The Garment Decorators’ Favourite
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www.images-magazine.com 02 images AUGUST 2026 The Garment Decorators’ Favourite SHOPTALK 04 Editorial 08 Print Shop Pooches #129Waffle from David Sharp 12 Love it, loathe it Jade Haworth of Allsorts Embroidery 16 Readers’ choice Mat Savage from The Logo Emporium 18 Decorated product of the month England football tees by Back Post Studio 64 Up close & personal Clare Taylor of Norty NEWSHUB 06 Industry news Daiber launches new caps and hats, fashion trends inspire new Cottonridge vintage collection, Aeoon announces plan to launch high-production DTG system, and Shirt Monkey adds Kornit Apollo KNOWLEDGE BASE 20 Business clinic Why it’s time to urgently examine your employee probation processes, and the risks and opportunities of AI 22 The Lynchpin: A masterclass for garment decorators Leadership is not primarily about deciding what to do, says John Lynch of Lynka – it is about deciding what not to do 23 Tony’s tips Tony Palmer shares his thoughts on the latest intelligent camera systems and how they – and AI generally – will affect the future of the screen print shop 24 Anatomy of a print Screen-printing guru Ray Smith of Legacy Vision Collective explains how he created some limited-edition event T-shirts for Avient 48 Talking trends: Workwear Performance garments that actually do what they promise are what workwear customers are asking for, reports Charlie Smith, director at Workwear Innovation 54 How customer demand is driving a leaner decoration model Software advances and a shift in perspective have increased resilience, improved customer relationships and reduced fixed costs at Pentire Branding. Founder Chris Dart explains how, and argues that business growth no longer relies on expanding your inhouse production 59 Sometimes you need an icon Try developing iconic images with some Midjourney prompts from Marshall Atkinson 60 From snaps to stitches Want to convert a photo into an embroidery? Test out these different techniques from David Sharp’s Jamie Hood PRODUCT FOCUS 50 Made for trade Tough workplaces require tough garments. From flameretardant coveralls to safety jackets via hardwearing polos and work bags, this showcase covers all you need to kit out an industrial workwear team 56 Screen time Industry software continues to develop at a galloping pace as workflow automation and AI become an intrinsic part of a garment decorator’s working life. Whether you want help with colour management, moreefficient embroidery designs, gang sheet creation or ecommerce sites, we showcase a solution for it INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT 28 Mission control Justin Baker reveals how The Embroidered & Printed Clothing Company in Kent is using advanced technology to manage and scale its tradeonly print and embroidery operations 53 Venus rising Images talks to Fae Gordon Holliday about her mission to change the workwear market through products for women who have had enough of being forced to wear PPE designed for men SUPPLIER FOCUS 31 Mid-year supplier focus We highlight the latest equipment, consumables and brandable products from leading suppliers and brands 48 53 26 24 28 31 56
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www.images-magazine.com 04 images AUGUST 2026 Published by: 360 Communications Ltd Images, 360 Communications Ltd, Suite 4, Floor 6, Vantage Point, New England Street, Brighton, BN1 4GW, UK 01273 748482 | www.images-magazine.com Advertising: advertising@images-magazine.com Editorial: editorial@images-magazine.com Production: production@images-magazine.com Subscriptions: subscriptions@images-magazine.com Publisher/advertising: Jonathan Vince | jonathan@images-magazine.com Features editor: Rachael Glazier | rachael@images-magazine.com News Reporter: Mark Ludmon | mark@images-magazine.com Design/Production: ATG Media | production@atgraphicsuk.com Printing: Stephens & George Ltd| Goat Mill Road, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 3TD(issn 0966 7512) Opinions expressed by contributors in this magazine are not necessarily shared by the Publisher. Editorial contributions are invited, on the understanding that the Publisher has the right to alter or abridge all such material as he sees fit. While the greatest care has been taken to ensure accuracy, the Publisher accepts no liability for either errors or omissions. SIGNUP! Register now to receive your ownFREEmonthly copy of Images magazine: imagesmag.uk/sign-up AUGUST 2026 VOL.35 NO.8 DIGITAL / SOCIAL 1-30 June, 2026 Impressions: 11,668 It’s all over. The final match has been played, the trophy has been won. And what a ride it turned out to be: the highs, the lows; the hope, the euphoria; and (inevitably) the disappointment of falling short in the semis. Yes, Wimbledon is over for another year and, yet again, there was no home player lifting the famous shield! There was also the small matter of the World Cup Finals. For Scotland fans, it was the familiar agonising departure at the group stage. Eng-er-land fans rode the equally familiar wagon of hope and (potential) glory all the way through to the semis where the wheels suddenly, and somewhat inexplicably, went into reverse before eventually falling off. It was exciting while it lasted, though; we got to see some fantastic football (shirts) along the way and, of course, we’ll always have the Azteca. (Check out theImages Instagram page for some of our favourite World Cup 2026-inspired designs.) But enough of the beautiful game (for a few weeks at least). In this issue, we have a veritable trophy cabinet stuffed full of award-worthy content, including a trio of thought-provoking articles that are a match for any Bukayo Saka hat-trick. In ‘How customer demand is driving a leaner decoration model’ (page 54), Chris Dart of Pentire Branding explains how changing customer expectations, advances in decoration equipment and software, and more streamlined business operations have him questioning whether business growth is still dependent on expanding your in-house production facilities. Chris makes some really interesting points; however, I suspect they could be a little ‘Marmite’. I’d love to hear your take on the in-house versus outsourcing debate, in particular. Readers: 513 Views: 18,074 digital edition INDUSTRY EVENTS Charlie Smith of Workwear Innovation also gets stuck in with his ‘Talking trends: Workwear’ piece (page 48). Charlie dismantles the assumption that ‘polyester equals performance/technical’ and calls for information about fabric composition to be replaced with clear, accurate and concise explanations of what different workwear fabrics and garments actually do for the end user. Does that resonate? What are your views on the real-world performance of ‘technical’ workwear? Arriving with a perfectly-timed run into the box, Tony Palmer hits the target again with an appraisal of intelligent camera/AI inspection systems (‘Tony’s tips’, page 23). He explains why he is optimistic about the use of such systems (and AI in general), suggesting that printers should focus less on the technology itself, and more on what they want to do with it. The future of the print room is waiting to be written. To see how this technology is being put into practice right now, turn to this month’s Decorator Profile (‘Mission control’, page 28). Justin Baker details how The Embroidered & Printed Clothing Company is using a variety of advanced technologies and processes to manage and scale its fastgrowing business. The action doesn’t stop there, though; among the other highlights are our annual Mid-Year Supplier Focus feature (page 31) – a round-up of key products you need to be aware of ahead of the coming autumn and winter seasons; the breakdown of a stunning Barcelona-themed print in our Anatomy of a Print feature (page 24); and David Sharp’s guide to turning photos into memorable embroidered designs (‘From snaps to stitches’, page 60). Jonathan Vince Views: 45,085 Pageviews 4,332 A hat-trick of hard-hitting views EDITORIAL SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 The Big Promotional Trade Show & Wearables Trade Show, Manchester, UK thebigpromotionaltradeshow.co.uk SEPTEMBER 22, 2026 Print & Stitch, Exeter, UK printandstitch.org SEPTEMBER 23-25, 2026 Printing United Expo 2026, Las Vegas, US printingunited.com SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 Print & Stitch, Birmingham, UK printandstitch.org SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 1, 2026 The Print Show & The Sign Show, Birmingham, UK theprintshow.co.uk OCTOBER 15, 2026 The Big New Products Trade Show & Wearables Trade Show, Heathrow, London, UK thebigpromotionaltradeshow.co.uk OCTOBER 20, 2026 Print & Stitch, Esher, London, UK printandstitch.org OCTOBER 22, 2026 Print & Stitch, Liverpool, UK printandstitch.org JANUARY 12-14, 2027 PSI 2027, Cologne, Germany psi-messe.com/en-gb.html JANUARY 21-23, 2027 Impressions Expo, Long Beach, US longbeach.impressionsexpo.com FEBRUARY 2-4, 2027 CTCO & C!Print Lyon, Lyon, France salon-ctco.com/en APRIL 6-9, 2027 Fespa Global Print Expo 2027, Munich, Germany fespa.com/en/events
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INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 06 images AUGUST 2026 Follow the links to the news stories online www.images-magazine.com Garment decorator Fifth Column has invested in digital print technology as part of its expansion beyond traditional screen printing. The company, based in north London, has installed a Kornit Atlas Max Plus system, which uses direct-to-garment (DTG) technology for high-volume and industrial printing. The investment enables the company to meet growing demand for short-run, full-colour production, print-on-demand fulfilment, lower-volume customised orders and faster sample creation. Historically, Fifth Column maintained minimum order quantities of around 250 pieces for multi-colour screen-printed jobs due to the operational complexity involved in set-up, colour matching, screen preparation and sampling. The transition to digital production now allows Fifth Column to profitably support highly customised, low-volume multi-colour jobs of 50 to 250 pieces that were previously operationally impractical using traditional screenprinting workflows, meeting customer demand for shorter runs. Fifth Column director Damian Rys said: “The Atlas Max Plus demonstrated a level of automation, durability and print performance that significantly exceeded previous generations of DTG technology. “Durability was always our biggest concern, but Kornit completely changed our perception of what digital production could deliver.” imagesmag.uk/fifth-digital Fifth Column invests in DTG in expansion beyond screen printing Fifth Column director Damian Rys Aeoon announces plan to launch high-production DTG system Machine manufacturer Aeoon Technologies has announced that is preparing to launch a new “industrial platform” for high-production digital garment printing. At this stage, it is describing the new system only as being capable of delivering “even higher productivity and an expanded colour gamut” to complement its existing directto-garment (DTG) machines. This new solution, said to represent “the next step in Aeoon’s commitment to industrial textile production”, will be unveiled at trade show Printing United Expo 2026, which runs in Las Vegas from 23 to 26 September. Aeoon is offering live online demonstrations of the yetto-be-revealed new system after Printing United Expo for anybody unable to attend. It will also be providing demonstrations at its base in the US and the Aeoon Innovation Center in Austria. In the UK, Aeoon’s printers and pretreatment systems are exclusively supplied by Xpres. imagesmag.uk/aeoonindustrial Fashion trends inspire new Cottonridge vintage collection Garment supplier Cottonridge has introduced a new collection available in 14 colours that taps into the growing trend for vintage-washed styles. The new Vintage Collection features two essential styles: the premium Horizon Vintage hoodie and the matching Odyssey Vintage sweatshirt. They are available in 14 on-trend colours from timeless neutrals to fashion-led shades. According to Cottonridge, the collection tackles the limited choice of vintage-washed garments available for decorators. “Most suppliers offer just two or three colours, restricting creativity and making it difficult for print and embroidery businesses to build a comprehensive range.” By offering 14 colours instead of the “typical two or three”, Cottonridge says it is aiming to establish itself as “the first choice for vintage garments in the promotional clothing market”. imagesmag.uk/cottonridge-vintage Aeoon’s Compact Ai1 digital garment print system was unveiled at Printing United Expo2025 Horizon Vintage hoodie and Odyssey Vintage sweatshirt
