Customer Spotlight – The Francis Family Reunion
September 15, 2010
For years, ClassB has been known for producing quality custom Boy Scout (and now 4H) t-shirts. What many of you didn’t know is that we also produce quite a lot of t-shirts for family reunions as well.
Our very first customer spotlight brings us a story about the reunion of a very special family. And according to Yvonne, the event coordinator and proud family member, the way they found each other is equally impressive.
“The Francis family reunion was the first reunion of family to be found through genealogy research. The family had originated out of the Hampton Roads area of Virginia in the early 1800’s, so that’s where the event was held.”
“We had a relatively small turn out, approximately 35 attendees, but it was a wonderful event. Finding new family is always fun, and we spent time learning about our family’s history. Attendees and people who were not able to make this one have already asked to have another event next year in Washington, DC. We will be ordering our reunion t-shirts from you guys again next summer!”
The Francis Family ReunionT-shirt Design
New ClassB.com Website Redesign – An Even Better Online Experience
August 18, 2010
It’s not just custom t-shirts we’re creating, we’ve created a new website design too!
This new design will allow you to more easily navigate the site so that you can find exactly what you are looking for – every time.
And if you do happen to run into a problem, our toll-free number and email address is at the top and bottom of every page! As it says, “We love to talk about T-shirts!” So give us a call or send us an email and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
By November 2010, we will be merging our other two custom t-shirt websites, GetYourShirts.com and CloverTees.com, into a single site at the newly redesigned ClassB.com. So this couldn’t have come at a better time.
To celebrate the redesign of our site, we are offering every customer free 9 Day Priority Service until September 17th, 2010. Get your orders in now and take advantage of this awesome offer!
We’re excited about our new design and we encourage all of our visitors to let us know what you think. Take a look at the new ClassB.com and leave a comment here. As always, we’d love to hear what you have to say!
This new design will allow you to more easily navigate the site so that you can find exactly what you are looking for – every time.
And if you do happen to run into a problem, our toll-free number and email address is at the top and bottom of every page! As it says, “We love to talk about T-shirts!” So give us a call or send us an email and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
By November 2010, we will be merging our other two custom t-shirt websites, GetYourShirts.com and CloverTees.com, into a single site at the newly redesigned ClassB.com. So this couldn’t have come at a better time.
To celebrate the redesign of our site, we are offering every customer free 9 Day Priority Service until September 17th, 2010. Get your orders in now and take advantage of this awesome offer!
We’re excited about our new design and we encourage all of our visitors to let us know what you think. Take a look at the new ClassB.com and leave a comment here. As always, we’d love to hear what you have to say!
ClassB Now Using Eco-Friendly Nickel-Zinc Batteries
August 9, 2010
This week, ClassB made another step in its eco-friendly campaign by switching to rechargeable nickel-zinc (NiZn) batteries in all of its AA powered digital equipment.
Both nickel and zinc are naturally occurring elements and are not harmful to our environment. The batteries contain no hazardous or toxic metals/chemicals and are friendly to our ecosystem, should they end up thrown away. Even so, they can be easily and fully recycled, over and over again, and there are currently over 50,000 battery collection sites across the USA and Canada.
NiZn batteries also produce more eco-friendly power! Standard disposable batteries have always produced more power than the rechargeable types (1.5V vs. 1.2V, respectively), but NiZn batteries have rewritten the script, offering 1.6V on a full charge. This means longer charges and better performance.
ClassB will initially be using these batteries in all wireless keyboards, mouses and digital cameras because NiZn batteries are only available in the AA size. However, as NiZn technology advances and more battery sizes become available, we will be switching to those as well.
You can find out more about ClassB’s environmental sustainability plan and the other eco-friendly steps we are taking by visiting our Eco-T Roadmap page.
Quality Control at ClassB
July 27, 2010
At ClassB, we provide our customers with outstanding customer service and cutting-edge artwork – along with a top-quality T-shirt.
But what most people don’t realize is the amount of detailed quality control that goes into each and every T-shirt we send out the door. Whether it’s a single shirt that someone designed with our online design tool, or hundreds of shirts being produced for a huge event, our quality control standards are one in the same.
At ClassB, quality control starts before our customers even place their order. Our customer service representatives make sure that the order can be made available on time, as well as making sure the customer is ordering the right garment, size and fabric for their specific purpose.
Once the order is finalized, it is repeated to the customer, double-checked for accuracy and submitted to our production department.
