Both shows are set to highlight cutting-edge trends, techniques, and business strategies in the decorated apparel industry. Organizers are seeking presentations that offer fresh insight, hands-on training, and actionable takeaways for attendees ranging from new entrepreneurs to seasoned print shop owners.

Impressions Long Beach 2026

Widely regarded as the premier event for the apparel decoration community, Impressions Long Beach will return in 2026 with a strong focus on innovation and skill development. The call for speakers encourages proposals on topics such as screen printing, embroidery, heat printing, direct-to-garment (DTG), direct-to-film (DTF), e-commerce, and shop management.

Submit to Long Beach: Impressions Long Beach 2026 Speaker Submission

Impressions Atlantic City 2026

As a key regional expo, Impressions Atlantic City is known for blending hands-on learning with East Coast energy. The 2026 show will once again offer top-tier education for print professionals and small business owners looking to grow their decorated apparel operations.

Submit to Atlantic City: Impressions Atlantic City 2026 Speaker Submission

Interested individuals are encouraged to share unique perspectives, industry expertise, and practical tools that can elevate the skills and business success of the Impressions Expo audience. Speaker submissions are being accepted now through the official Sessionboard portals linked above.

For more information on the Impressions Expo series, visit impressionsexpo.com.

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Designed for unmatched precision and efficiency, the TXF300-1600 sets a new standard for direct-to-film (DTF) and textile printing, catering to a growing market of high-volume garment decorators, custom apparel creators, and print professionals.

This cutting-edge DTF printer combines Mimaki’s renowned innovation with advanced features, including a wider 63-inch media width, and ink circulation technology that prevents white ink sedimentation. Backed by 50 years of Mimaki Engineering expertise, the TXF300-1600 delivers consistent, vibrant prints on a wide range of materials while supporting skin-friendly textiles with OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT-certified inks.

“The Mimaki TXF300-1600 represents a leap forward in DTF printing technology,” says Mark Gardner, Marketing Manager at Hirsch Solutions LLC. “It delivers faster production capabilities without compromising on quality. We’re thrilled to add this innovative machine to our product lineup, providing customers with the tools they need to expand their businesses and achieve remarkable results.”

Key features of the DTF Mimaki TXF300-1600 include:

Enhanced Productivity: A broader media width of 63 inches for efficient handling of large-scale projects.

Improved Workflow: Advanced ink circulation technology minimizes white ink sedimentation, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted operation.

Trusted Performance: Built on Mimaki’s 50 years of innovation, the TXF300-1600 delivers consistent, high-quality results.

Eco-Friendly Printing: Mimaki PHT50 inks are certified OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT, allowing for the creation of skin-friendly textiles.

Optimized Drying: A three-way intelligent heater speeds up ink drying, improving output consistency and overall efficiency.

Hirsch Solutions also provides a complete range of Mimaki DTF inks and Hirsch Premium consumables, including Hot Peel Film and Powder, engineered to work seamlessly with the TXF300-1600. This comprehensive offering ensures customers have everything they need for a reliable and efficient DTF printing solution.

“The addition of the Mimaki TXF300-1600 aligns with our mission to empower businesses with the best tools in the industry,” Gardner says. “With this printer, we’re giving our customers the ability to take their creativity and production capabilities to the next level.”

The Mimaki TXF300-1600 and supporting consumables are now available through Hirsch Solutions. Customers can learn more by visiting www.hsi.us/mimaki or contacting the company directly.

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In the vigorous world of retail, it’s no secret small gift shops are constantly seeking ways to stand out and create memorable experiences for their customers. And what better way to do just that than by doing their own decorating? One such innovation is the adoption of heat press machines for on-demand printing. This technique, which involves using heat and pressure to transfer designs onto various items, offers numerous advantages for small businesses. I spoke with a few of the big players in the heat-pressing sector to get their take on why small gift shops should consider investing in their own heat press machines.

Boosting Apparel-Decorating Sales and Saving Space

Amplifying the product lineup for any business can be challenging. For small retail and gift shop proprietors the challenge is even greater when factoring in a company’s limited space, while doing your best to stay on trend and determine the right quantities to minimize financial risk. By using a heat press and heat transfers, businesses can provide a wider range of products and finishes with high-end decoration, all without the need for stockpiles of pre-printed inventory.

“How do you quickly scale your business up and down with the seasonality of tourists and events, without impacting your bottom line?” asks Cat Cosentino, 613 Originals VP of marketing. “How do you manage through a particular busy season, when you can’t scale your working/storage space just as quickly? Enter the heat transfer—by adding heat transfers and a heat press to your existing business, you can save on manufacturing costs and delivery time. Heat transfers allow you to adopt an in-house ‘print on demand’ model. You can stock up on as many different designs as you want, and then press the design upon order. This allows you to control garment inventory and not be left with any extra sizes or designs that didn’t sell as originally forecasted at the end of the season.”

Transfers are versatile for many products in your inventory. Photo courtesy of STAHLS’

Dave Conner, STAHLS’ and Transfer Express content director, agrees, noting that it’s all possible with a heat press, whether its bulk runs, printing on demand only after an order is received and even personalization. The benefits of a print-on-demand model can include:

Space Efficiency: Heat presses not only minimize inventory needs but occupy minimal space in your shop, allowing you to utilize more of your retail area for showcasing a variety of products without requiring extra storage or a warehouse filled with bulky equipment, supplies and more.

Flexible Inventory Management: With print-on-demand capabilities, there’s no need to pre-decorate your entire inventory. Keep blank items in stock and customize them as required, reducing the risk of unsold goods. This flexibility enables you to quickly respond to the ebb and flow of customer preferences. Display design options or customization choices on a wall and print orders as they come in.

