Merch Consumer Trends of 2023

Branded merch has become more and more of a necessity for brands and other service providers. This type of marketing is especially lucrative for online influencers and personalities.

In 2020, we saw a very big dip in overall sales of products such as clothing and footwear. According to ResearchandMarkets, the general merchandise market saw a decline from $1,843.6 billion in 2019 to $1,810 billion in 2020 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -1.9 percent. The decline is mainly due to economic hardships from the pandemic.

With the economy starting to revamp in 2021, we have seen great opportunities for smaller brands that took the time to grow their audience in the past year, to offer new and exciting merch. This is in part due to the fact that most consumer sales are being driven by the ability to connect with ones core values.

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What are your

Brands’ Values?

According to Faire’s survey data, the most purchased brand value tags were Women Owned, Made in the USA, and Handmade. Consumer purchasing patterns have become more about how they value a brand rather than the actual product itself. Most retailers shopped by brand value in order to find products that resonated with their customers.

Check Out Core Brand Values Examples: Why They Are Key to Differentiating Your Brand

A brand mission statement is important to clearly communicate the brand's purpose, objectives and how it plans to serve its audience. A clear mission allows the consumer to see their own values in your brand and make more on emotional connection. This builds brand loyalty and brand pride.

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Trends By Categories

More and more businesses are shifting to remote work and this has opened up the potential to offer a variety of merch that otherwise would not be suitable for certain brands before the pandemic. It is important to do your research and find your audience to then gear your promotional products or branded merch towards their specific interests.

Read about How The Pandemic Changed The Way People Shop

Pet Merch

As the pandemic begin extending in 2020, more and more people began adopting pets to help them cope with worldwide lockdowns. With pet adoptions on the rise, pet merch saw an increase of 1 Billion dollars annually.

According to the 2021-2022 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 70% of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 90.5 millions homes. This is a market that is worth looking at if you are thinking of dropping merch. Pet people love to buy toys and clothing for their dogs.

Apparel

Big clothing brands such as H&M and Zara saw a sharp decline in sales at the begging of 2020 but quickly bounced back better than ever in 2021. Despite the losses in 2020, apparel and accessories sales in the United States are expected to reach $495 Billion in 2023.

Athleisure and activewear brands suffered less of a sales decline in 2020 compared to other apparel categories, decreasing by just 2-3% vs 2019. Consumer interest in health and wellness will continue beyond the pandemic, so demand for athleisure and activewear is expected to be strong in 2021.

Although screen printing on athletic clothing can be challenging, there are ways to work around this and get the perfect print for your athletic merch.

Check Out Apparel Ecommerce Market Size in the US from 2016 to 2021

Health & Wellness

Wellness products saw a 10% increase in sales during 2020 and is predicted to increase an additional 15% in 2021 with a big push toward the end of the year. Wellness items have been on the rise for a few years now but it is predicted to hit all-time highs in 2021.

As global consumers are beginning to focus more on their wellness, products such as yoga mats and candles are among the highest sold items. These are products that can easily be manufactured and printed with your logo, they make great promotional merch!

Tech Gadgets & Accessories

Gadget such as wireless phone charges, wireless headphones, and speakers have been on top of the tech chain when it comes to consumerism. In 2021, it is projected that most people will opt for wireless EVERYTHING.

Charger pads can be a great promotional product to display your company logo or brand name. Brand artwork can be laser printed unto these types of surfaces, making it easy, fast, and affordable.

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The New Normal

Brands and retailers will need to consider how consumer behavior has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many consumers invested time and money in purchasing and learning to use equipment to facilitate fitness, cooking, working, and entertaining from home.

This means that many of the industries that thrived in 2020 could remain elevated above pre-pandemic levels, and at the same time, industries that struggled last year may find their industries have been changed permanently.

Increased remote work may lead to more travel and mobility, and business travel may ramp up, benefiting accessories like luggage and backpacks. The casualization trend that took hold in apparel and footwear last year is likely to remain.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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What Is The Best Ink For Screen Printing?

In screen printing on apparel, there are various techniques and two types of inks that are commonly used, water-based inks and Plastisol inks. So, which one is the best? Well, like many techniques in this field, it depends. In this post, we will compare the two and ultimately give you advice on the best ink for the type of print you are trying to achieve.

What is water-based ink?

Water-based inks are inks made with water instead of plastic or PVC, water-based inks can be split into two primary ingredients which are water and pigment. One of the main features of this type of ink is the fact that it is a more eco-friendly option. Water-based inks soak into the fabric as opposed to sitting on top of the fabric, therefore, making the print smoother and breathable. Water-based inks are better when printing on light-colored cotton, if the design has a lot of details, and if the ideal print has muted colors.

