only—company that maintained a large fleet of looms when others began sending weaving offshore. The result is a vertically integrated, environmentally sustainable, on demand manufacturing operation that is a model for the future of textiles.

Looking at Textile Workflow Automation Through Apps

Published June 11, 2018

Dave Pullin, CEO of Coldlogic LLC, suggests apps as a solution for increasing workflow automation in the textile industry, much like JDF did for print, enabling systems to talk to each other, minimizing human intervention.

Coloreel Tackles Thread Waste

Published June 6, 2018

What if you could cost-effectively color thread on demand? You know exactly how much of each color you need and in what order. You produce what you need, and you can do even very complex embroidery designs using a single head. That’s a dream that’s rapidly becoming a reality. Coloreel is another example of thread on demand in action. We spoke to CEO Mattias Nordin to take a deeper look.

Gerber Technology: Advancing Automation in Fashion and Apparel

Published June 4, 2018

For 50 years, Gerber Technology has been providing solutions for the fashion and apparel industry, from planning through sourcing and production. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Karsten Newbury, Senior Vice President and General Manager, and Mary McFadden, Executive Director, CAD Product Management, to learn about the company’s latest offerings and how they help the industry in the analog-to-digital transformation.

Looking for Cool Leggings? Check Out Bombsheller and Its On-Demand Manufacturing Model

Published May 30, 2018

Pablos Holman is a serial entrepreneur whose latest venture is Bombsheller, an online source for leggings manufactured on demand. Customers can select from more than a thousand designs, or upload their own, and each pair of leggings, which are available in 10 sizes, is digitally printed, cut, and sewn, with shipment in 24 hours in most cases.

Microfactories and Automation the Stars at TechTextil/TexProcess

Published May 24, 2018

WhatTheyThink attended TechTextil/TexProcess in Atlanta, and one of the key messages that came out of the show was the fact that apparel microfactories are a reality. This brings many advantages to the apparel industry, especially in North America and Europe where there is a move to re-shore some part of apparel manufacturing.

Marketing and Publishing Guru Seth Godin to Keynote PRINT 18

Published May 10, 2018

Seth Godin, world-renowned entrepreneur and marketing and publishing guru, will be keynoting this September’s PRINT 18. Cary Sherburne spoke to him about the changing role of print in today’s marketing and publishing landscape. Read on for some insights from one of today’s thought leaders.

How MakerBot Is Shaping a 3D Future in Industry and Education

Published May 8, 2018

For a dozen years, Forrest Leighton held marketing roles at Canon USA, and then spent four years with Marcomm Central. Today, he is Vice President of Marketing at MakerBot, a Stratasys company and a global leader in desktop 3D printing solutions. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with him recently to learn more about MakerBot and how 3D printing might be a relevant opportunity for commercial, sign & display graphics, packaging and textile printers.

Standfast & Barracks: Naught to 50% Digital Textile Printing in Five Years

Published May 7, 2018

Changing market dynamics, including the increasing proliferation of digital printing technologies for textiles and apparel, are boosting reshoring efforts in many countries. UK-based Standfast & Barracks has worked closely with digital textile printer manufacturer Durst to help accelerate this trend using its Durst Alpha Series digital textile printers. Read more.

Stunning 3D Printed Garments a Revolutionary Idea

Published May 2, 2018

Tel Aviv-based fashion designer Danit Peleg creates custom garments and accessories using desktop 3D printers. Today, Peleg is also in the process of creating and uploading to her site designs that can be downloaded and printed. Read on for more on her unique projects.

How Do You Build Efficiencies through a Print Quality Management Program? 3M Has Perspective

Published May 1, 2018

One of the high points of the Color Conference held earlier this year was a talk by Lisa Price, Design Operations Director at 3M. I was able to speak to Lisa recently to get a little more detail about her very successful Print Quality Management Program that helps her manage a network of more than 700 printers worldwide. Read more.

Israeli Fashion Designer Leverages Digital Textile Printing for New Business Model

Published April 30, 2018

Fashion designer Michal Ratzman turned to digital textile printing to find a way to make her dress design business more attractive to buyers and more profitable for her. By switching to the sell-then-manufacture model from manufacture-then-hope-to-sell, she is able to provide more customized apparel solutions while eliminating returns, inventory and waste for her on-demand dress manufacturing business, byme.