Ease of Use & Training: Heat presses are user-friendly and have a minimal learning curve compared to other decoration methods, making it easy to quickly integrate them into your business operations.
Personalization: Customization stations and interactive activations are becoming increasingly popular. Letting customers choose different patches to create unique, personalized items such as hats not only adds value but enhances the customer experience. Personalization using HTV for names and numbers is achievable without significant investments.

Diverse Products: With a single heat press, you can customize T-shirts, hats, fleece, bags, accessories and more. You can meet a broad range of customer needs and preferences. Offering different heat transfer types enables you to provide premium decorations like embroidery, leather, or PVC, as well as traditional screen-printed looks or full-color decorations with direct-to-film (DTF).

Embrace DTF

DTF transfers are tailor-made for on-demand printing as they cling to all types of fabrics, enabling use on endless apparel options and accessories. The quality of

DTF transfer application is as simple as place, press and peel. Photo courtesy of Ninja Transfers

today’s transfers can produce outstanding designs even while being applied at low temperatures. They often have no minimum order requirements, as well. This type of functionality is the greatest asset for gift-shop owners, who can create their own product samples and assess the customer demand before committing to larger orders or outsourcing.

“DTF offers a significant advantage,” says Ninja Mike, CEO and founder of Ninja Transfers. “You can buy transfers cheaply, for just a dollar or two each, and keep a variety of blanks in 50 different colors without needing to customize them in advance. These blanks can be in different colors, materials, shapes and sizes. The transfers can be stored separately, allowing businesses to have a wide range of inventory ready for sale. Production, or heat pressing, can be done on demand, which eliminates the risk of wasted inventory.”

This approach ensures that inventory is not accounted for until the moment of sale, minimizing the risk of unsold stock. Essentially, shops are only displaying potential unsold items, reducing the risk from 20, 50 or even 100 pieces to just one.

“DTF is a groundbreaking innovation for the industry,” Ninja Mike says. “To outsiders, it might seem like something that has been around for a long time, but that’s not the case. It has only recently started to mature. However, at Ninja Transfers, we’ve been hard at work perfecting the process for over two and a half years.”

Choose the Right Heat-Printing Equipment

An absolute necessity, investing in top-notch equipment is essential for sustainable success. Premium heat presses provide the dependable, professional results shop owners are looking for, while minimizing downtime due to maintenance or repairs. High-quality equipment can streamline your entire business model.

Pressing in person brings a whole new experience to your shop. Photo courtesy of 613 Originals

“All you need are heat transfers and a heat press. If you’re aiming for high-volume production, we recommend an industrial heat press for consistent pressure and heat.” says Cosentino. “Transfers can last for years when stored in climate-controlled environments, so you can order for the entire season before the rush hits.”

Ordering transfers online is a breeze. You can be checked out in under two minutes says Ninja Mike. Transfers can be ordered by size, or you can “gang up” designs on a gang sheet. These days, orders usually ship within 24 hours or can even be delivered the next day if it is placed before 3:00 PM. Also, don’t forget when choosing the right equipment, ensure your equipment supplier provides dependable customer service. This is vital for troubleshooting and support when doing your own decorating.

To secure the return on your investment, Conner suggests avoiding cheap import presses that may not withstand high-volume use. Look for equipment with interchangeable platens, which will open the door for endless decorating possibilities; this will keep your inventory current and on trend. Overall, investing in high-quality equipment can increase profit margins by reducing idle time and safeguarding reliable performance, allowing your team to seamlessly work in a stress-free setting.

Flow with Market Adaptability

The retail market is ever-changing, and small gift shops need to be adaptable to stay relevant. Heat presses allow shops to quickly pivot and adapt to new trends, seasonal changes or special events. This adaptability ensures that the shop can always deliver fresh, trendy products that meet current consumer demands.

“Heat printing offers a practical, efficient, and flexible solution for small gift shop owners looking to expand their product range without the risk and space requirements of traditional inventory methods,” says Conner. “By adopting heat printing you can stay on trend, meet customer demands and increase your sales while maximizing profit.”

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STAHLS’ partnership with Master Distributors gives apparel decorators across the United States faster access to trusted, reliable, and industry-leading materials, equipment and accessories. Miami Screen Print Supply and WooHoo SPS-Screen Print Supplies join a list of reputable suppliers, making STAHLS’ products easier to obtain for heat printers in every state.

Miami Screen Print Supply was founded in 2006 with commitment to providing printing businesses the highest quality supplies at competitive rates. Founder Kevin Fleury has over 35 years of experience in screen printing, dedicating his career to providing the best supplies on the market paired with exceptional customer service.

Miami Screen Print Supply’s company mission is “to be the leading supplier of the finest quality screen printing products worldwide through innovation, efficiency, and flawless customer care.”

Their dedication to both quality products and standout service makes them an ideal fit as a STAHLS’ Master Distributor, aligning perfectly with STAHLS’ own mission to help create confident, capable apparel decorators in charge of their own business goals.

WooHoo SPS-Screen Print Supplies is excited to add to their already vast inventory of plastisol inks, adhesive, emulsions, equipment, and other screen printing accessories. As a Master Distributor of STAHLS’ heat printing products, they are strengthening their own mission of offering exceptional products and support to screen printers and decorators in the west.

“At WooHoo SPS-Screen Print Supplies, one of our most important aspects of our company is partnering with quality organizations and individuals that work as a collaborative team to ensure our customer success while using quality products,” says Barry Cundiff, WooHoo SPS-Screen Print Supplies owner. “We look forward to distributing STAHLS’ products and integrating their vast knowledge, customer service, and quality products at WooHoo SPS-Screen Print Supplies.”

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