For the Business of Apparel Decorating
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98 | Printwear M ay 20 1 4 Non-woven polypropylene is a practical fabric because it is strong and extremely lightweight. Most of these bags are made from recyclable plastic. This said, they pres- ent a problem when they need to be screen printed. These new materials will not with- stand the 325º F required to cure plastisol inks. The best way to screen print these mate- rials is to use a low-cure additive in com- bination with plastisol ink to achieve a full cure at 275º F. By doing this, the ink will be cured without melting or distorting the material. Since there are so many different poly substrates in the market today, always test your print and material prior to production. John Levocz, InternatIonaL coatIngs coMpany Clamp It One of the best ways to securely hold a bag in place for embroidery is through the use of a clamping device. A clamping device gently, but firmly, holds the bag in place and, since a clamp is much less in overall size than a traditional hoop, they are able to fit in smaller areas. Clamps come in a variety of styles, shapes and configurations. The product simply slides onto the clamp and then the clamp closes on the product to hold it in place. Another advantage of using a clamp is that they do not place a tremendous amount of stress on the material, which significantly reduces any hoop burn. ed Levy, hIrsch IntL. ConsIder plaCement Choose a product with a decoration meth- od already in mind. Logos end up looking like part of the bag design instead of an af- terthought. The project also plays a big part of that decision. For example, if the bag is intended as an employee gift and it's a high- er-end product, embroidery or a crisp de- boss often times looks best. New locations are also becoming more common as customers look for something new and different. Consider decorating the straps of a backpack, as impact locations no longer only have to be centered on the front pocket. a.J. dIckson, poLyconcept north aMerIca NBMNetwork-Jan14.indd 1 1/2/14 9:30 AM clamps are great alternatives for odd shaped bags or difficult to hoop pockets. (Image courtesy hirsch Intl.) BagS & acceSSorieS tIps & trICks PW_MAY14.indd 98 4/17/14 1:23 PM