What is plastisol ink?

Plastisol ink is made up PVC particles suspended in a liquid plasticizer, it is very durable, flexible, and is commonly used in apparel printing. Plastisol is thick and opaque and it can be mixed easily to create just about any color imaginable. With plastisol ink, we can create special effects like suede, glow-in-the-dark, glitter, shimmer, or metallic. Plastisol is most commonly used on dark-colored fabrics, and it is ideal when printing designs that are less detailed and very colorful.

Which one is the best?

The best ink depends on what type of print, the fabric, and the design you are trying to accomplish as there as many factors to consider. Below we’ve broken-down the considerations for you to make your choice as well as our opinion.

Softness & Breathability

Water-based inks allow for a lighter and softer print which makes the fabric more breathable and comfortable, while Plastisol tends to be a lot thicker and because it is made up of PVC (or plastic) particles, and the ink sits on top of the fabric, it is less breathable around the printed area.

Color

Plastisol inks allow for more vibrant colors and a more accurate color matching process, especially on darker colored fabrics. Vibrant prints using water-based inks are possible, however, the fabric would need to be a lighter color. Plastisol is considered 100% solid, so every bit of it stays on the fabric when cured.

Durability

While both types of inks are durable, Plastisol ink has the reputation to be the most durable, however, some factors need to be taken into consideration. For example, Plastisol ink is thick and can withstand several washes before fading, although, Plastisol inks tend to crack when exposed to high heat. Water-based inks tend to fade faster with frequent washing.

Versatility

With Plastisol inks, you are able to use a variety of different types of fabrics, other inks, and additives. Water-based ink is best suited for 100% cotton fabrics. Blended textiles are less likely to absorb the water-based ink, although there are some tricks to do this successfully, you will run into a lot of difficulties.

Eco-friendliness

While water-based inks are more eco-friendly, but it’s not by much. Why? Well, water-based inks also contain plastic in the form of acrylics and other binders. they rely on solvents that evaporate, leaving the pigmented binder compounds on the garments. The primary solvent is water, but they often contain co-solvents such as formaldehyde and alcohol. These solvents can be harmful and put you at risk unless you use protective gear to protect you from evaporative fumes. Therefore, the two inks are not that much different when it comes to this issue.

Cost

In most cases, plastisol inks tend to have a lower cost. However, as more people prefer softer prints, water-based inks are becoming more popular and print shops are able to reduce their cost by making large purchases with ink vendors. Therefore, consumer prices may vary from shop to shop.

Based on the criteria above, we believe plastisol inks are ultimately the best option in most cases. It is easier to use, cost-effective, and long-lasting ink. Plastisol is sure to maintain the color and details of the design for a long time.

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Check out T-Shirt Screen Printing Instructions

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For questions, send us an e-mail at quotes@familyindustriesla.com, or give us a call at 323.227.1547 and we'd be happy to help.

If you’d like a quote, contact us!

Our showroom at 2755 Fruitdale Street, Los Angeles, CA 90039 is open by appointment only from 10 am - 4 pm Monday through Friday.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

eCommerce: Apparel Fulfillment Service

Fulfillment for a small clothing brand can be a challenging task, especially if you are receiving hundreds of orders in a single day and you’re competing with larger operations that may have more resources to get the orders out the door faster. In the age of instant gratification, small brands are having a harder time ensuring customer satisfaction when it comes to shipping efficiency. At Family Industries, we offer a solution to all of your fulfillment needs.

How Does It Work?

As a full-service print shop, we feature white-label fulfillment which means we not only print your merch but we also pick, pack, and ship your orders directly to the buyer. We also include any other promotional items such as pins or stickers and branded packaging. This allows you to focus on your business strategy and your creative process to push your sales, while we worry about getting those orders to your customers.

Integrations

We can connect directly to your e-commerce store and sync your product SKUs to begin receiving orders. Integration time may vary and depend on where the e-commerce store is hosted. In most cases, this can be done in a single day.

Invoicing / Restocking

We invoice your monthly for your orders and services, we also track your inventory so re-stocking is easy and we ensure you’re never sold out of your most popular items.

Client Services

We’re always here if you have questions or concerns, our goal is to ensure 100% satisfaction with all the brands we work with. While we don’t directly contact your customers, we are always here to address your concerns.

Shipping & Returns

We offer white-label shipping which means your brand logo, name, address, and phone number will be on the shipping labels as well as any other promotional items included in the package. We simply do the work for you ensuring tracking information is available for your client by alerting them via email.