www.images-magazine.com AUGUST 2026 images 07 NH FOR SCHOOLWEAR SPECIALISTS THESCHOOLWEARSHOW THESCHOOLWEARSHOW FOR SCHOOLWEAR SPECIALISTS THESCHOOLWEARSHOW FOR SCHOOLWEAR SPECIALISTS THESCHOOLWEARSHOW FOR SCHOOLWEAR SPECIALISTS The one show that covers your whole supplier list. Scan to register 11th - 12th October 2026 Cranmore Park, Solihull Register free and plan your visit today. Workwear specialist continues expansion with new acquisition Workwear supplier Corporate Trade Supplies (CTS) UK has continued expansion by acquiring an online retailer of safety footwear, workwear and PPE. CTS, based in North Yorkshire, has added £10 million of revenue to the group through buying ShoeStation Direct, taking it to a projected annual turnover of £70 million by the end of the year. The acquisition gives a further boost to the group’s safety division and supports its long-term strategy of acquisition-led expansion, ecommerce growth and investment in technology. Based in Daventry in Northamptonshire, ShoeStation Direct is a well-established online retailer of safety footwear, workwear and PPE, trading through its own website and leading online marketplaces. Founded in 2021, CTS recently acquired both Industrial Workwear and Schott Packaging. imagesmag.uk/shoe-station sionwith g Plans progress for a bigger Itma show in 2027 Plans are moving forward for the return of textile and garment machinery exhibition Itma in 2027, with applications for stands already nearly double compared to the last event. Itma is set to take place from 16 to 22 September 2027 at Messegelände Hannover in Germany, spotlighting innovation across the entire textile and garment manufacturing value chain. Organiser Itma Services expects the event to focus on “advanced materials, automation and the digital future, sustainability and circularity, and human-centric manufacturing”. The last Itma exhibition was held in Milan in 2023. It featured 1,709 exhibitors from 47 countries and welcomed more than 111,000 visitors from 143 countries. imagesmag.uk/itma27double CTS Group CEO AJ Swinbank: ShoeStation Direct acquisition is “significant investment in the future” Visitors at ITMA 2023 in Milan
INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 08 images AUGUST 2026 Follow us on Facebook: @imagesmaguk #129Waffle Whether it’s pedigree pups or mangy mutts, decorators’ dogs are valued members of staff at embroidery and print shops from Barking to Furness. This month we have Waffle from David Sharp in Gosport, Hampshire Fullname: Waffle Breed: Cockapoo Age: 56 dog years (eight human years) Time at company: Seven years and four months Jobtitle: Chief tea drinker Job description: Locating unaccompanied cups of tea and drinking them. Often involves pinching a digestive along the way. Special skills: Extra long tongue, great for reaching the dregs in the cup. From the first days at the office, would curl up on the corner of anyone’s desk space. Favourite colour: Although colour blind, he’s particularly fond of brown – Pantone 16-1336 in particular, as it’s the closest match to digestives! davidsharp.co.uk PRINT SHOP POOCHES Waffle always starts his working day with a nice cuppa Print Shop Pooches is sponsored byPortman & Pooch– ‘a brand’s best friend’ portmanandpooch.com Garment Graphixs acquires Top Marque Uniform Solutions Steve Gates has sold his successful garment decoration business, Top Marques Uniform Solutions, in Sudbury inSuffolk to another family-run firm. After reaching state pension age three years ago, Steve and his wife Lisa have decided to “slow down”, selling the company to Garment Graphixs, which is based in Belfast. Steve bought Top Marques from its previous owner, Jacqui Egglestone, 12 years ago, building on his expertise in office supplies through the family’s existing business, Chilton Office Supplies. It offers embroidery and transfer printing. Garment Graphixs owner Dale Tipping plans to widen the company’s current offering while retaining current services and customers. Steve and Lisa’s children, Tessa and Jordan, will remain on board. Dale said: “Our aim is to maintain the high levels of service and customer care that existing customers know and trust, while investing in the future of the business through an expanded showroom, increased stock holding and an even wider range of products.” imagesmag.uk/marques-sold Essential Workwear sponsors awards to support SMEs Essential Workwear has been celebrating the value of local enterprise as headline sponsor of the SME Bedfordshire Business Awards 2026. The garment decoration and branding specialist, based in Dunstable in Bedfordshire, was headline sponsor for the second year running with the aim of supporting small businesses in the county. It also sponsored two of the categories – Central Bedfordshire Business of the Year and Family Business of the Year – as they both “celebrate strong leadership, resilience and a commitment to long-term success”. The company was a triple winner at the 2019 awards, which are run by the Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce. According to Essential, this achievement “shaped its belief in the value of celebrating local enterprise and inspired ts decision to step up and support the businesses coming through behind it”. imagesmag.uk/ essential-headline George Georgiou, managing director and founder of Essential Workwear, at the SME Bedfordshire Business Awards 2026 e i u b t e Steve and Lisa Gates at Top Marques Uniform Solutions
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INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 10 images AUGUST 2026 Winners announced in print industry’s 2026 Pinnacle Awards Technology and products from Epson, Kornit, Mimaki, M&R, Roland and Siser are among winners in this year’s Pinnacle Awards. The awards, which are run by trade association Printing United Alliance for its members, celebrate excellence in technology and innovation. Epson received awards for several machines including the SureColor F20070 and the SureColor F9570H dye-sub printers. Mimaki won with its TS200-1600 next-generation 64inch sublimation transfer printer, and Kornit Digital picked up an award for its newly announced Atlas Matrix directto-garment (DTG) system. M&R received awards for its Orbiter automatic direct-tofilm (DTF) application system and the Polaris S4 industrial DTG platform, along with the Qwik-Klean self-contained automatic squeegee and floodbar cleaner. Roland DG also had several wins including the Roland DG Connect Designer, its cloud-based online design application, while Siser won a Pinnacle Award for its Brick 600 Pearl heat transfer vinyl (HTV). For a full list of winners, visit the Pinnacle Awards website, pinnacleawards.printing.org. imagesmag.uk/pinnacle-2026winners M&R’s Polaris S4 DTG system is among the winners of the 2026 Pinnacle Awards Kornit’s new Atlas Matrix DTG system Mimaki champions on-demand personalisation with DTF and AI Print technology innovator Mimaki is promoting how artificial intelligence and on-demand garment and textile decoration can work together. With the Mimaki TxF300-75 direct-tofilm (DTF) printer, it has demonstrated how unique visuals created with Gemini AI can quickly be transformed into customised, personalised T-shirts ondemand. The concept was presented in May at an event in Milan, Italy: Google Cloud AI Live Milano 2026, which brings together technology leaders to explore AI-powered automation. “As AI makes it possible to generate unique content instantly, digital print becomes the link between the virtual design process and real-world application,” says Mimaki. “It gives form to ideas that would otherwise remain on screen. “For Mimaki, this is where the value of DTF technology becomes especially clear: enabling businesses to respond to new expectations around personalisation, speed and experience without compromising on print results.” imagesmag.uk/mimaki-milan g AI-generated visuals created at Google Cloud AI Live Milano 2026 for T-shirts The Mimaki TxF300-75 DTF printer at Google Cloud AI Live Milano 2026 Follow us on Threads @ImagesMagUK
