Impressions Article:  SFX Inks - Looking Back to Move Forward

Recently, Impressions Magazine published an article written by our own Ed Branigan, entitled SFX Inks:  Looking Back to Move Forward.  The printed article also showcases many of Ed's past and present prints and print effects.  For a PDF copy of the article, click here. Here is a brief excerpt from the article: In the revolving door of apparel decoration, everything old is new again. Stand out from your competition by innovating your ink and printing applications. January 27, 2012 By Ed Branigan, Contributing Writer In the garment embellishment business, anyone who has ever stood in front of a roomful of merchandisers and designers has heard the same question: “What’s new?” The pressure on their end is understandable. To convince large retail companies or licensed brands to use their services, they must show their abilities to design and execute sleek or cutting-edge printing techniques and embellishments. There’s a constant push for novelty and those who can stay ahead of the curve can be very profitable. On the other side of the coin are the people or companies that provide the ideas and the techniques — the printing companies and the research and development (R&D) departments that service the need. I’ve spent many years working in the world of screen printing R&D, and I can tell you that the pressure on this end is equally valid: How, in the absence of a groundbreaking ink or product in a given year, do you provide customers with the fodder they need to stand apart? It’s easy when the ink manufacturers develop a new product and drop it into your lap. High-density (HD) ink or the cracking inks that provide the ultimate in vintage simulation are good examples; the work is done for you. Often, a simple strike-off showing the ink’s effect, along with an application spec sheet, is all that’s needed for a good designer to run with it. However, what’s the solution when there’s no earth-shattering new ink on the market and the deadline for next season’s development samples is looming? We have a saying among ourselves in the R&D printing world: “Every couple of years, our old tricks become new tricks.” There’s a revolving door in garment embellishment and print application that manifests itself in various ways... Click here to read more. For more information on International Coatings' Specialty Inks, please go to our webpage at:  https://iccink.com/screenprint/specialty.htm. International Coatings manufactures a complete line of phthalate-compliant screen printing inks, including a wide variety of whites, specialty inks, special effects inks, color matching systems, additives and reducers.  For more information on our products, please visit our website at www.iccink.com.     International Coatings:     The Intelligent Choice