SEAMS: Supercharging the U.S. Apparel Supply Chain

Published April 24, 2018

In preparation for attending TechTextil/TexProcess in Atlanta in May, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne connected with Will Duncan, Executive Director of SEAMS, a trade organization dedicated to empowering the Made in America movement by supercharging the U.S. supply chain from concept to customer. Learn more about SEAMS and the benefits of joining the effort.

On Demand Manufacturing: A Sea Change for the Apparel Industry

Published April 23, 2018

Can apparel be completely manufactured in an automated environment? Not yet. But it’s coming soon and will revolutionize apparel manufacturing. Learn how NextWave, and its partners EFI, Klieverik, Zund, and Henderson are creating an on demand microfactory, which will be on display at TechTextil/TexProcess in Atlanta in May.

Unique Great Northern Solution Fills the Gap Between Corrugated and Folding Carton

Published April 17, 2018

Great Northern Corporation added an HP PageWide T400S inkjet press to its operation last year to bring more flexibility to its unique ultra-strong folding cartons. In this post, learn how Great Northern is leveraging offset and digital for more efficiency, and the approach the company has taken to filling the gap between corrugated and folding carton.

Move Over for Mouvent’s New Digital Textile Printer

Published April 16, 2018

Following its announcement of its formation as a joint venture between BOBST and Radex last July, Mouvent is now bringing its innovative textile printers to market. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Ghislain Segard, Marketing & Sales Manager for Textile Machines at Mouvent, to get more details about the current product and Mouvent’s strategies for the future. Read more.

Retail’s Returns Conundrum and How Digital Textile Could Help

Published April 10, 2018

Retailers are seeing an unprecedented volume of returns, according to a recent eMarketer Retail story, and they are struggling with how to deal with this while still keeping margins at an acceptable level. Many are burdened with legacy supply chain issues that digital technology could mitigate. This post is a recap of some of the innovative approaches to digital textile and apparel manufacturing that are poised to revolutionize the world of textiles and apparel.

FESPA 2018 Features “Print. Make. Wear.” Trend with Special Exhibit

Published April 9, 2018

Are you going to FESPA 2018 in Berlin? If so, there’s a special treat in store that you will not want to miss. In this article, show organizer Duncan MacOwan explains FESPA’s Print. Make. Wear. exhibit that showcases how digital technologies are transforming textiles and apparel while also demonstrating the ongoing value that analog production processes still add to the mix. Read more.

SGIA to Hold New FP3 Conference for Industrial Printing and Printed Electronics

Published April 2, 2018

SGIA Chairman Ed Cook, Jr., explains the importance of the organization's upcoming conference on functional printing. FP3 is a new show serving the industrial printing and printed electronics communities. Scheduled for June in Chicago, the event is designed to educate executive-level members of these communities, including operational and business tracks. Google's David Hogue will keynote the event.

Zazzle Well-Positioned to Help Drive Analog-to-Digital Transformation in Textiles

Published April 2, 2018

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talks with Zazzle's Chief Fulfillment Officer Charles Ohiaeri about the role of digital textile printing in its ecommerce business that delivers personalized paper and textile products. He shares his views on the analog-to-digital transformation underway in the textiles industry and how digital can make the industry more efficient, profitable, and environmentally friendly, while giving consumers more choice with the ability to personalize or customize their garments and other textile-based products.

Spoonflower: Demonstrating the Potential of Digital Textile Printing

Published April 2, 2018

Durham, N.C.’s Spoonflower allows users in its community of more than 3.5 million individuals to design and digitally print their own custom fabrics for curtains, quilts, clothes, bags, furniture, dolls, pillows, framed artwork, costumes, banners, and much, much more. Read on to see how Spoonflower is continuing to transform the digital textile printing market.

Vapor Apparel: Breaking the Rules in Sublimation Printing

Published March 29, 2018

Chris Bernat, Chief Revenue Officer at Vapor Apparel, likes to break the rules. Fourteen years ago, the company determined that good fabrics for sublimation printing were hard to come by and worked to solve that problem. Today, the company provides high-quality blanks for shirts, accessories, and more, including sublimation-certified white and colored garments that perform on press and in the market, making its clothing in the United States. He also discusses the relative roles of digital and conventional printing for textiles.

