OK, I’LL ADMIT IT: There’s some pretty cool perks that come along with being an editor in this industry. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to visit apparel mills, ink factories, hundreds of print shops, meetings at exquisite resorts, New York Fashion Week, dinner boat cruises, and more. But probably the most memorable experience was traveling with my friend Charlie Taublieb to Istanbul, Turkey, in 2005.
We went for a five-day visit to see the folks at European T-Shirt Factory (ETF). They are a huge, cutting-edge screen printer who does everything from manufacturing the T-shirts to printing with the most technologically advanced processes available. At the time, they were winning Impressions Awards for their work with high-density inks. Their pieces were one-of-a-kind works of art, where the ink stacked upon itself layer after what seemed like endless layer to give unbelievable height to the designs.
Now, I’m no screen printer, but I have pulled a squeegee a time or two. And this was one opportunity to manually print an HD design of my own. I was fascinated by the ink as it sat on top of the layer underneath it and created this amazing new look. Charlie, being the ever-patient veteran educator that he is, has shown me a thing or two over the years. Now if I could only get it hammered into my head, “Push. Don’t pull.”
HD ink has been a go-to as a specialty ink since its invention and has never gone away. But it is enjoying a resurgence in popularity along with other special effects inks as today’s screen printers pull out all the stops to satisfy the ever-discerning customer. It’s your way of offering something the printer down the road doesn’t — and gain a higher profit margin. Yes, the inks are a bit more expensive, but the margins you can get can make a huge difference in your bottom line. Plus, your shop’s ability to offer something different keeps customers coming back.
This issue celebrates specialty decorating, with updates not only on HD, but glitter, puff, and glow inks too. In the two Big Stories, contributors Kieth Stevens of International Coatings and Mark Sulhadonik of GSG share their expertise and insight on what’s hot and what’s not in today’s specialty ink world.
What inks are you using in your shop to create dynamic and different designs? I’d love to hear from you: marcia.derryberry@smartworkmedia.com.