From there, the order is sent to our art department where it will be given to one of our talented artists, based on their specific skills and expertise. The design is created and then checked for spelling or contextual errors. Once a preliminary design is completed, it is placed on our website for the customer to approve. The artist and our customer service team will work with the customer until the design is exactly what they want.
When the design is complete, it is sent to our production department. But before it is put into production, our production managers determine the best quality ink/garments to use. If they feel that the final product will be faulty with the currently ordered ink, garment or colors, the customer will again be contacted and a decision made.
Then the printing process begins. Quality Control during the production process is taken very seriously. The garments go through their first count and are laid out in printing/size order.
A test print is done prior to full production. The test print will be the time to check for proper design centering on the T-shirt, spelling errors, correct coloring and any design flaws.
The shirts are then printed and counted again. Once dry, the shirts are folded and counted once more. The press is not cleared until the order has been confirmed – in case more need to be printed.
Then the shirts are tagged and boxed up. The shipping address is double-checked and the shirts are then sent out via FedEx, UPS or the USPS.
If the order has taken longer than expected, ClassB will express-ship the order, at no extra charge, to ensure that it gets to the destination on time.ClassB Family Fun Day At Busch Gardens
July 26, 2010
Similar to last year, this summer proved to be another record-breaker for ClassB. As we continued shattering previous records for in-house orders, our employees didn’t skip a beat. Early mornings, late nights and weekend work was the norm as they delivered order after order, on time and complete!
We appreciate, so much, the dedication and hard work that our employees give us every day. Family Fun Day is one of the ways we want to give back to our staff and their families, by taking a break as a company and spending some relaxing time together.
On Saturday, July 17th, ClassB held its very first Family Fun Day Event at Busch Gardens in Tampa for all of our employees and their families.
Admission to the park was free for all attendees and lunch was provided, free of charge, at the Gwazi Pavilion. We were all met at the front door by one of Busch Gardens’ Ambassadors, a beautiful Pink Flamingo that we were all able to meet, pet and get a picture with.
As we all sat down for lunch, we were able to “meet and greet” with our co-workers and their families. There were lots of fun food choices and a frozen dessert to help cool us off.
Then it was “everyone for themselves,” as we all headed out into the Florida sun. We had the rest of the day to enjoy the African themed wildlife areas and take on the awesome thrill rides and roller coasters that Bush Gardens is famous for.
Our Family Fun Day T-shirts
Of course, being a T-shirt company, we wanted to design and print custom T-shirts for our group. The actual design we used can be seen in the photos below, or in this post where we explain how to distribute custom T-shirts to multiple people.
We followed the guidelines in that post and every single shirt made it to the right person!
More ClassB Family Fun Day Photos (click to view larger image):
Above all, this day was about getting our employees and their families together to spend some quality, relaxing and enjoyable time together.
We succeeded.
Our first ClassB Family Fun Day was a huge success. Everyone had a great time and was able to create memories that will last a lifetime.
ClassB Grabs #32 in Tampa Bay’s Fast 50
July 23, 2010
ClassB has been officially recognized as number 32 in the list of the Tampa Bay area’s 50 fastest growing companies!
On Thursday, the Tampa Bay Business Journal held the reputable event in Tampa, where ClassB was awarded the number 32 position. President and CEO, Eric Hilferding attended the annual awards banquet held by the Tampa Bay Business Journal and proudly accepted the prestigious award. Every year, the Tampa Bay Business Journal recognizes and ranks the area’s fastest growing companies based on the percentage of revenue growth from the previous three years, and we hope to make the list again next year.
It’s All About Our Customer
ClassB has experienced steady and solid growth over the last several years and continues to gain momentum by strategically expanding its customer base and client partnerships.We firmly believe that our growth has been the direct result of our extraordinary customer service, quality-focused employees and an overall exceptional customer experience. ClassB has always provided unsurpassed customer service along with cutting-edge graphic T-shirt design. And now the Tampa Bay area business community knows it too!
Our responsible and highly talented staff is what makes us successful. They thoroughly take to heart our ethical standards, eco-friendly practices, quality control guidelines and the idea that our customers deserve the treatment that we would want for ourselves. These are the things that ClassB stands for.
Our focus, simply put, is on creating a happy customer. And we’re so convinced that our customers are genuinely happy, that we publish all customer testimonials right on the front page of our website.