Ryonet: Driving Change in Garment Decoration

Published March 22, 2018

Ryonet's Ryan Moor talks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about the overall positive impact the analog-to-digital transformation in textiles and apparel stand to have on the environment. He also discusses how his company is helping the people of Haiti by providing workers in his manufacturing operation in the country with a living wage, good working conditions, and more.

HP Announces New Product Family Featuring Latex Rigid Technology

Published March 22, 2018

At an ISA preview event last night, HP presented a new technology for Latex printing on rigid substrates up to two inches thick. Although pricing and availability are not yet available, the company showed sample prints and plans to demonstrate the machine in operation at FESPA in Berlin in May. Learn more.

Epson Dedicated to Speeding Adoption of Digital Textile Printing

Published March 21, 2018

Epson’s 2018 Digital Couture Project leading up to New York’s Fashion Week caught my attention, and I reached out to the Mark Radogna, Strategic Marketing for Epson America, to learn more about how Epson is approaching the digital textiles market and where the company sees it going in the future.

CustomInk Believes Co-Opetition Is a Win/Win for Suppliers, Producers, and Customers in the Garment Decoration Industry

Published March 21, 2018

Andy Louis-Charles, Vice President of Business Development at CustomInk, one of the largest online custom apparel companies in the U.S., talks about the importance of mutually beneficial partnerships with others in the industry. He believes this practice of "co-opetition" raises the level for everyone in the industry. Custom apparel for events is a $7 billion industry—there's lots of room for everyone and an opportunity to grow the pie. With a bigger pie, everyone gets a larger slice, he says.

Does Your Brand Reflect What You Are Made Of?

Published March 20, 2018

Robert Prioleau, Partner and Brand Director at the Blue Ion agency, and a principal of Outpost, another agency, explains what he meant during his talk at ThreadX, when he said, "The best brands are defined by what they are made of, not by what they make." What values, purpose, mission and cause are you bringing to the table on top of your great products and services?" Hear what he has to say, and think about how you can apply his advice to your brand.

Breakthrough Material Makes Heat Transfer News

Published March 19, 2018

As a garment decorator or textile printer, have you ever bemoaned the fact that you have to pretreat natural fiber fabrics in order to use heat-transfer sublimation for a brilliant, durable image on natural fiber textiles? Moan no more! The Mosaica Group is introducing a breakthrough product from a European mill that makes heat transfer news. Read more.

Is Your Tech Pack Smart Enough?

Published March 19, 2018

Matthew Cochran, CCO of of Purchase Activated Apparel Technology (PAAT), is building an open digital product development network, looking to augment the traditional tech pack that is the DNA of a product. His Smart Tech Pack (STP) technology is a machine-readable file that takes some of the opportunity for human error out of the garment manufacturing process. The goal of this digital product development network is to move to a design-sell-produce model as opposed to today's design-produce-hope-to-sell model.

Analog-to-Digital Transformation Is Disrupting the Textiles Industry

Published March 15, 2018

Mark Coudray, Founder of Catalyst Plan, has nearly 50 years of experience in graphic communications. He talks about the analog-to-digital transformations that have occurred in the industry over the past few decades. The fourth iteration of analog-to-digital transformation is revolutionizing the discipline of marketing and having a huge impact on the textiles and apparel industries. He offers guidance to buy time and gain breathing room.

Mimaki Focused on Accelerating the Digital Transformation in Textiles

Published March 14, 2018

It’s been 20 years since Mimaki began its digital textile printing journey, one of the first, if not the first, to do so. We spoke with Ronald Van Den Broek, General Manager of Sales for Mimaki Europe, to gain insight into how the company addresses the growing digital textile market today and it is vision of the future.

Chris Simpson from Blue Ion Talks about Available Tools to Engage in B2C Marketing

Published March 14, 2018

Chris Simpson, Digital Marketing Director at Blue Ion, talks about how companies can make a transition from marketing B2B to marketing B2C. He identifies a set of tools from Google and others that can help companies add this new capability.

