This week on 2 Regular Guys, Aaron takes you inside the recent Kornit Konnections event with exclusive interviews from several large print shops sharing what they’re seeing in the decorated apparel industry right now. From changing customer expectations to new ways shops are creating value, these conversations offer a real-world snapshot of where the market stands today. Aaron also shares his biggest takeaways from the event, trends that could shape the future, and what apparel decorators of every size should be paying attention to now. If you want insight straight from the people doing the work and a practical look at where the industry may be heading next, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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News

If you have anything newsworthy you would like us to share, please email details to info@2regularguys.com. Use the subject line “Weekly News.”

https://youtu.be/aOt7ui715OI

Dad Joke

Aaron: My wife said quilts are better than duvets.

I said you’d better be careful making blanket statements like that.

What Top Print Shops See Coming Next

Thank Kornit for the invitation and hospitality. Was a beautiful place – Hollywood, FL

Impressed by the collaboration – Got to talk to several SuperGamut customers as well – They are solutions providers, not DTF v DTG v Screen etc.

Shout out to Justin and Jay from RIP Print. Working on having them on the show soon

Draymond John – Shark Tank – Agility. Saying Yes and Figuring it out. Had an awesome idea, but I’ll save that for folks in my free Facebook Group. OSG.link/group

Stand Outs

Overview: As you heard in the news segment with WIN last week, Kornit Digital just acquired PrintFactory, the workflow and automation platform. This was a theme.

Saw a take from MerchTroop in CA that feels spot on. They said:

The industry is quietly shifting from a “who has the biggest press” business to a “who has the tightest system” business. Ten years ago, capacity was the advantage. Today, it’s workflow — how fast a shop can quote, proof, schedule, print, and ship.

That was the theme of this event: Agility!

Faster turnarounds, smaller minimums, and more real-time visibility into orders.

MerchTropp said in their Facebook post – it means the competition isn’t the embroiderer across town — it’s any decorator who has built a real operating system behind the scenes.

One of the main slides in the opening talk from the Kornit CEO – Said Agility is not a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have.

This slide also stuck out to me with real-world applications for our listeners:

First, discovery has moved to social media. – The slide says 38% of people discover fashion brands through social platforms. That means customers are not waiting to search for brands anymore. Brands are finding them in Instagram feeds, TikTok videos, Facebook posts, and YouTube content. For decorators, this means your customers need branded content, not just branded products.

Second, engagement is happening daily. – Around 50% of U.S. consumers use social media every day. That means brands now have an ongoing relationship opportunity. It is no longer about one campaign or one catalog. People are interacting constantly. Shops that help customers stay visible with merch drops, seasonal campaigns, creator programs, or event apparel become more valuable partners.

Third, conversion follows online. The slide says successful fashion brands get 30 to 50% of their online sales through these efforts. In other words, attention can quickly translate into revenue when the systems are connected. Someone sees content, gets interested, clicks a link, and buys right away.

If you are an apparel decorator, promo distributor, or print shop, you are not just selling shirts anymore. You are helping customers fuel a marketing engine. Fast turn times, small runs, personalization, ecommerce integrations, and trend-responsive production matter more than ever.

The strongest companies in our space can no longer live by Terry’s minimum standard – Do Good Work and Deliver on time! Our role is to help our customers generate demand.

Also, they had this big poster board where attendees wrote the things keeping them up at night. I think there is a gold mine of information in this that the regulators can take away:

First takeaway: You are not alone. Many shop owners think their worries are unique. They are not. Across the industry, people are dealing with the same pressure points. Sometimes knowing that helps reduce stress and creates perspective.

Second takeaway: Focus on what you can control. You cannot control tariffs, politics, or the economy. You can control customer experience, internal systems, training, pricing, communication, and speed of response.

Third takeaway: Uncertainty creates opportunity. When markets feel shaky, customers want trusted partners. Shops that become reliable, proactive, and easy to work with often grow during uncertain times.

Fourth takeaway: AI is not the enemy; ignorance is. Several people mentioned AI. The smart move is not fear or blind hype. It is learning practical uses now: quoting, customer service drafts, art ideation, workflow help, and marketing content.

Fifth takeaway: Relevance is the real battle. One attendee wrote relevance, and that may be the most important word on the board. If you stay useful to customers, keep solving current problems, and adapt to what matters now, you stay in the game.

What struck me most is that nobody wrote embroidery tension, DTF/DTG head clogs, screen making or pretreat settings. They wrote economy, labor, sales, relevance, and uncertainty. That tells us the next level of success in this industry is less about machines and more about leadership. But you look at the education at some of the other shows, and the How To classes are always full, yet the leadership and mindset classes are not. Its why so many shops struggle.

The businesses that sleep best in the next few years won’t be the ones with no problems. They’ll be the ones with the best habits for handling them.

The Secret Sauce

We serve up bite-sized tips for our #regulators to instantly spice up their decorated apparel business. Just like the perfect wing sauce, these quick tips can transform your business experience, adding flavor and depth to your operations. Each video in this playlist is a nugget of wisdom, carefully selected for its potential to bring immediate value to your work. So, whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting started in the decorated apparel industry, dip into our ‘Secret Sauce’ for insights that can help you soar.