www.images-magazine.com AUGUST 2026 images 11 INDUSTRY NEWS NH The UK’s No.1 TRADEONLY garment decorating company. CAPACITY: 80,000 PER WEEK CAPACITY: 10,000 PER WEEK CAPACITY: 12,000 PER WEEK BAGGING, KIMBALLING & RELABELLING etc. ColorGate releases new version of Productionserver A new version of ColorGate’s Productionserver software for RIP, colour management and digital print automation has been released. Version 26 introduces enhancements designed to improve production efficiency, workflow automation and colour consistency in industrial digital printing including garments and textiles. For industrial printing environments, it introduces the “Linearization Assistant Plus” module for Industrial Productionserver, combining base linearization with ColorGate’s established linearization and profiling technologies. This solution allows operators to compensate for gradual print head wear and other productionrelated deviations with a single measurement. Version 26 also introduces the new Industrial Productionserver Essential portfolio. This new product family streamlines ColorGate’s industrial offerings by replacing various previous configurations with standardised software packages tailored to specific application areas including textiles. Version 26 is available immediately. Customers with an active Value Pack as of 10 June 2026 are eligible for a free software upgrade. imagesmag.uk/ colorgate-v26 ColorGate’s Productionserver supports RIP, colour management and digital print automation for textiles Image Armor launches single pretreatment solution for DTG Image Armor has launched a pretreatment for printing white ink on “virtually any colour”. The specialist in direct-to-garment (DTG) pretreatment chemistry has announced the “groundbreaking” single pretreatment PMC1 Universal Formula with UV resistance. The new formula promises to address the challenge of different garments requiring different pretreatments: white shirts need one formula, dark shirts need another. Image Armor founder Brian Walker said: “PMC1 is an industry game-changer that will simplify the DTG printing process. “Now shops can run white shirts, pink shirts, black shirts — anything — without ever changing their pretreatment. It’s the one formula we’ve been working toward.” As well as working on white, light and dark garments with a single formula, it provides UV resistance so there will be no yellowing in direct sunlight before washing. imagesmag.uk/armor-single Image Armor’s single pretreatment PMC1 Universal Formula
INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 12 images AUGUST 2026 Connect with us on LinkedIn @ImagesMagUK LOVE IT! LOATHE IT! A challenge! When a customer comes with an idea that makes you think, ‘Are they crazy?’ but we just go with it anyway! Making people happy, seeing their faces when they collect an order. Receiving a message that starts off with, ‘You’ve been recommended by...’ to do some embroidery. Completing an order before its deadline. When a customer provides you with everything you need for a quote without you asking for it. What do you love about working in the garment industry? What gets you out of bed in the morning and working late into the night? And what do you loathe? What sets you grinding your teeth and climbing the walls in frustration? Jade Haworth of Allsorts Embroidery shares her pet likes and dislikes Jade quickly hides from the beeping machines Love it! When you quote an item of clothing but by the time they say they want it, it’s out of stock. Courier delays! When you give people a timescale of how long before their order will be ready, but you receive a message daily asking when will it be ready. When your machine starts beeping at you… then they all come out in sympathy with one another and all start beeping. Paperwork or admin of any kind. Loathe it! @allsorts_embroidery Would you like to share what you love and loathe about working in garment decoration? Then we'd like to hear from you. Contact us via social media (@ImagesMagUK) or email (editorial@imagesmagazine.com) using 'Love it' as the subject line. Roland launches compact VersaStudio BY2-20 DTF printer Roland DG has launched a new compact direct-tofilm (DTF) printer that is aimed at professional users while being easier to use than bigge machines. The VersaStudio BY220 is a CMYK+white DTF printer that combines printing, software, ink, film and powder in a connected workflow for consistent, high-quality prints onto garments. It is designed to deliver “sharp detail, vivid colour and repeatable results” for a wide range of uses, from T-shirts, sportswear and workwear to décor and accessories. Features include internal temperature control and largecapacity white ink cartridges, with automatic white underbase generation to help simplify production. The BY2-20 can be used for printing media from 150– 515mm in width. It uses Roland’s S-PG2 inks, which have Oeko-Tex Eco Passport certification, and its S-Powder for DTF printing. The whole VersaStudio BY2-20 unit measures 1,069 x 787 x 622mm. It taps into Roland technology, using Connect Designer design tools to produce artwork and VersaWorks 7 to prepare designs for print, with Roland DG Connect for monitoring and maintenance. imagesmag.uk/roland-by220 r Roland’s VersaStudio BY2-20 DTF printer Printful set to relocate fulfilment centre within Wolverhampton Print-on-demand giant Printful is to relocate to new premises within Wolverhampton in the West Midlands to help it streamline its UK operations and improve efficiency. Its fulfilment centre is moving to the Air 50 industrial development in Well Lane to the east of the city centre in August, taking over a refurbished warehouse space of around 4,550sqm. The move comes five years after Printful opened its 8,000sqm fulfilment centre, providing direct-to-garment print and embroidery, off Wobaston Road to the north of the city centre. Equipment includes Kornit digital systems. The company, which last year merged with another printon-demand specialist, Printify, told the BBC that it was expanding its team at the new site. It explained that, with Air 50’s “highly modernised, optimised layout, we can increase our operational efficiency”. Supporting Printful’s plans “to implement a more streamlined, highly efficient floor layout equipped with our latest printing technology”, the new premises will also offer the ability to tap directly into the building’s solar panels. imagesmag.uk/printful-move Printful’s original fulfilment centre in Wolverhampton