The Amazing Story of Sandilake Clothing

Published March 13, 2018

Mel Lay, Owner of Sandilake Clothing, has a riveting story of how she went from producing clothing for her kids in 2014 to being a garment icon. Her business has grown largely through the use of social media, including her public battle with Target and ultimately her appearance on Shark Tank. Great story! Lots of guidance about how others can use social media to grow their businesses.

OnPoint Manufacturing Making Apparel Microfactory a Reality

Published March 12, 2018

OnPoint Manufacturing offers an innovative approach to an on-demand manufacturing model for textiles and apparel. Leveraging digital technologies to streamline supply chains, remove waste and speed time to market is the hallmark of the analog-to-digital transformation of any industry. OnPoint combines a number of interesting technologies to enable this in textiles and apparel for its own manufacturing, and a vision of the future for the industry.

Facing the Challenges of Waste in the Garment Supply Chain

Published March 12, 2018

Matthew Cochran, COO of OnPoint Manufacturing, talks about the feasibility of on demand manufacturing of garments to address Fast Fashion and the waste of time and materials associated with the traditional garment supply chain, moving from design-produce-hope-to-sell, to design-sell-produce.

Fed By Threads Innovating in "Dirt to Shirt" Approach

Published March 8, 2018

Skya Nelson, COO of Fed By Threads, talks about the company's "dirt to shirt" strategy and its innovative approach to fibers that are environmentally sustainable and recyclable. One example is 65% recycled plastic bottles and 35% recycled organic cotton. Currently they are working on a recycled cotton fiber that prints well, recycles easily, and is cost effective.

AccuLink Leverages Dye-Sublimation Printing for Business Growth

Published March 8, 2018

Tom O'Brien, President of AccuLink in Greenville, N.C., talks about how he was able to turn his business around following the recession by turning to dye sublimation of textiles, ceramics, and more. This commercial printer is also now one of the largest dye-sub operations in the Southeast with minimal investments as compared to normal commercial print investments—about 100 pieces of equipment that cost less than one digital printing press!

Garment Decorators Gather for Inaugural ThreadX

Published March 7, 2018

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne reports from the inaugural ThreadX, powered by SGIA, a unique conference held last week to serve the needs of garment decorators.

First-Ever ThreadX Powered by SGIA a Success

Published March 7, 2018

In seeking to better serve its membership, SGIA took the advice of its Garment Decorating Committee to host an event dedicated to that under-served segment. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne was there, and explains why this event was different. The sold-out event will be held again next year, location TBD.

FTA's FIRST Program Explained

Published March 6, 2018

Joe Tuccitto, FTA's Director of Education, explains the FTA's FIRST program, Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications and Tolerances, which has been around for two decades. Created for the industry by the industry, it is a book of starting points, a guide to getting started with everything flexo. Version 6.0 has just been released, and is accompanied by certification programs.

Bridging the Gap Between Screen and Digital Printing for Textiles

Published March 5, 2018

As the analog-to-digital transformation in textile printing starts taking off, hybrid solutions are emerging that fill the gap between screen and digital printing. In this article, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne discusses this gap issue, includes insight from a California-based screen printer, and highlights an interesting hybrid solution in the form of M&R’s Digital Squeegee. Read more.

How EFI Reggiani Is Helping Accelerate the Analog-to-Digital Transformation in Textiles

Published March 5, 2018

Adele Genoni, Vice President and General Manager for EFI Reggiani, speaks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about how Reggiani fits into the EFI ecosystem. She explains how the company is moving the analog-to-digital transformation forward in textiles, and what she expects to see in the future, including reshoring textile production in North America and Europe.

Where Does HP Stand with Regard to Digital Textile Printing?

Published February 27, 2018

Since the launch of our dedicated textiles section in January, we have been talking to the major suppliers to the industry about their offerings in this exploding space. Recently, we spoke with Mike Horsten, Business Manager for Large Format Professional EMEA at HP. He shares his thoughts on the digital textile market and HP’s future plans in that segment.

Why FTA Members Should Attend PIA's Color Conference

Published February 27, 2018

Joe Tuccitto, Director of Education for the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) talks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about the value of PIA's Color Conference to members of FTA and the industry as a whole. Color Conference 2019 will be held in San Diego in January.

