Feel like you missed out on the t-shirt contest? You can still be a part of our Screen Printers Documentary “Record” read more

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Keep up the awesome!

3 Different Ways to get Involved:

1) Sign.

Sign the petition to make May 2nd, National Screen Printing Day (click the orange link to the right). We’re taking this straight to congress and we won’t give up until it happens, but we need your help. Once you’ve signed it, spread the word. We live in the time of the social network, it’s easy to share.

2) Enter.

Enter your design for the first official national screen printing day t-shirt print. On May 2nd, 2012 printers all over the world will be printing the winning design to show pride in their industry.

Important things to know:

• It must be a one-color design so be creative!
• You have from now until April 15th, 2012 to submit you entry to ryonetpromos@gmail.com with Subject: DESIGN ENTRY
• On April 16th all qualifying entries will be posted at www.Facebook.com/silkscreeningsupplies in one album.
• The design that gets the most likes by April 27th, 2012 will be selected as the official design for the first ever National Screen printing Day.
• Official rules are listed below.

3) Record.

Record your life as a screen Printer. Why you ask? Because we’re going to make a documentary about you. About what it’s like to be a screen printer. We want to show the world who the people are behind that shirt they’re wearing. How these people live their life, how they feel about their profession, hobby, love, passion and frustrations. We want to make it as human as possible, showing your life and how screen printing fits into it. But here’s the kicker: you’re going to film it. There’s no way we could spend enough time in enough shops to get a real feeling for who you are. That’s why we need you. Grab whatever video camera you have and film your screen-printing lives. It doesn’t have to be professional, just real. We want to know about you, what makes you tick as a printer and a person. Our goal after that is to have the film premier at South By Southwest next year in Austin Texas. After that we will sell copies of the film at an extremely affordable price and donate the proceeds to a screen-printing related charity. This is all about promoting our industry and we need your help.

Important things to know:

• You have from now until the end of June 2012 to submit.
• To submit, upload it onto YouTube and then send a link to ryonetpromos@gmail.com with Subject: RECORD
• This could be really cool so we hope that a lot of you choose to participate, because we can’t do it without you!
• Official rules are listed below.

“Ryonet works hard to be the leader with screen printing supplies, equipment and education. We’re excited to work with a company that has the same passion and support for sublimation”, says Ryonet CEO and founder Ryan Moor, “We know our customers will be in good hands. Conde has access to more products and has dedicated sales, training and support teams to service customers’ sublimation needs.”

Ryonet is also excited to work with Conde to reach its current customer base and provide solutions for training, equipment supplies and support in the screen printing field. “The sublimation business and screen printing business are so similar… we are excited to collaborate and offer both of our customers more options and better support in both spaces”, says Moor.

Ryonet customers will receive a 10% discount on their first order of substrates with Conde! This offer is only available with phone orders, call: 1-800-826-6332 and be sure to mention Ryonet.

If you’re currently a sublimation customer with Ryonet or interested in getting into sublimation, simply visit the Conde company website: www.conde.com.  To set up an account with Conde email them directly: saleshelp@conde.com or call Conde at: 800-826-6332 (select option 1).

If you have any questions regarding this new partnership feel free to email support@ryonet.com

Ryonet’s new address is: 12303 NE 56th Street, Vancouver, WA 98682

The new facility is nearly 40,000 square feet of office, classroom, warehouse and manufacturing space. This larger location will allow for expansion in many areas—additional team members, an increase in product inventory and a more accommodating training space for Ryonet’s Screen Printing Academy students.

Moor reflects on the company’s journey from their first location, “This is our third move… We started out in a pole barn and a guesthouse. Our first move was into a much bigger pole barn attached to a house, then into a standup, which we thought we’d never outgrow because it was so big! This third move is our biggest by far… I would have never thought (in the first pole barn) that enough people would be into screen printing to fill such a large building plus two other large warehouses in California and Arkansas. This is such a great industry and we’ve only just begun.”

In true Ryonet fashion Moor and the team are already looking ahead—there is a vacant lot next door, the perfect spot to expand!

PR Release-Ryonet’s New Headquarters

Quick Response codes, or QR codes, have evolved as a popular and efficient way for businesses to interact with customers. Learn how simple they are to include in your promotional strategy. They are easy to create and perfect for screen printing.

How does a QR code work? This type of code is a black and white image with an encoded URL that acts as a barcode. These barcodes can be scanned and read by mobile devices (smart phones) and provide instant information — usually promotional in nature.

Creating a QR Code
Generating a QR code is simple and can be accomplished in the following easy steps:

• Do a simple Google search for “QR code generator” and select one of the many sites available for creating QR codes. Most sites have a short, step-by-step process that you can follow.

• You will be prompted to enter the URL that you want associated with your QR code.

• Download the code image.

• Vectorize the code image in a program such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW. This sharpens the image, ensuring proper size and quality for your print.

• QR codes are great for the front image on a garment. They also are perfect to use for product details on tags or on the inside of garments.

Printing the QR Code
Print the QR code to a screen as you would any other image. Print the QR code image onto garments or promotional material. Be sure to use ink with a matte finish, as QR codes do not print well with reflective inks. Remember, there’s nothing wrong with getting creative and having fun with these easy-to-print, yet highly useful codes.

What, Why and When?

In 2008, the CPSC enacted a ruling limiting the Lead and Phthalate content in all Childrens’ products. They have defined these products as anything designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger.  It is a response to the massive recalls issued in recent years due to of lead contamination, primarily from overseas toy manufacturers. This, in turn, impacted the garment industry as well. The act has created more stringent guidelines and tracking rules for any garment marketed to those 12 and under. At that time, Lead limits were set to be 100 ppm by 2011 and Phthalates DEHP, DBP, DINP, DIDP, DnOP and BBP were limited to less than .1 %.

In response many ink and embellishment manufacturers took it upon themselves to become compliant with the new regulations. Thus the Phthalate free plastisol inks were born along with child safe rhinestones and water base inks.

Now it is 2012 and regulations go into enforcement. What does this mean to you the garment embellisher? You are considered to be the manufacturer if you embellish the blank good in any way.  This means you will be responsible for testing and tracking of said garments.

There are several new regulations and rules to navigate.

• All garments for children under the age of 12 will be required to be tested at an independent accredited lab for lead content. Some products may be exempt or excused from the lead limits if the component containing lead is inaccessible. This refers to any button, zipper, vinyl, ink or rhinestone added to the garment must meet lead ppm restrictions of 100 ppm.
• You will then be required to provide a “General Conformity Certificate” to certify the test was done and the garment is compliant. There are several placed throughout the US. Each item added to the garment would need to be tested. (The garment itself and the dyes within it are exempt from testing).
• All garments for children under the age of 3 will be required to not only test for lead but for Phthalates as well.

**You can find testing lab data, tracking label information and additional specifics for the new regulations at our Screen Printing Learning Library at: www.support.silkscreeningsupplies.com