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INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 14 images AUGUST 2026 Find our trade events calendar online: imagesmag.uk/events-calendar Garment decorator TOTShirts has appointedGeorgie Grayas senior sales manager to support the company’s continued growth. Georgie is joining the north London-based company with a background in sales for screen printing, music merchandise and promotional merchandise. Her appointment comes at a time of investment for TOTShirts, which provides all kinds of garment decoration from screen printing and embroidery to direct-to-garment (DTG) and transfer printing. Georgie said: “What really stood out to me about the company is its commitment to quality, customer service and innovation. It’s clear that there’s a strong team culture and an ambition to keep moving forward, and I’m proud to be joining that journey.” imagesmag.uk/tot-georgie Print equipment supplier CMYUK Group has expanded its central marketing department as it continues to expand across theUKand internationally. Helen Beresford Jayhas been appointed product marketing manager within the group’s centralised marketing team. She has joined from window film specialist Contra Vision where she was most recently head of marketing. Reporting to group marketing director Sarah Neate, Helen will support integrated marketing activity across the CMYUK Group, including distributor partner programmes and exhibitions. Her appointment follows the company’s announcement of a new base in Poland, operating as CMYK Europe, to support expansion across the rest of Europe. imagesmag.uk/cmyuk-helen Print technology specialist Fiery has announced the departure of its CEO, Toby Weiss, who led the company through restructuring including the acquisition of software company CadLink. He will be replaced by Micah Kornberg, the company’s chief financial and operating officer, who has held senior positions at Fiery since 2011. Toby, who has had senior roles at Fiery and its former parent company EFI for 17 years, is leaving to serve as CEO for a company in the cybersecurity industry. He led Fiery through several milestones including the CadLink acquisition in 2022, Fiery’s separation from EFI in 2023, Fiery’s acquisition by Seiko Epson Corporation in 2024, and this year’s acquisition of textile software company Inèdit Software. Toby commented: “Micah has been an instrumental part of Fiery’s management team for over 15 years, and I have full confidence that he will continue to expand Fiery’s role as the leading DFE (digital front ends) technology provider in digital print.” imagesmag.uk/fiery-chief CHANGING FACES Georgie Gray Helen Beresford Jay Micah Kornberg New film trains spotlight on Gildan’s sustainable manufacturing Garment manufacturer Gildan has partnered Global Fashion Agenda on a film exploring how the clothing industry is addressing its environmental and social impact. The supplier features in the latest episode of Fashion Redressed II, a series created by Global Fashion Agenda, the international non-profit organisation that fosters industry collaboration on sustainability. The short film follows the journey of a Comfort Colors T-shirt from yarn and knitting through to dyeing, cutting and sewing, showing how Gildan weaves innovation and sustainability into its supply chain. It is broadcast through the YouTube channel of BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions, which has produced the series. Titled “The Future Woven In”, the Gildan film takes a deep dive into the company’s manufacturing facility in Honduras, walking viewers through the various stages of its operations and showcasing its innovation and sustainability initiatives. Gildan has also shared its episode on its own YouTube channel. imagesmag.uk/gildanredressed Israel Salinas (right), senior vice-president of global supply chain at Gildan, in the Fashion Redressed II film Daiber adds new caps and hats to headwear range Gustav Daiber has published its latest catalogue dedicated to headwear to capitalise on a category which it is says is becoming “increasingly important”. Across 160 pages, the corporate fashion manufacturer showcases 113 headwear items in a wide variety of fits and colourways, designed for customisation for sport, work and leisure. The range of caps, beanies and hats includes new corduroy products made with organic cotton such as a six-panel corduroy-mesh cap and a fisherman hat. Other new products include a six-panel “dad cap” made of organic cotton, a seven-panel sports cap made of soft microfibre, a five-panel laser-cut cap in elastic polyamide fabric with laser-cut details, and a robust six-panel workwear cap made of recycled polyester. The new catalogue, available in both print and digital formats, also provides information on decoration options, functional features and its responsible manufacturing practices. imagesmag.uk/daiber-headwear-2026 Daiber’s 2026 headwear catalogue
INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 16 images AUGUST 2026 Stay in the picture with our Instagram feed: @imagesmaguk The Logo Emporium in Chalvington, East Sussex is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary in business, and prides itself on investing time with customers so that staff can then guide them to the very best and most appropriate options for their organisation. The team members have applied their decade of industry knowledge when selecting their favourite product to decorate, with MD Mat Savage declaring: “We love the JH120 AWDis Signature Heavyweight Hoodie.” According to Mat, “The weight and cut make it a great, modern-looking hoodie. The details of having no drawcords and a three-piece hood give it strong selling points.” The hoodie appeals to all markets, he reports, adding that they find construction businesses in particular like the style. When it comes to decorating it, Mat says: “Pay attention to the embroidery frame strength. The thick, soft fabric can scar easily.” www.thelogoemporium.co.uk Want to know what your industry colleagues really think of the garments and accessories they decorate? Each issue, one reader tells us why they rate a particular product READERS’ CHOICE Natalie Hayward from The Logo Emporium’s customer relations team with the AWDis Signature Heavyweight Hoodie Businesses urge Royal Mail to drop plans to curb collections Royal Mail has been urged to review plans to introduce curbs on the number of daily business collections in the peak times of November and