Furious Goose Attacks Silk Scarves and Pocket Squares with Digital Textile Printing

Published February 26, 2018

A Furious Goose can be frightening and entertaining at the same time. It was this idea that led to the unique naming of this British provider of high-quality silk scarves and pocket squares. The company works with Think Posi+ive Prints UK (Think Positive) in producing stunning accessories. Read more.

ThreadX: A New Event for Garment Decorators

Published February 26, 2018

SGIA CEO Ford Bowers explains the genesis of ThreadX as coming from a focus group of garment decorators who felt an event dedicated to helping with business and technology information them didn't exist. This first edition sold out, and SGIA is planning to do the event again next year. Hear what Bowers has to say and stay tuned for more news and videos from ThreadX!

As Far as the Eye Can See: Increasing Color Display Quality

Published February 23, 2018

Kevin O'Connor, Principal at Make Color Behave, talks about advances by Apple and others are looking ahead to new video standards that will enhance color viewing beyond SRBG which only presents about 35% of the colors the unimpeded human eye can see. The most current Apple screens will support new standards that will capture about 53% of what we can see with our eyes.

Threading the Needle in Digital Textiles

Published February 19, 2018

There’s a lot happening in the world of digital textile printing, an exciting and vibrant market. It seems like every day we come across new products, services and applications that digital technology enables—either to streamline existing traditional methods or to enable entirely new capabilities. Israeli company Twine Solutions is bringing digital printing technology to the most basic commodity in the industry, the thread. Read more to learn how this technology can benefit your business.

Designers: Are You Designing with "Considerate Color"?

Published February 16, 2018

Cal Poly Professor Brian Lawler explains what designers should be thinking about to serve the needs of those who don't see color the same way most of us do. He recommends a process for using "considerate color" that allows the people with color vision defects to still see contrast and tonal difference in colors selected for graphic projects such as roadmaps and charts where color itself is a factor in understanding the content. He mentions specific tools designers can use to accomplish this.

Ray Cheydleur Explains Why Standards are Important in Digital, Offset and Flexo Print Production

Published February 15, 2018

Standards Guru and X-Rite Printing & Imaging Portfolio Manager Ray Cheydleur talks about his many roles within the standards community and the importance of standards in the printing industry. He highlights print production standards that digital, offset, and flexo printers should be aware of as they work to continuously improve their operations.

How does an artist move from no computers to totally digital? Brian Yap explains.

Published February 14, 2018

Brian Yap, an artist and illustrator who works for Adobe, shared his lifelong journey in art, computers and augmented reality. From stating as an artist he would never use a computer for his art, to becoming a completely digital artist, today Yap primarily creates his illustrations using an iPad. He talks about how he uses augmented reality as a unique way to animate posters and other images. "Looking at a poster with your phone and having it come to life is magic," he says.

Art, Photography and Print: A Winning Combination for Christopher Campbell

Published February 13, 2018

Christopher Campbell, a lifelong photographer and artist, explains how he blends these two passions to not only create great art, but to capture his unique artwork with a camera, generating a printed image that is almost indistinguishable from the original. He sees this as a remarkable moment in history: digital printers have such a large color gamut and can do so much, cameras now capture such high resolution, and color science has come to a point where ordinary people can profile a camera and a printer, and make these things.

Unmade: Changing the World of Fast Fashion

Published February 12, 2018

Unmade, a UK-based company dedicated to providing solutions and tools to enable widespread adoption of on-demand personalization and customization of apparel and other soft goods, started by developing software to enable custom knitted items, but is now expanding into direct-to-textile printing and more. Read the full story.

EFI's Marc Olin Explains the Reasons Behind the Rebranding of NPES to APT

Published February 12, 2018

Marc Olin, CFO at EFI and a board member of the Association for Print Technologies (APT), highlights the strategic reasons behind the rebranding of NPES to APT, citing the need to broaden the scope beyond print to other relevant technologies important to the industry. This also opens the organization to other stakeholders as well. Both are designed to foster inclusiveness and better support the industry.

Cal Poly Professor Addresses How and Why Designers Should Take Color Vision Defects into Account

Published February 9, 2018

Cal Poly Professor Brian Lawler explains common color vision defects and why designers should take these color vision defects into account when designing maps, transactional documents, signs and other items where color plays a role in the ability to understand the messages being conveyed. He also provides insight into how color vision can be tested and tools available to verify if designs comply with good color practices.

