California Apparel News

There was a green tint to business at the Jan. 18–21 run of the Imprinted Sportswear Show, held at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif.

Amid the familiar acrid smell of printing dyes and the whir of screen-printing machinery, many exhibitors were touting eco products such as organic and sustainable materials, “green” dyes and biodegradable interfacings, as well as environmentally friendly businesses designed to reduce a company’s carbon footprint.

“The people here at the show already had an interest but also their clients are saying, ’Go green,’” said Sarah Kelley, who works in new product development for econscious. Founded by former Patagonia executives, the Petaluma, Calif.–based company manufactures certified organic-cotton blanks, including tees, sweat shirts, and hats for men and women, as well as tote bags and custom items.

Kelley said she noticed an increase in interest in eco-friendly apparel from the previous ISS show. “People seem more informed about it,” she said. “I think some of this is following a trend, but I think the bulk of it is sincere.”

Business was brisk at the Continental Clothing booth. The 13-year-old British T-shirt company opened a Los Angeles office two years ago. The company recently launched its EarthPositive initiative, which gives an environmental overhaul to not only Continental’s apparel but also its business practices. Continental showed a small collection of organic-cotton and bamboo blank tees and sweat shirts, and company President Phil Charles and Executive Manager Jacqui Bracey also spread the word about the company’s eco efforts, which recently garnered the backing of the Carbon Trust. At Continental’s wind turbine–powered factories in India, apparel is made from “low-impact” organic cotton under conditions audited by the Fair Wear Foundation and licensed by the Fairtrade Labeling Organization.

New York–based T-shirt company Anvil Knitwear showed its AnvilRecycled collection of tees made from a blend of pre-consumer recycled cotton. Part of the cotton used in the shirts is made from the scraps left over from making Anvil’s other T-shirts. The clippings are sorted by color and ground into a fine, linty material that is then spun into yarn. By using scrap resources, the company reduces the amount of incinerator and landfill waste, and, because the scraps are already dyed and sorted by color, the process eliminates the dye process for the recycled tees.

Gardena, Calif.–based pigment and ink-products company Matsui International Co. Inc. also promoted a water-based ink system as eco-friendly. The company’s 301 ECO Series–based binders, pigments and inks contain fewer environmentally hazardous chemicals such as PVC and heavy metals than traditional inks, according to Yoshi Haga, senior manager for the company, which is a subsidiary of the 97-year-old Matsui Shikiso Chemical Co. Ltd.

“The customer or printing company [wants] to use an eco ink to print on organic tees,” Haga said.

For embroiderers, QST Industries promoted its biodegradable tearaway products, according to Shane Rabineau, product manager for QST’s embroidery global product line. The company’s 617A Tearaway Washaway and 620A Tearaway Washaway are made from natural fibers that are renewable, sustainable and biodegradable, according to the company. Used as stabilizing backing for embroidery, the web-like non-woven fabric can be torn from the finished piece or dissolved in water, leaving no residue in the embroidery threads.

Green business is a growth area for ISS, said Brian Pagel, vice president of the apparel group for the Imprinted Sportswear Shows, which is produced by Nielsen Business Media.

“Nearly every apparel vendor on the floor either currently offers or will soon offer an organic/eco-friendly product line,” Pagel said. “The ’green’ movement has been gaining momentum in our market for some time and is now becoming the norm rather than the exception. We view this migration toward more–eco-friendly garments and supplies as a byproduct of innovation and an increased awareness on the part of the manufacturers/distributors.” Sublimation connection

The show drew a mix of returning companies and first-time exhibitors, including Corona, Calif.–based sublimation printer AVID Ink. Even tucked into a tiny booth in the corner of the show, AVID drew enough traffic on the first day to prompt Bob Goetz, vice president of business development, to begin planning for next year.

“We’ve been jammed,” he said. “Next year, we’ll get a bigger booth.”

The company recently expanded to provide full-package printing on stock blank tees and sweat shirts.

“If we don’t have it, we can go out and get a quote for it,” Goetz said. “We [can] do it all in-house.”

AVID has been in the sublimation printing business for more than a decade, but for companies just getting into the business, there was an information resource at the show. The Sublimation Network was formed to provide assistance for companies looking to expand into sublimation printing, according to S. Tobe Hall of Unisub Color Product Solutions, the company that started TSN about four years ago as a workshop. Sublimation printing is a heat-transfer process that can print digital designs onto everything from fabric to promotional items such as coffee cups, key chains and license-plate frames.

The nonprofit organization is supported by companies such as Unisub and other equipment manufacturers, suppliers and distributors.

Since its founding, TSN has expanded beyond answering basic questions about sublimation printing to providing marketing materials for companies and distributors looking to promote their products.

“We try our best to make dealers know about the technology and how companies can expand sublimation to the world,” said Hall, who said that because sublimation printing is a relatively new technology, many companies and distributors have questions about the process and what kinds of products can be printed. For apparel, the high temperature needed for the printing process means only polyester, poly blends and a few other heat-resistant synthetics can be used. But Hall pointed to new fabrics that combine the heat tolerance of polyester with the breathability of cotton, such as a poly-faced fabric with a cotton backing. Attendance steady

ISS hosts shows all over the country, but the Long Beach show is typically the largest and best-attended, according to show organizers. Attendance at the Long Beach show this year was on par with last year, according to Pagel, who said final attendance figures are not yet available.

“Early indications are that the attendance was relatively flat with last year’s figure of 13,472,” he said.

Part of the flat attendance could be due to an overlap in dates with the PPAI Expo, organized by the Promotional Products Association International and held Jan. 14–18 in Las Vegas. Some exhibitors at ISS were short-staffed on the opening day because they were exhibiting at both shows.

Normally, ISS and PPAI organizers coordinate their dates, Pagel said.

“This was something we tried to avoid, but there was a conflict with dates in Las Vegas that unfortunately forced PPAI to move their dates back in 2008,” he said. “We are in constant communication with our partners at PPAI and have done everything possible to avoid any future conflicts.”

Next year, PPAI will hold its show Jan. 12–16 in Las Vegas, and ISS’ Long Beach show will run Jan. 23–25, Pagel said.