December. The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) have warned that the change would cause “serious problems” during the most important trading period of the year. Royal Mail has announced its daily business collection capacity will be limited in both November and December to a maximum of three times a business’s usual collection volume. Bira’s CEO, Andrew Goodacre, said: “We would urge Royal Mail to look again at how this cap will affect smaller senders in particular, and to work with the small business community to find a more flexible approach during the peak trading period.” In a statement, Royal Mail said: “As part of our routine peak planning, we agree appropriate daily collection volumes with our business customers. “Very few customers require more than three times our usual collection capacity and in such cases we’ll discuss with them individually.” The cap would be on top of Royal Mail’s peak surcharge which normally runs from the middle of November through to the first week of January. imagesmag.uk/royal-mail-curb Royal Mail has told businesses it will limit collections in the run-up to Christmas [Credit: Robert Kocsis/Pexels] Shirt Lab event aims to help garment decorators enhance online stores Industry education specialist Shirt Lab is running a one-day event on developing recurring revenue for garment decorators’ online stores. The event is being held at garment decorator Stoked on Printing’s new production facility in Las Vegas on 22 September – the day before Printed United Expo – but a live virtual option is available for anybody who cannot make it in person. It will feature experts including Jesse Freeby of garment decorator Corvallis Custom; Alex Phelan of Tri-POD, which provides systems for branded merchandise; and Davis Slagle of print-on-demand garment specialist BeeGraphix. Marshall Atkinson, co-founder of Shirt Lab andImages columnist, said: “Almost every shop I talk to has a few online stores. What they don’t have is a programme. “Right now, those stores are just orders that happen to come in online. This event is about turning that idea into recurring revenue and building systems to make it highly profitable.” Tickets are $297 (around £222) for Shirt Lab Tribe members and $497 (around £371) for non-members. Register at imagesmag.uk/shirtlab-stores. imagesmag.uk/shirt-vegas [From the top] Alex Phelan, Davis Slagle and Jesse Freeby
www.images-magazine.com AUGUST 2026 images 17 INDUSTRY NEWS NH These shows are closed trade events. Only bona fide distributors and resellers of business gifts, promotional merchandise and printwear may attend. Suppliers, manufacturers and their affiliates and all service providers must exhibit to be able to attend. *Last admission 1 hour before close. Nothing compares to real life and live events, so register now and get engaged! The BIG Promotional Trade Shows arethe promotional merchandise and wearables events to get to this autumn. REGISTER NOW! www.thebigpromotionaltradeshow.co.uk incorporating thePromotional, Wearables andNew Products Trade Shows. SHOWS VENUES IDEAS Experience the future ofmerch •MORETHAN50KEY SUPPLIERS & BRANDS • SEE ALL THE LATEST PRODUCTS • SAMPLES, CATALOGUES, &IDEAS • REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED ALL DAY • CONVENIENT LOCATIONS • FREE TO ATTEND • FREE PARKING INTERESTED IN EXHIBITING NEXTYEAR? We’re fully booked for 2026, but you can showcase your products at the pre-eminent regional exhibitions for the promotional merchandise & printwear industry in 2027. enquiries@thebpts.co.uk 0333 77 22 312 PROMOTIONAL MERCHANDISE WEARABLES BUSINESS GIFTS PRINTWEAR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS HEADWEAR SYSTEMS & MORE Your Brand Ambassador HEADLINE SPONSOR SUPPORTED BY SPONSORED BY 17 SEP 2026 10AM-3PM* LUNCH’N’MEET MANCHESTER MUFC, Old Trafford, Stretford, M16 0RA LONDON HEATHROW Marriott London Heathrow, UB3 5AN 15 OCT 2026 10AM-3PM* LUNCH’N’MEET Fespa organisers win award for contribution to global events The people behind Fespa Global Print Expo and other print industry shows around the world have been named organiser team of the year in UK awards. Fespa received the award at the Association of Event Organisers’ AEO Excellence Awards in London in June in recognition of its outstanding contribution to the global events industry and its continued commitment to delivering world-class exhibitions. Fespa organises print industry events around the world throughout the year including Fespa Global Print Expo, Textile and other events run under the Fespa 2026 banner in Barcelona this year. Next year’s event will be in Munich in April. imagesmag.uk/fespa-win Gildan and Ricoh rank among world’s most sustainable companies Garment manufacturer Gildan Activewear and print technology group Ricoh have both retained places in Time magazine’s ranking of the most sustainable companies in the world. Ricoh has been placed in 320th place while Gildan is at 655 in the list from Time and research specialist Statista. For the 2026 list, more than 5,800 companies were assessed, with only 750 companies selected worldwide. Montreal-based Gildan has also been included on Canada’s Best 50 Corporate Citizens list by sustainability research organisation Corporate Knights for a fifth consecutive year, ranked in 42nd place. imagesmag.uk/gildan-ricoh-time Solar panels on Gildan’s facility in Bangladesh The Fespa team collect their award at the AEO Excellence Awards
INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 18 images AUGUST 2026 Watch our latest videos on Vimeo: @imagesmaguk DECORATED PRODUCT OF THE MONTH You may have spotted that there has been quite a bit of sport going on over this summer. And along with that a lot of merch. Mainly football, although cricket and tennis also had a look in. A favourite has to be the Beer Showers tee from Back Post Studio – and not just because they managed to get a photo of the man who inspired the design, weatherman Michael Fish, wearing it, although that was a genius move. The designs for its England Collection stood out as being witty and stylish, which fits with the studio’s focus on “timeless graphic design that football fans are proud to wear beyond matchday”. Chloe Agius, co-founder of the independent football-inspired streetwear brand, explains: “The collection was designed in-house by our creative director Ollie [Agius]. The aim was to move away from loud, novelty tournament clothing and instead create designs that feel more like premium streetwear. Every graphic celebrates a different part of England’s football culture – from the optimism before a tournament to the now-iconic beer shower celebrations that accompany a big goal.” The response has exceeded the team’s expectations, confirms Chloe. “We’ve seen customers wearing the collection at fan parks, pubs and