Distinctive clothing embossed with a brand name is a regular request within today’s market and demand has never declined. However, as all good business people know, the need to be innovative, creative and unique is a necessity in the gifts and incentives business. Therefore, in order to attract the end user, garment decorators, manufacturers and distributors must try and offer designs that stand out from the crowd.

With the host of technology available today, manufactures are quick to offer a range of systems to decorate garments, including screen printing, digital transfer printing, litho printing and embroidery. But in order to ensure the very best in quality and endurance, clothing manufactures need to decide on which system to use. The most appropriate option is dependant on the garment itself.

One of the most popular methods used today is transfer printing, as it provides cost-effective and high performance results. UK Transfer printing and application specialist Valerie Anne Leisure Ltd has been established since 1993. The transfer manufacturer offers printing solutions on almost anything – bags, hats, accessories and garments.

Md Vernon Bradshaw says the process has come a long way since its primitive beginnings.

“Transfer printing as a whole has several advantages over other direct printing methods,” he says. “During the process of screen printing for example, there is a tendency for some of the ink to be absorbed into the garment.

“Transfer print quality is superior in this respect because the transfer is pre-cured prior to application. The result is brighter, bolder colours, and sharper, smoother image definition. Additionally, transfer printing is a high accuracy and low wastage process. The two step method of transfer printing, then application to product, allows the checking for and correction of, print errors prior to application, and a corresponding decrease in spoiled goods.”

And being different goes a long way too – promotional merchandise manufacturers should constantly be thinking ‘outside the garment decoration box’. For instance, instead of having a logo on the left-hand breast pocket, why not the right-hand side? Or how about putting the company logo name on the polo shirt collar?

Golfing clothing can usually be more daring and stylish and some of the latest trends include personalised buttons and zip pullers, branded neck tapes and side tags. Individual packaging for larger quantities can add to the retail feel of the garment, which has become a growing trend.

There is less room for manoeuvre when it comes to uniform or schoolwear, nonetheless, original thinking in garment decoration is always welcome. Ties and buttons can be branded with logos, whilst simple jobs such as embroidering a school logo can become inventive just by changing colours and directions.

PROMOTA member TheMagicTouch recently launched a revolutionary transfer paper, aptly named ‘WoW’, which created a real buzz at this years FESPA exhibition in Berlin.

This transfer paper claims to be the first of its kind to enable full colour images, designs and logos to be printed onto any coloured fabric with no cutting or weeding involved. It allows for vibrant colours to be used from a colour laser printer and transfers can be produced at up to 15 A4 per minute.

The end result is an incredibly soft feel and superb durability, which uses no chemicals or inks, ensuring it is both clean and green.

This revolutionary new transfer paper achieves details and consistency normally unachievable using screen or litho based transfers, says TheMagicTouch, and can be used on cotton, polycotton, nylon, leather, polyester sportswear or neoprene.

Jim Nicol, md at TheMagic Touch, explains how the digital image transfer paper was first spawned.

“For the last six months we have been conducting some real market research within our existing user base and also prominent screen printers and leading fashion and sportswear brands.

“The feedback we had was that a transfer paper which offered high quality at low prices and fast timings was something the industry was crying out for – and the WoW transfer paper offered just this,” he said.

At a time when most garment decorators are considering investing in the ‘direct to garment’ area this new transfer paper offers a low cost alternative, says Nicol.

New techniques like WoW does not mean traditional papers are being replaced. Instead it offers garment makers additional methods for complex or detailed designs that cannot be profile cut and weeded. New technologies like this perform where even traditional screen and litho print fails, claims TheMagicTouch.

Nicol added: “WoW will change the rules as to the decoration of garments in the future. It is the final piece of technology to make the digital image transfer process complete.”

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