Benefits of Fulfillment Services

Time

If you’re like most business owners, you have your hands in every aspect of your operation. As you continue to grow your brand, tasks such as shipping become a daily time-consuming chore that must be done in a timely manner. Most start-up brands eventually run into difficulties when it comes to shipping on-time and this also becomes something that can damage your brand and reputation. Not to mention, in order to survive you also need to be constantly innovating to retain those customers, therefore, time becomes of the essence. You will need to dedicate more time designing and/or scaling your business, and for this reason, you will need fulfillment to be done and taken care of in a timely manner.

Space

One of the many pain points of an eCommerce business is inventory and the capacity to store those items. With fulfillment services, you have the freedom to keep as much stock as possible, ensuring that you will not run out of the popular items in your catalog. This also prevents “out of stock” products and diminishes the amount of “stock availability” inquiries from potential buyers.

Shipping Rates

In many cases, fulfillment services will provide you with their negotiated shipping rates. If you’re a brand that is just getting started, chances are, your shipping rates will be high and you don’t have the leverage that some of these bigger companies have with a long record of packages shipped. In order to be able to negotiate a discounted rate, as a business owner, you would need to show the carrier that you have the volume they would like to see in order to offer you those discounts. With fulfillment services, discounted rates are almost always offered and can be highly beneficial economically.

Quality Assurance

Because printing and shipping are done in the same location, the quality of the product tends to be the main priority, and inspections are done prior to drop-shipping. The fulfillment process requires quality checks and ensures your buyers are happy with their purchase.

Re-Stocking

A fulfillment service company will keep track of your inventory and replenish it as needed to ensure you never run out. Restocking is generally done per SKU, calculating sales velocity and production time to ensure restocking is done on time before running out. This calculation can also be adjusted depending on the seasonality and other factors such as special sales days or in preparation for the holidays.

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If you’re thinking about using a fulfillment service, hit us up!



Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

Printing on Athletic Apparel

Athletic and athleisure wear has become more and more popular over recent years, not only because of a more health conscious population but because these types of apparel provides more comfort when going through our day-to-day activities. In this article we’ll take you through the advantages of creating athletic merch for your brand and the challenges that come with printing on this type of material.

What is Athletic wear?

Athletic wear refers to clothing that allows for maximum flexibility and comfort when performing a sport or when working out at a gym. Athletic wear is made up of ultra breathable and moisture wicking fibers to help release sweat outwards which evaporates into the atmosphere. It keeps the body cool in heat and warm in cold.

The Benefits of Moisture-Wicking Fabric in Your Workout Clothes

What is Athleisure Wear?

Athleisure wear is a more common type of fashionable casual and comfortable clothing such as tights or leggings and lightweight tops to keep skin cool while doing every-day activities, walking, or non competitive sports. This type of clothing was born out of the necessity to be comfortable while performing daily activities. It lies at the intersection of activewear and traditional sportswear that was meant as recreational wear designed for daytime or leisure activity.

Read more about What is the Difference Between Athletic wear and Athleisure wear?

How is Printing Done on Athletic Wear?

There are a few ways to print on athletic or athleisure wear that depend on the type of fabrics used to make the garments. Some fabric are easier to work with than others but there is always a way.

We’ll recommend the most common ways we recommend to print on athletic wear or athleisure wear with Pros and Cons.

Design

Because of the nature of athletic fabrics, keeping a design simple can be beneficial if you’re looking to have prints such as your logo or letters. Many brand such as Nike have a simple logo that they can print using a heat press and that also keeps the costs down.

Inks

Ink production technology has kept up with the athletic fabric trend, and there are inks out there that are formulated to address the challenges of printing on synthetic jersey fabrics. If you’re looking to screen print your design, look for low-bleed inks that cure at lower temperatures for longer times. These are made specifically to lessen the effects of dye migration.

Consider Flexibility

Most athletic fabrics have a specific amount of stretch that may make screen printing difficult or not as durable as other print methods. Once you have found the garment, check the material it is made with, that information will dictate which print method is best for your apparel.

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Recommended

PRINT METHODS:

DTG or Direct To Garment Printing

DTG printing method uses a printer with textile inks which allows for faster and low cost production. While this option is the more cost-effective, it is also the lowest quality. This type of textile ink is not durable and depending on the material you are printing on it may look dull and cheap. Additionally, printing on dark clothing using this method is not recommended.