overseas during the tournament, and it’s introduced Back Post Studio to thousands of football fans who hadn’t discovered the brand before.” A standout design from the fourpiece England range is the Beer Showers design, which she says “celebrates the modern football tradition of expensive pints ending up in the air the moment England score”. “Amazingly, the design found its way to Michael Fish through his daughter. She loved the concept and arranged for Michael to receive one of the T-shirts. Seeing him wearing the design that was inspired by him was a surreal moment for us.” The tees are made using “premium print-on-demand production” in partnership with a UK specialist garment decorator, which the studio says allows it to react quickly to moments during a tournament while maintaining consistent quality and avoiding unnecessary waste. “Finding a partner capable of producing consistently high-quality prints on premium heavyweight garments was our priority,” explains Chloe. “We spent a considerable amount of time testing samples before launching the brand and wanted a production model that could scale without compromising quality. “The collection is printed on premium heavyweight 100% cotton garments chosen for their fit, feel and durability. From day one we wanted Back Post Studio to feel like a fashion brand first and football merchandise second, so garment quality has always been central to the brand.” www.backpoststudio.com Michael Fish wearing the Beer Showers tee that was inspired by his TV weatherman days in U d s r d m q Back Post Studio specialises in design-led apparel that is inspired by football Suppliers get ready for EU’s digital product passports Garment decorators and suppliers are gearing up for the introduction of digital product passports (DPPs) for clothing in theEU. The European Commission’s central DPP registry was expected to go live by 19 July under Article 13 of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). The textile-specific delegated act is expected to be adopted next year, with any company selling clothing in the EU required to be compliant within 18 months after the act’s publication. Garment decoration technology specialist Avery Dennison has announced ReadyDPP, an integrated full-service solution for creating and managing DPPs for the apparel industry. A DPP is a digital identity for a product, holding key information about a garment’s make-up, origin and environmental impact. Suppliers and decorators can connect it to the item through a data carrier, such as a QR code, NFC tag or RFID inlay. imagesmag.uk/ready-passports Avery Dennison is ready for digital product passports with ReadyDPP Tests reveal over a third of garment labels have wrong information More than a third of garments did not correctly reflect the information on their labels in testing carried out as part of a European investigation. Scientists examined 132 clothing items sourced from across the EU, made from cotton, wool and fibre blends, and found that 37% of the labels did not match the materials used. In some cases of non-compliance, the fibres were correctly stated on the labels but the declared percentage did not match the actual percentage. Other products contained different and cheaper fibres than those declared, while some labels incorrectly declared or named the fibres used. Failure rates were highest for scarves, tops and baby clothing – at 80%, 54% and 25% respectively. imagesmag.uk/labels-testing Information on some labels did not match the actual materials in the garments [Credit: Dmitriy Steinke/Pexels]
www.images-magazine.com AUGUST 2026 images 19 INDUSTRY NEWS NH New tool reveals benefits of Dual Function embroidery machine YES Group has launched an online productivity calculator to help embroidery businesses understand how much production time, output and profit can be lost through downtime. The free calculator allows garment decorators to compare a conventional multi-head embroidery machine with the SWF Dual Function machine, which is supplied by YES Group. SWF’s patented Dual Function technology allows a multihead embroidery machine to operate as either one complete machine or as two independent production groups. The new free online calculator, which is available on the YES Group website, will provide garment decorators with an estimate of the potential gains in productivity based on their own production requirements. Unlike traditional comparisons based purely on stitch speed, the calculator factors in real-world production scenarios including thread breaks, hooping time, cap changeovers and mixed production runs. imagesmag.uk/yes-calculator The SWF Dual Function embroidery machine Tajima forms partnership with Coats to elevate embroidery Threads supplier Coats Group has formed a strategic partnership with embroidery machine manufacturer Tajima Industries to support customers, elevate quality and accelerate innovation. The two companies have signed a memorandum of strategic cooperation to create a joint offering for customers that combines Coats’ threads, global expertise and technical advisory services with Tajima’s machinery and digital capabilities. Central to the longterm partnership is Coats’ global network of embroidery service centres (ESCs), which will serve as innovation hubs equipped with Tajima’s technology platforms for customer co-creation, technical esting and training. The memorandum was igned in July at Tajima ndustries’ base in Aichi n Japan by Hidetoshi ojima, CEO of Tajima ndustries, and Kunal apur, managing director trategic projects at Coats. imagesmag.uk/ ajima-coats ASA warns about ‘recycled’ claims in garment marketing Garment manufacturers and suppliers have been served a warning by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over misleading use of “recycled”. The watchdog has ruled against six ads from Adidas, Calvin Klein, Lacoste, Nike and Uniqlo over marketing messages that implied products were made with more recycled materials than could be substantiated. The rulings were published in June after the ASA found the ads through its AI-powered Active Ad Monitoring System, which proactively scans ads. In making its rulings, the ASA highlighted that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) guidance stated that “advertisers should not imply that a product is entirely made of a single fabric if that was not true”. Its ruling continued: “A product should not be described as, for example, ‘recycled’ or ‘organic’ if it contained fibres that were not recycled or organic, unless the proportion of non-recycled or nonorganic fibres was negligible.” Details of all the rulings, including the brands’ defences, can be found at asa.org.uk. imagesmag.uk/ asa-recycled Garment suppliers must be able to substantiate claims about using recycled materials