May 2008

T Time
Reprinted with permission of Identity Marketing.

Promotional apparel spans such a wide expanse - for business, uniform, play and practical utility - there's something out there for everyone. The T-shirt, many may think, is lost in the crowd. But that's not the case... Read full article here.

January 2008

Wearing the New Green
Reprinted with permission of Identity Marketing.

Green is no longer relegated to March 17th – it’s an
everyday thing. Eco-smart and environmentally
sparing clothing is not a trend, it is a dawning paradigm of clothing choice – and it offers tremendous
continual value in the promotional products industry.
According to Philip Charles of Continental Clothing,
2007 has seen a rapidly growing public and corporate
awareness of climate change. As the public becomes
increasingly climate conscious, he emphasizes, business is becoming increasingly carbon conscious. Corporate business and industry is looking for ways to take action on climate change and build it into their corporate social responsibility programs. They are aware that businesses taking a lead on climate change will benefit from the loyalty of consumers and will most likely capture new markets. “The problem for business is that it has had few, if any, real commodities to purchase to help take action on climate change,
except the most obvious green electricity or intangible carbon credits. Until now,” he opines. Read full article here.

December 5, 2007

ISS Long Beach is the industry's leading event for the decorated apparel and imprinted products industry with over 13,000 attendees and close to 500 exhibitors. The 2007 show was a raving success, with new attendees, exhibitors, and all the newest products and equipment! The 2007 conference program provided the expert knowledge needed to turn investments into profits. If you are involved in the decorated apparel industry - whether in screen printing, embroidery, promotional products, retail,or marketing - ISS will show you how to achieve quality results and do so profitably.

The Long Beach Convention Center
300 East Ocean Boulevard
Long Beach, California 90802
562-436-3636

Workshops: January 17, 2008
Exposition & Conference: January 18-20 (Fri-Sun)

Show Hours:
Friday, January 18: 10:00am - 5:00 pm
Saturday, January 19: 10:00am - 5:00 pm
Sunday, January 20: 10:00am - 3:00 pm

Please note: NO infants or children under the age of 16 will be permitted in to the Show.

Deorated Apparel Business Boot Camp
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Greg Kitson, Mind’s Eye Graphics; Steve Vandemark, Wilcom; Mel Meibers, Great Garment Graphics; Bill Richards, SWF East; Scott Fresener, U.S. Screen Print & Inkjet Technology; Jay Busselle/Craig Mertens, Digital Art Solutions

FOR: Established owners seeking to expand their business or newcomers desiring an industry overview

Customer demand for one-stop convenience and fresh embellishment ideas is driving diversification in the decorated apparel marketplace. Many companies are already taking advantage of the opportunities diversification affords. Should you? In this workshop, we introduce you to the concept of the digital shop and how the computer serves as the nervous system for almost every aspect of the apparel decoration process, from order input to production output.

In this workshop, you will learn:

• Why you should consider adding screen printing, embroidery, inkjet garment printing or heat printing to your existing business.
• What potential each new profit center offers, including markets, startup costs and return on investment.
• What equipment, software and accessories you will need and the learning curve required to add new processes.

It's the 30th Anniversary of the Imprinted Sportswear Shows!
Can you believe it's been 30 years since the Imprinted Sportswear Shows began? Thousands of attendees from all over the world have been a party of the ISS history. If you are involved in the decorated apparel industry - whether in screen printing, embroidery, promotional products, retail, or sporting goods - ISS will show you how to achieve quality results and do so profitably.

Now numbering more than 23,000 members, T-shirtforums.com is an online gathering place for T-shirt enthusiasts of all types, from producers to users. While its main focus is T-shirts, the site’s various discussion groups also provide opportunity for questions and answers over a wide range of decorated apparel products and processes. T-Shirt Forums.com.

Attendee Booth Bingo
Attendees have a chance to win hundreds of dollars in cash prize giveaways. Pick up your game card at Registration and have your card stamped on the show floor as you visit our sponsoring booths. Once your game card is complete, turn it in to the official Booth Bingo card entry box. Attendee must be present to win the cash prizes. There will be two drawings on Friday and Saturday, and one drawing on Sunday.

ISS Long Beach presents: the Green Pavilion
Sponsored by Continental Clothing
We all know how important it is for all of us to make our businesses as environmentally-friendly as possible. Your customers demand it. Your conscience demands it. And the world needs it.
Located in the lobby of the Long Beach Convention Center, display cases will be set up for the exhibitors to highlight their "Green" products. Some of the items will include:
• Inks
• Chemicals
• Recycled Fabrics
• Organic Fiber Products
• And much much more!

With more and more members of the Decorated Apparel Industry receiving increased demands for Green products, you need to see what's available in the market! And best of all, learning more about these products is at no cost to you.

Participants in the Green Pavilion Include:
Anvil Knitwear
Ash City
Bella
Bo-Weevil Eco Sportswear
Bodek & Rhodes
Continental Clothing
Direct Discount Supply
Econscious
Gemline
International Coatings
L.A. T Sportswear
Vapor Apparel

Plan Now to Attend the ISS Long Beach 70's Party!
Date: Saturday, January 19, 2008
Time: 5:30pm - 8:15pm
Location: Long Beach Convetion Center Grand Ballroom
Join other attendees and exhibitors for dancing, snacks, drinks, a raffle - don't miss the opportunity to network with your peers!

Click here for more information.

November 08, 2007

Bo-Weevil to Show Eco-Friendly T-shirt Line

Bo-Weevil Eco Sportswear Mfg. will be among the exhibitors at the first Promotional Apparel Expo showing samples of eco-friendly apparel. According to the company, its credo is “to restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.”

Kevin Wells, co-owner with Ron Blake of the Tazewell, Tenn., company, says Bo-Weevil had already established a reputation for its line of U.S.-made T-shirts produced from pre-consumer recycled fabric scraps before its entry into the decorated apparel marketplace this spring. "We sell to national parks, Harley Davidson and do a lot of private label," he says.

The 6-ounce fabric used in its T-shirt line is made of recycled cotton cutting table scraps that are reclaimed and converted back into yarn and consists of 76% recycled cotton with 24% virgin polyester or acrylic added for strength, according to the company. The shirts are knitted from pre-dyed yarn created from the original scraps and never get re-dyed, says Wells. "They just get a scour wash."

The shirts are available in 72 colors (such as hickory, quarry, currant and fir green) and have a unique, heathery look. "People love the contrast in them," says Wells. "They want more flecks in them."

Sizes S-3XL are available in adult short-sleeve and long-sleeve T-shirts and sizes S-L in youth styles. The shirts can be manufactured with or without pockets. The company also makes a line of K-9 T-shirts.