PROS

• Low Setup Costs

CONS

• Low Resolution

• Not Durable

• Not Good For Dark Fabrics

Sublimation Printing

Sublimation is one of the most durable methods you can use if you are printing on polyester fabrics. This method requires applying a liquid dye unto the garment until it has solidified, then heat is applied to then evaporate the solid matter leaving the dye perfectly printed into every thread. This is why this method provides long-lasting quality.

PROS

• Durable

• Creative Freedom to Use Wide Range of Colors and Patterns

CONS

• Limited To Polyester Fabrics

Heat Press Printing

Heat press is the type of printing that is most often used in athletic gear for smaller logos and labels. Heat press uses a specific type of paper that is applied directly unto the garment and then it is pressed using a press. This type of printing is used by brand such as Nike and Adidas. This method has a very sharp and clean look to it.

PRO

• Low Setup Cost

• Sharp Print

CONS

• Quality Control - If done incorrectly, print can easily peel off

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CONCLUSION

If you’d like to print your logo or a smaller design unto a breathable material we suggest to go with heat press printing, this method will result in the most clear print with perfect lines and it’s one of the most affordable options.

If you’d like to have the entire garment printed with an intricate design, we suggest to print using the sublimation method. Sublimation is highly durable and gives you freedom when it comes to colors and design, however, you’re limited to polyester fabrics only.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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Screen Printing Trends of 2022

As the end of 2021 approaches, we are all looking ahead at what is next and what will be the trends driving the apparel industry. Many things have changed or come back in style and in the age of TikTok trends come and go faster than we can keep up with. Here is a summary of what is to come and what is here to stay in apparel printing.

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T-Shirt Styles

We’ve seen a change in the styles and fit of t-shirts. The styles that are most popular right now include t-shirt that are thicker cotton and a more relaxed fit. These are the brands that are hot right now:

1. Comfort Colors 1717 Heavyweight T-Shirt

Comfort Colors 1717 is 100% ring-spun cotton, making this fabric very durable and heavy. This material is comfortable and the style is a relaxed fit and a bit oversize. This style has been very popular in recent years for it’s fit.

2. Bella+Canvas 3001 Classic Unisex T-Shirt

This Bella+Canvas 3001 custom print t-shirt is a modern tee with a crew neck and side-seam construction for durability. Designed with superior airlume-combed and ring-spun cotton, it has a very soft feel and smooth surface which makes it great for direct to garment printing.

3. AS Colour 5001 Staple Tee

The AS Colour 5001 staple t-shirt has a soft and relaxed fit, made from a blend of cottons with a fit that can be worn for any occasion. You can dress it down or dress it up. A true staple for every closet.

GRAPHIC Tees

Vibrant and out-of-the-box graphics are all the rage right now. Streetwear has been front and center in fashion trends and will continue to be in 2022. Bold graphics will help you brand stand out and bring an element of art and design that bigger brands may be missing out on. Incorporating a abstract design to your logo to compliment your brand is a great way to push your brand in the new year.

BRAND Merch

Team shirts or branded company shirts are often used as brand merch or swag for employees. While this is a great way to encourage workplace community, the bar is being raised for 2022.

Swag kits or promo merch boxes are a step above the t-shirt or stationary items. These merch box kits can include a variety of items and the box itself can be branded with your logo and brand colors which makes a great promotional gift for potential clients.

Swag kits are perfect for brands that offer a service, these promo products can improve brand recognition and for your current client it can cement brand loyalty.

Learn more about how branding such as swag boxes can benefit your business.

Screen Printed Pants / Shorts

Where it’s a pattern or a logo, screen printing on pants and shorts are very popular in 2021 and 2022. We see brand such as Stella McCartney with these Beetles inspired printed trousers. We also see smaller streetwear brands playing with this concept in a more fluid way with abstract designs and with logo designs. All-over prints on pants have been quietly emerging from the sub-culture fashion trends in New York City as depicted in this article by Vogue.

Specialty Prints

Specialty prints such as puff prints have had an impact on the new generation. Puff print making a comeback in 2021 has pushed this trend to become a big component of streetwear in 2022. The popularity that this type of printing has reached is exciting for specialty screen printers everywhere.

We partnered with the iconic Amoeba Music in Los Angeles and printed sweatshirts with a vibrant puff ink.

Learn about What Is Puff Ink?

Fulfillment Services

With the rise of online shopping, there is a bigger demand in shorter shipping times. When running a small brand this can feel overwhelming and time consuming when the focus should be on the design for the next drop. This is where auto fulfillment services come into play, premium print shops such as Family Industries offer a fulfillment component to their printing services. Not only do we print and ship, but also offer finishing services which include your own branded tags, branded mailers, and any inserts you would like to include with your apparel.

