Greetings, folks!

It was another sunny weekend in California for Impressions Long Beach. As always, the SanMar Decorator Solutions Team was on-site and ready to bring you the stand-out innovations of the show. Let’s get right into it.

The Gen 4 ROQ Now Industrial DTG

ROQ truly stood out this year with their newly debuted Gen 4 ROQ Now digital printer.

This powerhouse of a machine was built with high-production, on-demand decorating in mind. It will ROQ-et through 250 shirts per hour. With an expanded color gamut thanks to its orange and green inks and the standard CMYK, you can ensure your prints will look as vibrant as possible.

Those familiar with direct-to-garment (DTG) printers that have in-line pretreatment systems will be happy to know this machine features a binderless pretreatment system that allows the print head to keep jetting when others would have needed to be replaced.

Other cool features of this machine include:

• Built-in neck tag system
• Automatic ink purging
• Integrated humidifier
• Pretreatment enclosures

Madeira USA’s Metallic Embroidery Thread

Another great find this year was Madeira’s Metallic Embroidery thread. This screams “added value” for embroiderers looking to add another slick-looking technique to their bag of tricks.

The focus with this thread is softness, easy usage and productivity, as well as suitability for various techniques and materials. As a result, some versions have a superior resistance to harsh treatments and industrial cleaning.

All these threads are optimized for industrial embroidery machines, while some are also suitable for manual sewing. Different constructions, looks and brilliant metallic colors provide a wide range of options for adding sparkle, luxuriousness and glamour to textiles.

Melco’s Summit 16 Needle Commercial Embroidery Machine

Melco knocked it out of the park this year with their Summit 16 Needle option.

This machine was designed with efficiency and ease of use in mind. It features a large touchscreen operation, built-in barcode scanner for design and hoop loading, laser alignment tools for proper placements and an automatic thread tensioning system.

It can hit speeds of up to 1,500 stitches per minute. The Summit has been optimized for on-demand embroidery, and with their software you can link single-head machines to make any size job just as efficient.

M&R Quatro Direct-to-Film Transfer Printing System

M&R is back this year with a new-and-improved Quatro. Going back to the drawing board to improve adhesive granule size and ink dispersion, they have managed to make their transfers feel softer than ever.

With the M&R Quatro, you can expect vibrant, high-quality prints, improved color accuracy and sharp details. Their materials are compatible with a wide range of fabrics, including spandex and nylon. Requiring under 200 sq. ft. of space, this printer can be a fit for most shops.

We’re always excited to see the latest decorating technology on display at tradeshows like Impressions Long Beach. Our next stop is Atlantic City—we hope to see you there!

If you have any questions about the equipment we’ve talked about here or anything else in the world of decorated apparel, feel free to email us at any time.