2018 TAGA Conference to Feature Latest Printing Technology Trends

Published February 9, 2018

TAGA is known for its informative sessions and animated discussions of print technology, and the 2018 TAGA Annual Technical Conference will be no exception. Scheduled for 18 to 21 March in Baltimore MD, this is a must-attend event for anyone in the printing industry who wants to stay current with emerging trends and learn about opportunities for new revenue streams and continued business growth. Learn more.

Grupo SG Now Offering EFI Reggiani Printers in Central America and the Caribbean

Published February 8, 2018

Thomas Lange, President of Grupo SG, a distributor serving Central America and the Caribbean, speaks about his long-term relationship with EFI and the addition of EFI Reggiani textile printers to his offerings. This region has a significant base of textile and garment manufacturing and many players are following the lead of brands and retailers in driving the analog-to-digital transformation occurring in these industries for faster time to market and improved profitability.

Google Lead User Interface Designer Talks About Barriers to Innovation

Published February 8, 2018

At the 2018 PIA Color Conference, Lead User Interface Designer for Google, David Hogue, presented a fascinating keynote. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne was able to sit down with him afterwards to get his perspective on barriers to innovation that may be impacting companies in the printing industry. He provides insight into how to overcome these challenges, including anchoring bias and the cathedral effect. A must-watch for printing company owners and managers.

3M Print Quality Management Program Explained

Published February 7, 2018

Lisa Price, Global Design Operations Manager at 3M, explains the company's Print Quality Management program that helps her manage a supply base of 700 printers. This 100-year-old company employing 90,000 people is a thought leader in the field of Print Quality Management; Lisa's story is an inspiration to others responsible for managing complex print supply chains.

Nazdar Source One First North American Distributor of EFI's Pro 24f

Published February 6, 2018

Glenn Shull, Product Manager at Nazdar Source One distribution company, talks about the company's position as the first distributor in North America to distribute the EFI Pro 24f true flatbed large format printer. The printer will be featured in the company's new Chicago demo center, where visitors will be able to experience the product first-hand.

Memjet Explores New Opportunities with DuraLink Printhead Technology

Published February 6, 2018

We recently had the opportunity to visit Memjet’s San Diego headquarters and get an update on how the business is going since our visit last summer. The Print 17 trade show gave the company’s prospect list a huge boost. Read more.

Why the Rebranding of NPES to APT is Important

Published February 5, 2018

WhatTheyThink Senior Editor Cary Sherburne caught up with Gavin Jordan-Smith, VP/GM, Industrial Print and Graphic Communications at Konica Minolta and Board member of APT, to gain his perspective on the recent rebranding of industry association NPES to the Association for Print Technologies (APT). The rebranding reflects the Association's focus on the entire value chain, beyond the physical act of printing, and fostering change in the way suppliers and producers think about their businesses.

Annual TAGA Conference: The Place to Go to Stay Current on Graphic Arts Technologies

Published February 5, 2018

Liam O'Hara, Associate Professor at Clemson University and President of TAGA, speaks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about the upcoming TAGA technical conference, scheduled for 18-21 March in Baltimore. TAGA, celebrating 70 years of service to the industry, is one of the leading associations for disseminating research and information about graphic arts technologies. Student-oriented programs are also an important feature of this event. View the video to learn who should attend.

IPMA Explains the Value of the In-Plant Track Featured at EFI Connect 2018

Published February 1, 2018

Mike Loyd, Executive Director of IPMA, talks about why the new In-Plant Track at EFI Connect 2018 was beneficial to his members and a recognition that in-plant print shop managers often have different needs than commercial printers.

What The New Tax Law Means for Your Printing Business

Published January 31, 2018

Michael Makin, CEO of the Printing Industries of America, previews the association's upcoming webinar and highlights the benefits of the new law for printing companies. PIA fought hard for inclusion of provisions that benefit the industry. The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, February 15, at 2 PM Eastern, and PIA experts will be on hand to answer questions.

Keeping Print in the Mix in Customer Communications

Published January 31, 2018

For many companies, digital communications promised fast, easy, relevant, and more affordable customer communications. But now marketers are realizing that print has a valuable role in the customer communications mix that cannot be underestimated. As a result, the role of print in an omnichannel world is being redefined yet again, with print as a key element.