Fulfillment services have become a necessity for a lot of smaller businesses looking to expand.

Learn more about The Benefits of Fulfillment Services

Have more questions? Check out our video explaining the process of fulfillment.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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Why Spending On Premium Screen Printing Is Worth It

Apparel has definitely become more expensive, and even for simple basic t-shirt the price and expectations of quality have gone up. When delivering quality, as a brand, your focus should be on 100% customer satisfactions. Opting for a cheaper material or cheaper print can cost you credibility and brand loyalty.

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What Is Premium Screen Printing?

Premium screen printing refers to specialty printing shop instead of the print-on-demand companies such as Printful or Zazzle. Premium screen printing includes experts screen printers that will navigate the process for you and deliver top quality prints.

A premium screen printing shop will always have designers on their team to assist with technical design inquiries and be able to help you prepare your artwork for screen printing.

Additionally, premium also refers to the type of garment. A good screen printing shop will offer you a variety of fabric types - of course, this may also vary according to the design and ink needs to achieve the perfect print.

Screen printing creates unique visual outputs when compared to digital printing. The ink for screen printing is absorbed deeper, providing clearer edges to the image. Screen printing ink can also be applied thicker, resulting in long-lasting, brighter and more vibrant colours even on darker shades.

What Are T-Shirt Premium Options?

When it comes to custom t-shirt printing you have a choice of three fabrics — polyester, cotton or blended materials.

1. Comfort Colors 1717 Heavyweight T-Shirt

Comfort Colors 1717 is 100% ring-spun cotton, making this fabric very durable and heavy. This material is comfortable and the style is a relaxed fit and a bit oversize. This style has been very popular in recent years for it’s fit.

Features:

• Relaxed fit and unisex

• 6.1 oz./yd², 100% ring spun cotton, garment-dyed

• Double-needle armhole, sleeve and bottom hems

• Twill taped neck and shoulders for extra durability

• Heavyweight

• 7/8" double-needle topstitched collar

• Pre-shrunk

2. Bella+Canvas 3001 Classic Unisex T-Shirt

This Bella+Canvas 3001 custom print t-shirt is a modern tee with a crew neck and side-seam construction for durability. Designed with superior airlume-combed and ring-spun cotton, it has a very soft feel and smooth surface which makes it great for direct to garment printing.

Features:

• 100% combed and ring-spun cotton

• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping

• Side seamed

• Retail fit and unisex sizing

• Soft and lightweight

• Crew neck

3. AS Colour 5001 Staple Tee

The AS Colour 5001 staple t-shirt has a soft and relaxed fit, made from a blend of cottons with a fit that can be worn for any occasion. You can dress it down or dress it up. A true staple for every closet.

Features:

• 100% combed cotton (heathers 15% viscose)

• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping

• Side seamed

• Regular fit and unisex sizing

• Mid-weight

• Crew neck

What if you’re just getting started?

As a small business, we understand that quality investments matter but funding for those investments can sometimes be tight. If you are at a point where you have to be highly focused on budget, consider simplifying your logo to be a 1 to 2 color print, and keep the design limited to the front of the garment. Not only does this reduce cost, but simple screen printed designs are considered to be more fashionable, which will have your customers reaching for it more often.

Why Not Use On-Demand Apparel Printing?

Print-on-demand can oftentimes be the easiest and cheapest option, however, if you’re looking to build a brand that people trust, this may not be the best option for you.

Control of your merchandise cam often times be lost, you have to trust the printer to do their job properly, but quality control can quickly become overwhelming.

Additionally, order fulfillment can take longer or can be affected by other events such as holiday rush, this is why we always recommend to make orders ahead of launch time to avoid any delays. With a premium print shop, they often times can set you up on a scheduled re-order system.

The main downside of on-demand apparel printing is the loss of control over the quality of the print and the quality of the fabric.

Check Out What Is Print-On-Demand? Pros And Cons Of This Business Model?

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In Conclusion

When launching an apparel brand, the fabric itself should be priority. We believe that choosing premium garments coupled with premium printing will cement the high-quality integrity of your brand and in turn also cement brand loyalty with customers.

If you want your custom t-shirts to market your business effectively, they need to be worn and seen. The only way to ensure that happens is to make a great t-shirt people will want to wear.

Print shops such as Family Industries, are a greatexampleshigh-qualityhigh-qualite of a premium print shop offering high quality printing and high quality service for all clients.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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For any inquiries, send us a message!

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send us an e-mail at quotes@familyindustriesla.com