Announcing THREADX Powered by SGIA

As an Association, SGIA is in the business of focusing on, and educating about, technologies specific to the printing industry — but all too often we give our attention only to those technologies that we can touch, feel and see on the Expo show floor each year. Meanwhile, there is one technology that we can’t touch, feel or see. It’s one that has been changing the way we buy, live and behave, and is evolving at unpredictable speeds. In fact, the rate of change and opportunity around this incredible technology is accelerating at speeds so quickly that we can’t even contemplate how rapidly it’s altering our lives and the way that we do business. As you may have guessed, it’s the internet. The World Wide Web, online retail, e-commerce. That's why it’s just as important to discuss the advancements in consumer culture, marketplaces and e-commerce as it is to discuss the latest DTG machine to hit the market. We need to arm our members and the apparel printing industry with the tools to innovate and thrive in this ever-changing economic landscape. This means looking at all aspects of owning and running a business today. When SGIA’s Garment Decoration Committee sat down to consider a conference for your community, it was immediately evident that they wanted to take a fresh perspective with the content. The committee chose to focus on timely, culturally relevant content to arm and inspire business leaders. Thus, THREADX was born. I had the opportunity to chat with two of the Garment Decoration Committee members, Chris Bernat of Vapor Apparel and Brett Bowden of Printed Threads, about this new venture, and pick their brains on the educational program and speaker line up. Here’s what they had to say. Sarah Perkins: Tell me about this new conference. What are the main goals? How does this conference differ from others in the industry? Chris Bernat: The goal is to deliver a conference that is more market-forces driven. The customer base is changing rapidly for many of us. Print-on-demand has taken hold and this conference is going to take a deep dive into that topic. There is going to be more focus on e-commerce marketplaces as well, because so much activity is moving in that direction. We want our attendees to get a hand cramp from writing down new ideas and ways to gain new customers. Brett Bowden: Our hope is to connect, empower and inspire the leaders of the garment decoration industry. We will be bringing in extremely talented speakers from many lines of work and hanging out in beautiful, unique Palm Springs. SP: What is the main focus of the sessions? Is there a theme in the educational program? CB: The universal theme would be understanding the world around us and how it is changing. There are huge shifts on who is getting the business from the American consumer. Sure, there will always be the “usual suspects” for decorated apparel, but if you are only a screen printer at this point — you need to invest in digital. People are customizing in-store. People are buying without leaving their phone. People are bypassing traditional retail. We are going to discuss the right way to put your business in front of them. BB: We are putting a lot of focus on marketing, branding and how to set yourself apart in the sea of companies all over the internet. E-commerce is something our customers are expecting out of us, and a lot of us have a lot to learn about it. The conference will speak to not only how to sell products, but how to get noticed. SP: What are the top challenges garment decorators are facing today? How will this conference address strategies for dealing with them? CB: Every company has its own challenges. Most of them are non-growth related, smaller issues. This conference is focused on future-proofing your business. We’ll take time to review ideas and offer options for gaining new direct-to-consumer business. We are going dive deep into the topic of e-commerce-based sales and how to successfully bring a brand to market. BB: Our industry is evolving faster than we can keep up with. We are seeing these e-commerce giants coming in and competing with the mom-and-pop shops. I don't think we can teach anyone how to beat them at their game, but we can at least educate about how to stand your own ground and thrive. SP: Is there a technology that you think every decorator should invest in? What is it and why? CB: Large-format sublimation. We are seeing huge growth in the adoption of performance fabrics. The advent of colored garments that are sublimation certified has opened up the market for many types of business. Walking the floor of the Expo, Surf Expo or Magic in Vegas these days — you can’t help but see all the sublimation entering the market. BB: Direct-to-garment is definitely something everyone should have their eyes on, but it is a completely different beast than what screen printers are used to. I think as the demand for quick turnaround and low minimums increases, we are all going to have to figure out DTG. SP: How are companies like Amazon changing the game for traditional garment decorators? CB: Depends who you are. Some people are feeling the hurt from Amazon and some people are experiencing huge growth from Amazon. My company decided several years ago to enter the Amazon market. For us, it has become a major part of revenue and our highest margin category. I am looking forward to sharing ideas and strategies with the participants at the event. BB: Amazon has definitely left people feeling a little more impatient. We can have any product we want, delivered to our doorstep in as little as two hours in some regions. As far as Amazon merch goes, we will have to see what effect that has on print shops. Most print shops have higher minimums and are going to send customers to places like Amazon, anyway. Those customers wouldn't have been a big screen printing customer, so they might not have a big impact. But, we all need to be on our toes and watch what Amazon is doing. I think the biggest thing to think about is that they are making it easy for people to buy shirts. It might be time to sit down with your customer service team and see how easy it is to buy T-shirts from your company.