Industry body warns print sector against caution in recruitment The UK’s cooling labour market could worsen the print sector’s long-term skills challenge unless businesses continue to invest in young talent, according to an industry body. Young People in Print & Packaging (YPIPP) has warned against “short-term caution” in recruitment because it could have a long-term negative effect. YPIPP’s intervention follows the release of the latest market overview report in June from the Office for National Statistics, which revealed job vacancies across the UK were at their lowest point since 2021. YPIPP board member Jo Stephenson said that “our industry continues to face an ageing skills pipeline. We are shutting the door on the next generation of talent at the exact moment when we should be welcoming them through it.” The report follows the Young People and Work Review in May, which found that a million 16-24 year olds were not in employment, education or training. “We see first-hand through our work with schools, colleges and universities that young people are ambitious, capable and interested in meaningful careers,” said Jo. “There is no shortage of appetite; there’s a shortage of opportunity.” imagesmag.uk/young-caution Print companies are being urged to recruit young people gyp c t s In in K In Ka st ta [L-R] Kunal Kapur of Coats Group with Hidetoshi Kojima of Tajima Industries
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT www.images-magazine.com 20 images AUGUST 2026 Expert advice on the business of running a garment decoration company Why must SMEs urgently check probation processes? The regulatory landscape for UK small businesses is about to undergo one of its most significant shifts in a generation. For dismissals taking effect on or after 1 January 2027, the qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims will plummet from two years to just six months. Crucially, the statutory cap on compensation awards is also being removed. For SMEs, this double-whammy dramatically increases the risk of facing more tribunal claims and potentially higher compensation payouts. With the margin for error shrinking, businesses can no longer affordtoview probationary periods as a “set-and-forget” exercise. Getting ready means proactively reviewing recruitment, induction, and performance monitoring processes now. Is the six-month probation period dead? There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to probation. The starting point must always be practical: how long does it actually take to assess whether someone can do the role successfully? A probation period that is too short to accurately judge performance, conduct, and cultural fit offers little benefit. However, employers must think strategically about the new six-month threshold. If an employee’s probationary period is extended beyond six months and they are subsequently dismissed, they will hit the threshold to bring an unfair dismissal claim. This risk doesn’t just apply where probation is extended because of ongoing performance concerns, but to any situation where the six-month threshold is reached, such as being unable to hold a review meeting due to an employee’s sickness absence. The new best practice Formany businesses, a four-month probationary period may become the sensible default. This provides a buffer, giving employers the vital flexibility to extend probation if concerns are identified and further monitoring is needed, all while remaining within the safe six-month window. However, this should only be used for roles where it is possible to assess suitability within that period. What about last-minute dismissals? A common misconception is that employers can safely dismiss an underperforming team member on the final day before the six-month deadline. This is a dangerous assumption. Where an employee is dismissed and paid in lieu of notice (PILON), their length of service is calculated by adding the statutory notice period of one week. For example, John has a six-month probation and starts on 7 July 2026, meaning he reaches six months’ service on 6 January 2027. If he is dismissed and paid PILON on 2 January 2027, his statutory one-week notice is added to his service, pushing him past the six-month threshold and giving him the right to claim unfair dismissal. What do line managers need to be aware of to avoid unfair dismissal claims? Too often, managers place all the focus on a single, formal review at the very end of a probation period, leaving the employee with zero time to address concerns. Probation needs to be treated as a structured assessment period. It is an opportunity to set expectations early, address concerns, ensure the employee has the tools to succeed, and, crucially, create an audit trail. Regular checkins provide transparent feedback on what is going well and what needs improvement. Line managers must be trained in these processes to ensure they are consistently followed. Even if a decision is made well within the six-month window, a documented process is still essential. Day-one rights already exist for claims requiring no minimum service, including: ■Discrimination ■Whistleblowing ■Raising health & safety concerns ■Asserting certain statutory rights ■Other automatically unfair reasons for dismissal Without clear evidence explaining the performance, attendance, or conduct reasons behind a dismissal, an employee may argue that the real reason was discriminatory or automatically unfair. A robust, documented process brings transparency and helps mitigate these legal risks. What can employers do to prepare for this change? If you do choose to extend an employee’s probation, it must always be confirmed in writing. The letter should clearly set out the reasons for the extension, the specific improvements required, and the exact duration of the extension period. Ultimately, surviving the 2027 legislative shift requires looking at the bigger picture. Tightening up recruitment and induction processes ensures you find the right talent and set them up to hit the ground running. Ask yourself: ■Do your selection processes accurately assess suitability? ■How could your onboarding and training be improved? ■Do new starters have a support network, such as a colleague mentor? Supported employees who understand what is expected of them are far more likely to succeed. By taking proactive steps today, your business will reduce risk, improve retention, and stand on much stronger ground tomorrow. Gillian McAteer is director of employment law at Citation, which empowers small to medium-sized businesses across the country to stay one step ahead with its hands-on HR, health & safety, wellbeing, e-learning, ISO certification and SSIP accreditation services. www.citation.co.uk Q&A
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