Above all, we know that without our dedicated and loyal customers, we would not have received this distinguished award. Without our customers, there would be no ClassB. So thank you all so very much. Your support has been nothing short of outstanding.
Added 7/27/2010: Link to official event photos and information.
ClassB Tours Florida’s Camp La-No-Che
July 15, 2010
This Tuesday, several of our talented artists and customer service representatives got the chance to visit one of the most impressive Scout camping facilities in the Southeastern United States. Located just a few miles north of Orlando, Camp La-No-Che sits discreetly within the 1,627 acre Leonard & Marjorie Williams Family Scout Reservation on the outskirts of the small town of Paisley, Florida.
Camp La-No-Che is jam-packed with tons of fun and adventure, and provides scouts from all over the World the opportunity to earn merit badges, work on first year and older scouting programs, Adventure Camp, Attraction Trek (visiting local area attractions and theme parks) and much more. There is so much to see and do that even an entire week is hardly enough time to get it all in. In fact, I think there is more to do at Camp La-No-Che than at any other camp I have ever had the opportunity to visit.
We jumped at the chance to tour the camp because we knew it would give our staff the chance to understand exactly what camp is about and see, first hand, what the Scouts do. Our idea is that the more our staff understands Scouting and can experience what the Scouts do, the better we can serve them.
Our tour started out at the main gate, right outside the Camp Office. We met up with Matthew, one of the camp’s Assistant Directors. Matthew was a great tour guide who was full of information about the camp – and scouting in general. He gave us a quick history lesson about the camp, laid down a few rules, and we were off on our way.
The first part of the tour took us through the Shooting Sports area. As we got closer, a new rifle shooting class was getting started and before we knew it, it sounded like we were in the middle of an Old-West shoot out. At the same time, a trap shooting lesson was going on in the shotgun range. While all this shooting made me a bit nervous at first, my worry turned to relief as Matthew explained the extensive amount of safety training and security that the boys receive while participating in the shooting activities.
As we moved along the path and were finally able to take our fingers out of our ears, we arrived at the archery range. While much quieter, it was just as interesting to watch. The Archery Leader even spent a few minutes explaining compound bows vs. regular bows and the different requirements the Scouts needed to achieve in order to earn their archery merit badge.
Then it was off to the actual campgrounds where the troops reside. The first thing that stood out to me was how clean the campsite was. I mean REALLY clean. That’s when Matthew explained the, “Leave No Trace,” motto that is posted at every campsite and practiced by all the campers. It means that each camper will “leave no trace” that they were ever there – by picking up after themselves and keeping the area as pristine and intact as it was when they arrived.
After seeing the campsites, we continued along the path and came upon one of the many education areas at the camp, where Leaders can teach and the Scouts can gain requirements for their merit badges. There were several small shelters, each with a table, chairs, and an area for supplies. As we walked through the area, there were three separate groups of Scouts being trained on different points of Scouting. The area is also used for Handicraft activities and all-around instruction and education.
Camp La-No-Che provides the kids with a high dose of education on the native American Indian tribes and their cultures as well. This became obvious as Matthew led us into a large, open area with teepees, drying deerskin, a traditional Indian dance circle and several small man-made huts. It was amazing how cool it was inside the teepees and the other small huts considering they’re made with nothing but the surrounding natural wood, earth and palm leaves…very cool.
The history and culture that the kids are learning at La-No-Che is very impressive. Alongside the teepees and other fun activities in the American Indian area lies the camp’s American Indian Museum. We were able to quickly walk through the museum – there was a class going on at the time – and saw some really nice and well-preserved artifacts from the local native American Indian tribes. There were also several scale models of other tribes, their cultures and habitats.
Over a small hill and down a short path, we made it to the swimming pool area. La-No-Che is home to a large, multi-lane, olympic-sized pool, complete with a diving board and diving area. The pool is staffed with certified lifeguards and is thoroughly cleaned every other day. The pool is also home to several classes, including swimming, snorkeling and scuba. According to Matthew, it becomes so crowded sometimes that they are now planning on building a second, even larger pool right next to the existing pool. I’m not surprised, though – it can get pretty hot and humid in the Florida summertime. A dip in the pool was starting sound like a good idea to me too!
After taking a breather and cooling off a bit at the pool pavilion, we proceeded toward our next stop, the Ecology Lodge. This is where all of the environmental learning programs are conducted at Camp La-No-Che. Also in the Ecology Lodge is an area where they house exhibits of local plants and animals that are native to the Central Florida area. Live snakes, lizards, turtles, insects and plants were all on display as well as snake skins, educational material and even an alligator head.
