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Nobody Needs Another T-Shirt
Most merchandise is easy to produce. What’s difficult is creating something people actually want to keep. In today’s market, businesses, events, and organizations have access to a wide range of suppliers that can deliver similar products with comparable timelines and quality. Because of this, the product itself is no longer difficult to replicate, and that has changed how people evaluate what they receive or choose to purchase. When options are widely available, the item alon
iamalanhowe
May 23 min read


Promotional Products for Print Shops: A Guide to Adding Value
Promotional products are often overlooked. In many print shops, the focus stays on core services: screen printing, embroidery, and direct-to-film production. These are expected offerings, and for many businesses, they make up the majority of the revenue. But branding does not stop at apparel, neither in quality production. In everyday settings, logos appear on drinkware, office items, packaging and other materials people interact with regularly. These placements are intention
iamalanhowe
Apr 183 min read


The Small Screen Room Habit That Affects Your Screens
There is a common practice in many print shops that does not raise immediate concerns. Screens get coated, then set aside to dry under whatever light is available. Fluorescent tubes, LED shop lights, or general overhead lighting. It feels efficient and harmless, especially when nothing appears to go wrong right away. Emulsion is designed to react to UV light. While shop lighting may not seem strong enough to cause exposure, it still contains enough UV content to slowly affect
iamalanhowe
Apr 83 min read


Control Your Screen Room Environment
Your screen room environment plays a direct role in how your screens turn out, and humidity is a big part of that whether you're paying attention to it or not. It's not always something you see, but it's always there, affecting how your room behaves from day to day. When it's controlled, you start to get inconsistencies. Those inconsistencies show up in your screens. Before you try to fix anything, you have to understand what's actually going on. That starts with measuring. A
iamalanhowe
Mar 202 min read


Shear, Cutting, and Curtains
“Plastisol ink is to be sheared, not pushed.” Growing up, my grandmother used to cut our hair. Being from the South, she never said, “Get me the scissors.” She’d say, “Get me the shears.” Shears were for cutting hair. Shearing meant cutting. Funny thing — the curtains in the living room were called sheers, too. Different words. Same sound. A whole different job. Oh well. Shear = cutting. Shears for cutting hair. Shears for shearing wool. And in screen printing, plastisol ink
iamalanhowe
Mar 62 min read


Owning a DTF Machine Is a Different Decision
Buying transfers and owning a DTF machine are very different decisions. One adds output. The other changes how a shop operates. Before investing in a machine, it is worth understanding what DTF ownership actually involves.
iamalanhowe
Feb 202 min read


Smooth Printable Shirt Quality: Your Shirt Is the Substrate
In screen printing, most conversations focus on equipment, inks, or production techniques. But one of the biggest factors affecting print quality is often overlooked before printing even begins: the shirt itself. Every garment you print on is a substrate. And just like any other substrate, its quality directly influences how the final product looks, feels, and performs over time. When printers start viewing garments through that lens, it changes how decisions get made long be
iamalanhowe
Feb 142 min read


How to Improve Your Screen Printing Shop Equipment Ecosystem
Shops outgrow their screen printing shop equipment faster than they realize. One month everything feels manageable and the next month the press is backing up, the dryer is slowing production, and your team is working twice as hard to hit the same numbers. I see this often. Output rises, consistency drops, and the equipment and layout start working against each other instead of supporting the work you want to produce. Sometimes it is the equipment. Sometimes it is the layout.
iamalanhowe
Dec 2, 20253 min read


Squeegee Maintenance Saves Time, Ink, and Money
Squeegees shape every print, yet they are often the last tool shops pay attention to. Learn how simple squeegee maintenance habits can improve clarity, speed, and consistency across your entire print room.

Alan Howe
Nov 22, 20253 min read


Printing United Expo 2025 – A Quick Trip, Big Takeaways
I made a quick one-day trip to Printing United Expo 2025 in Orlando, and while you can’t see it all, the experience delivered plenty of insight, connection, and inspiration.

Alan Howe
Oct 31, 20252 min read
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