A short list of what you may need to become a custom screen print shop.

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Welcome To Cora’s Corner, where every month I am going to help you with

your artwork issues. This month I would like to take a moment to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I love that here in the USA we purposely take a day to be thankful. Many during this time of year also take the time to be giving. I’m not talking about Holiday presents. I’m talking about giving to causes. It’s during this time we show out best selves. So please be kind to each other, volunteer, mentor or donate. I personally have many things to be thankful for this year. I have a great family, great friends, great customers and great fuzzy critters.

This is an exciting time for the printing and decorating apparel industry. Innovation and expanded access has turn the industry on it’s head. Many small businesses now can produce items that only the big brands could produce just a few years ago. Customizing items for your customer is now more doable. Graphic Design skills are more in demand than ever before.What has spurred some of this change? Improved inkjet technology. Inkjet first printed on paper. Now inkjet can print on almost anything. Pick a substrate to print, pick the right ink for the substrate and then pick the printer to handle the ink and substrate. Design a graphic for your customer, save in proper format for the RIP, send to RIP, put item in printer, click print and now you have a custom item for your customer. In my studio, I have 4 different inkjet set up to handle 4 different tasks for me. I have a regular HP printer to print invoices, proofs and other documents. I have an Epson 1430 to output film for screen printing. I have an Epson 7800 to print sublimation transfers. And I have an Omniprint Freejet to print directly on t-shirts. Soon I will be adding a Roland printer to print on wood and other hard goods. The possibilities are endless.

Here’s a short list of what you may need to become a custom shop.

  1.  A great imagination to explore the possibilities.
  2. Graphic design skills in multiple graphic software and platforms.
  3. RIP software knowledge.
  4. Ink and substrate knowledge.
  5. Intestinal Fortitude.
  6. Perseverance.

Take time for testing, research, ask questions and attend Trade Shows.

It’s important to be knowledgeable so you can do the job properly. When everything comes together perfectly and your customer is extremely happy, that is something to truly be thankful for. I’m going to the ISS Show in Long Beach in January. Can’t wait to see what’s new.

Laugh, Live and Hug someone you are thankful for.

Until next month.

Cora Kromer