Hinojosa Packaging CEO Talks About World's First EFI Nozomi Installation

Published January 30, 2018

Eric Bacourt, CEO of Spanish company Hinojosa Packaging, explains why he took the leap as the world's first installation of the EFI Nozomi direct-to-corrugated printing system. He also discusses the future of digital print for the corrugated business. The system is now running three shifts per day.

Industry Associations Team to Ensure Long-Term Vitality of Mail

Published January 30, 2018

Idealliance, NAPM, and PostCom announced a coalition designed "to work towards the long-term vitality of mail and ensuring that the mail industry remains at the very center of communication and commerce in the United States and around the globe." Is this the right approach? Read more for my opinion.

An Inflection Point in Textiles: Zazzle Leading the Way to the Future

Published January 29, 2018

Have you ever shopped at Zazzle? The company personalizes just about anything and has both paper and textile offerings. In past Zazzle stories, we have focused primarily on the paper side. But the company was actually founded with textiles. Read more to find out what Zazzle textile offerings - and its view of the market - looks like today.

EFI CFO Marc Olin Talks Connect, Nozomi installs, Pace Developments, and Textiles

Published January 25, 2018

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talks to EFI CFO Marc Olin at EFI Connect 2018 about what is new at the event, including Nozomi installs and unique applications being employed by customers and Pace developments. They also discuss other product developments around textiles.

EFI CEO Guy Gecht at EFI Connect 2018

Published January 24, 2018

Gecht shares his thoughts on Industry 4.0 and what it means for the future of the printing industry. He encourages companies to expand their definition of printing to putting beautiful images on all types of materials, beyond ink and toner on paper, to provide the necessary growth path for the future.

20th Edition of the Color Conference Explained

Published January 23, 2018

Joe Marin, Vice President of Education and Training at the Printing Industries of America, and the PIA team did an outstanding job of organizing this year's Color Conference, the 20th edition. In this video, he talks about the strategy of bringing in fun, thought-provoking and inspiring keynotes along with the more granular sessions the conference is known for.

ThreadX Gearing Up to Be an Informative Conference for the Garment and Apparel Decorators Community

Published January 22, 2018

SGIA's President & CEO Ford Bowers shares information about the upcoming ThreadX Conference, scheduled for 25-28 February in Palm Springs. Designed to support the garment and apparel decorators community, the second largest community within SGIA, ThreadX will feature well-known speakers and thought leaders from the industry.

SGIA and PIA: Why the partnership?

Published January 18, 2018

Ford Bowers, President & CEO of SGIA, talked with us about the partnership between SGIA and PIA, and the value to their respective memberships. A key element is introducing SGIA's membership to the many conferences that PIA hosts, as well as participation in legislative affairs activities.

iLearning from Printing Industries of America: All new, available 24/7

Published January 17, 2018

Michael Makin, CEO of the Printing Industries of America, shares information on PIA's iLearning University for the printing industry, which has been completely retooled and includes the opportunity for certification across a variety of disciplines, including Customer Service. Core content included in PIA affiliate membership fees.

Idealliance: Taming the Wild West of the Packaging Supply Chain

Published January 16, 2018

Tim Baechle, Vice President at Idealliance, talks about how Idealliance is repositioning itself around three primary goals: communication, education and validation. With offices around the world hte organization's evolution to a think tank has changed the model of how it works. Programs like G7 and BrandQ create a swim lane for the packaging supply chain to create seamless communication. Baechle shares thoughts about how the organization is serving some of the worlds largest brands and converters to tame what he calls the Wild West of Packaging.

Amazon and On-Demand Clothing Manufacturing

Published January 15, 2018

Amazon’s patenting of an on-demand clothing manufacturing warehouse points to a future of on-demand mass customization of fashion.

New Strategy for Xeikon Café Exhibition & Conference Announced

Published January 11, 2018

Details for the 2018 edition of Xeikon Café Exhibition & Conference, the fourth such event held in Belgium, are becoming available,;and there are exciting changes planned. We spoke with Xeikon Corporate Communications Manager Danny Mertens to get more details. Read more.

Articles by Cary Sherburne