The campers are encouraged to use not only the lodge, but the “960 acre classroom” that makes up their environment during their weeklong stay at La-No-Che. Environmental education and preservation are huge topics that are constantly instilled and demonstrated to the campers.
After we got our full dose of Florida Ecology, which was very interesting for all of us, we headed toward the Florida Hospital Health Lodge. One of the only air-conditioned buildings on the camp grounds, this impressive facility houses a licensed EMT and/or Registered Nurse at all times. It has a waiting room, a nurses office, two examination rooms and a small apartment/kitchen for the residing nurse or EMT. Toward the back of the building are an isolation room and a 6 bed “hospital” where kids can rest and cool down until they are feeling better or until they need to leave camp.
Needless to say, all of this touring made us all pretty hungry. Fortunately our next stop was the Dining Hall and lunch! We all received a lunch tray, which included ham or turkey wraps, chips and applesauce, but what really impressed me were the two salad bars, PB&J station and unlimited soft drinks, water, juice and tea that were available. These kids certainly won’t have a problem being hungry.
And with that, our tour of camp La-No-Che came to an end.
We got to ask Matthew a few more questions and we said our goodbyes. But not until we were all presented with a commemorative 100 year anniversary Camp La-No-Che Scouting patch. Thanks Matthew!
I have to say that I was extremely impressed with Camp La-No-Che. There are so many activities for the campers to participate in and so much for them to do. If I were 14 years old again and was able to go to camp for a week, I wouldn’t hesitate to make it Camp La-No-Che. It was clean, well-kept, the staff was very courteous and professional and the kids were well-behaved. All around, it was an awesome experience.
All of us had a really great time and we appreciate the Camp La-No-Che staff for allowing us to come in and tour their facilities. Now that they have seen it with their own eyes, our staff has a much better understanding of the scouts and what goes on at scouting camp. We trust that this will allow us to provide the Scouting community with even better custom t-shirts.
If anyone else has had a chance to visit Camp La-No-Che, or if you plan on going there soon, post a comment below asking any questions you may have, or let us know about your own experience!
Click here to post a comment or question!
Camp La-No-Che is jam-packed with tons of fun and adventure, and provides scouts from all over the World the opportunity to earn merit badges, work on first year and older scouting programs, Adventure Camp, Attraction Trek (visiting local area attractions and theme parks) and much more. There is so much to see and do that even an entire week is hardly enough time to get it all in. In fact, I think there is more to do at Camp La-No-Che than at any other camp I have ever had the opportunity to visit.
We jumped at the chance to tour the camp because we knew it would give our staff the chance to understand exactly what camp is about and see, first hand, what the Scouts do. Our idea is that the more our staff understands Scouting and can experience what the Scouts do, the better we can serve them.
Our tour started out at the main gate, right outside the Camp Office. We met up with Matthew, one of the camp’s Assistant Directors. Matthew was a great tour guide who was full of information about the camp – and scouting in general. He gave us a quick history lesson about the camp, laid down a few rules, and we were off on our way.
The first part of the tour took us through the Shooting Sports area. As we got closer, a new rifle shooting class was getting started and before we knew it, it sounded like we were in the middle of an Old-West shoot out. At the same time, a trap shooting lesson was going on in the shotgun range. While all this shooting made me a bit nervous at first, my worry turned to relief as Matthew explained the extensive amount of safety training and security that the boys receive while participating in the shooting activities.
As we moved along the path and were finally able to take our fingers out of our ears, we arrived at the archery range. While much quieter, it was just as interesting to watch. The Archery Leader even spent a few minutes explaining compound bows vs. regular bows and the different requirements the Scouts needed to achieve in order to earn their archery merit badge.
Then it was off to the actual campgrounds where the troops reside. The first thing that stood out to me was how clean the campsite was. I mean REALLY clean. That’s when Matthew explained the, “Leave No Trace,” motto that is posted at every campsite and practiced by all the campers. It means that each camper will “leave no trace” that they were ever there – by picking up after themselves and keeping the area as pristine and intact as it was when they arrived.
After seeing the campsites, we continued along the path and came upon one of the many education areas at the camp, where Leaders can teach and the Scouts can gain requirements for their merit badges. There were several small shelters, each with a table, chairs, and an area for supplies. As we walked through the area, there were three separate groups of Scouts being trained on different points of Scouting. The area is also used for Handicraft activities and all-around instruction and education.
