Marathon’s rayon thread sales are at an all-time high
Marathon
Digital film and embroidery backing sales soar
According to Marathon’s managing director, Julian Davies, the company is enjoying an “exceptionally busy year”, with sales of its viscose rayon threads at an all-time high.
Julian says two other products in the range that are also performing better than ever before are embroidery backings and digital films. In embroidery backings, the company is seeing a trend towards heavier weight backings, which give much more stability when embroidering polos and T-shirts. “Even at the heaviest weight, Marathon backings are all super soft, which makes them great for the wearer, avoiding chaffing and skin irritation,” explains Julian.
Marathon is also seeing a huge increase in the sales of digital films. “More and more garment decorators are buying either Mimaki or Roland wide format machines, and Marathon is ideally placed to serve these customers,” says Julian. “Unlike many other films on the market, all Marathon products dry immediately – no waiting overnight before the films are ready to apply. What’s more, the films are all super soft, thin and easy to weed.”
The new Dave Roper Limited Dye Block White
Dave Roper
Easiway products and Dave Roper’s first own brand ink
“Dave Roper offers a range of diverse, innovative and environmentally-friendly products which are growing more and more popular throughout the screen printing industry,” says the company.
Included in the range are Easiway screen cleaning and reclamation products, which are a set of environmentally-friendly solutions that Dave Roper says can “dramatically reduce” the time previously taken on screen cleaning. “The Easiway solutions can clean up to 600 screens per batch of solution, which translates to a cost of as little as 20p per cleaned screen.” The line of Easiway eco-friendly products includes solutions varying from emulsion removers to screen de-greasers and de-hazers.
“Due to popular demand from a recent trade show, we have created a bespoke dip tank and other screen cleaning packages to make one of the least desirable processes within any print shop an absolute breeze,” says the company. “With simple ratios and easy recipes to follow, this range will save countless hours, making this a must-have for any print environment.”
Dave Roper has put his name to an ink for the first time with his Dave Roper Limited Dye Block White. It is, he says, “the best blocking white” he’s come across in his 30- plus years in the industry. It is a smooth flash white that is ideal for using on polyester and polycotton garments for a soft feeling result, with the company guaranteeing it will create a clean finish every time.
Dave Renton Screen Printing Supplies and Machinery
Dave Renton Screen Printing Supplies and Machinery
Clever cleaning products and American inks
According to Dave Renton, much of what the company supplies has been sourced because of the reduced risk of damage to the environment as well as value for money.
Included in the company’s catalogue are water-based and plastisol inks that have been sourced in the US and are sold here under the name of Metroplas and Metro Aqua. Also from the company is Pallet Mask, a product that Dave Renton says removes the task of cleaning the pallet. “You add it prior to applying the pallet adhesive and then remove it at the end of the job, leaving the pallet clean,” explains the company. “This reduces downtime and greatly increases the profitability of the machines.”
Where there are foreign marks on garments, Dave Renton suggests trying the Arrow cleansing gun with the textile cleaner (T935). It can be used to remove blemishes both before and after curing.
The company says one of its most impressive products is the Dip Tank, which it says reduces the time spent cleaning screens: “When used with Kor-Chem CP2, this process can clean five screens in the time it normally takes to clean one.”
www.nesms.co.uk
The Poly 60 thread in action
GS UK
Flame-resistant thread and Gold Seal-award rayon
“The choice of embroidery thread can not only determine the quality of the final embroidery, but also how problem-free the stitching process can be,” explains GS UK. Sulky, a 100% rayon thread from Gunold, starts out as a substance called viscose, and is processed by ENKA. To manufacture viscose, ENKA uses the wood of a unique pine tree that is grown in a protected plantation, resulting in a sustainable, renewable and biodegradable resource.
“As Gunold obtains 100% of its viscose from ENKA, Sulky is the only embroidery thread entitled to wear ENKA’s coveted Gold Seal award which recognises Gunold’s steadfast refusal to dilute their thread with inferior viscose products which would negatively impact quality as well as the environment,” says GS UK. It recommends that Organ Needle No. 60/8 SES is used with this thread.
The Gunold range from GS UK includes Sulky (rayon), Poly (polyester), Metallic, Glitter, Filaine (acrylic), Cotty (cotton), Glowy and Poly Neon. GS UK also supplies more specialised thread such as Poly 60 and Poly Fire. A thin yet extremely durable thread, Poly 60 is especially recommended for monogramming and intricate designs. It is colourfast to chlorine and may be washed up to 95°C.
The Poly Fire thread is made of 100% polyester, has a high tensile strength and is very resistant to abrasion. It has been especially developed to be used on flame-retardant fabrics, is resistant to heat and flames and meets the ISO norm 15025.
