PPB February 2019

Combine old-school style with new-school flair with the Slapshot Vintage Jersey T-Shirt. Combining elements of the traditional hockey jersey with modern color-blocking, your client will be rocking a retro twist—and so will your brand. With a fabric combination of 50 percent cotton and 50 percent polyester for super softness, coupled with a tear-away tag, comfort is at the forefront of this trendy tee, which is manufactured using American-made fabrics. Available in sizes S-2XL in five color combinations, shown in blue sky-white-navy. S&S Activewear / PPAI 256121 www.ssactivewear.com You can’t go wrong when style meets comfort—and when you look good wearing it. The ComfortWash Garment Dyed Short Sleeve Tee is made using 100 percent ring-spun, American-grown cotton from domestic farms, which creates a vintage, lived-in look. With an emphasis on quality, proprietary dye processes are used to ensure a long-lasting print. The no-shrink tee is available in sizes S-3XL in 21 colors, shown in Spanish moss. S&S Activewear / PPAI 256121 www.ssactivewear.com For a look that keeps on keeping on, the Champion Premium Fashion Baseball T-Shirt , made with 100 percent, ring-spun cotton, is a solid selection for brands. The raglan sleeves and collar can be customized depending on a favorite sports team, or designed for a casual, trendy look. The left sleeve features the signature Champion ® logo, while new, vibrant colors—like bright sage and chalk white—call fresh attention to the fresh tee. Available in sizes S-3XL in five color combinations, shown in chalk- white-bright. S&S Activewear / PPAI 256121 www.ssactivewear.com A vintage look without a distressed or frayed finish requires a stitch to seal the edges of the fabric. The zigzag stitch is most common for appliqué because it’s a classic, easy finish with a low stitch count. Satin stitches add more dimension to your design and have a more distinct border, but they do require more stitches on the embroidery machine. Heat-Applied Materials FLOCK Flock material is a no-sew option with a great textured, vintage appeal that’s regaining popularity on sweatshirts for spirit wear and more. Heat- transfer flock is created by placing very small natural or synthetic fiber particles onto a heat- transfer adhesive-backed surface. This creates a dimensional, soft, velvet-like surface that works well on thicker materials, including bathrobes and towels. PRE-CUT OPTIONS When you’re short on time, equipment, or manpower, turning the cutting over to a reliable partner is ideal. This allows you to use design elements to create these vintage-inspired looks without creating them from scratch. To save cutting time, many letters and numbers can be found pre-cut and ready for heat application. These are available in a variety of typefaces, materials and levels of distressing to create the look you’re trying to achieve. Letters and numbers can be layered with different colors, are available in sew and no-sew options and can also be ordered pre-aligned on a carrier to save layout time. Custom cutting of logos or designs is another way to get the job done. Because the decorated apparel market is competitive, it’s important to stay on top of trends and creative techniques to set your work apart. By offering vintage options you are giving customers the looks they want to wear. Give it a try, experiment and explore the looks you can create with felt and twill. Debra Romalia is vice president of GroupeSTAHL Content Marketing in Sterling Heights, Michigan. | FEBRUARY 2019 | 21 INNOVATE