Camp La-No-Che provides the kids with a high dose of education on the native American Indian tribes and their cultures as well. This became obvious as Matthew led us into a large, open area with teepees, drying deerskin, a traditional Indian dance circle and several small man-made huts. It was amazing how cool it was inside the teepees and the other small huts considering they’re made with nothing but the surrounding natural wood, earth and palm leaves…very cool.
The history and culture that the kids are learning at La-No-Che is very impressive. Alongside the teepees and other fun activities in the American Indian area lies the camp’s American Indian Museum. We were able to quickly walk through the museum – there was a class going on at the time – and saw some really nice and well-preserved artifacts from the local native American Indian tribes. There were also several scale models of other tribes, their cultures and habitats.
Then it was onward to what is probably the most popular part of the camp for the kids, the Phillip Starr Waterfront at Lake Norris – aka. the lake!
Over a small hill and down a short path, we made it to the swimming pool area. La-No-Che is home to a large, multi-lane, olympic-sized pool, complete with a diving board and diving area. The pool is staffed with certified lifeguards and is thoroughly cleaned every other day. The pool is also home to several classes, including swimming, snorkeling and scuba. According to Matthew, it becomes so crowded sometimes that they are now planning on building a second, even larger pool right next to the existing pool. I’m not surprised, though – it can get pretty hot and humid in the Florida summertime. A dip in the pool was starting sound like a good idea to me too!
After taking a breather and cooling off a bit at the pool pavilion, we proceeded toward our next stop, the Ecology Lodge. This is where all of the environmental learning programs are conducted at Camp La-No-Che. Also in the Ecology Lodge is an area where they house exhibits of local plants and animals that are native to the Central Florida area. Live snakes, lizards, turtles, insects and plants were all on display as well as snake skins, educational material and even an alligator head.
The campers are encouraged to use not only the lodge, but the “960 acre classroom” that makes up their environment during their weeklong stay at La-No-Che. Environmental education and preservation are huge topics that are constantly instilled and demonstrated to the campers.
After we got our full dose of Florida Ecology, which was very interesting for all of us, we headed toward the Florida Hospital Health Lodge. One of the only air-conditioned buildings on the camp grounds, this impressive facility houses a licensed EMT and/or Registered Nurse at all times. It has a waiting room, a nurses office, two examination rooms and a small apartment/kitchen for the residing nurse or EMT. Toward the back of the building are an isolation room and a 6 bed “hospital” where kids can rest and cool down until they are feeling better or until they need to leave camp.
Needless to say, all of this touring made us all pretty hungry. Fortunately our next stop was the Dining Hall and lunch! We all received a lunch tray, which included ham or turkey wraps, chips and applesauce, but what really impressed me were the two salad bars, PB&J station and unlimited soft drinks, water, juice and tea that were available. These kids certainly won’t have a problem being hungry.
And with that, our tour of camp La-No-Che came to an end.
We got to ask Matthew a few more questions and we said our goodbyes. But not until we were all presented with a commemorative 100 year anniversary Camp La-No-Che Scouting patch. Thanks Matthew!
I have to say that I was extremely impressed with Camp La-No-Che. There are so many activities for the campers to participate in and so much for them to do. If I were 14 years old again and was able to go to camp for a week, I wouldn’t hesitate to make it Camp La-No-Che. It was clean, well-kept, the staff was very courteous and professional and the kids were well-behaved. All around, it was an awesome experience.
All of us had a really great time and we appreciate the Camp La-No-Che staff for allowing us to come in and tour their facilities. Now that they have seen it with their own eyes, our staff has a much better understanding of the scouts and what goes on at scouting camp. We trust that this will allow us to provide the Scouting community with even better custom t-shirts.
If anyone else has had a chance to visit Camp La-No-Che, or if you plan on going there soon, post a comment below asking any questions you may have, or let us know about your own experience!
Click here to post a comment or question!
Supporting the Troops, ClassB style
January 12, 2010
Bob Williams a.k.a. 'Uncle Bob'
The early birds arrived at Bob’s warehouse and listened to stories in his office. He told us of his experience as a sailor, how he started these successful efforts, and the luxuries of being in America.
It was an eye-opener to ponder on what my day-to-day life would be like without access to hot water or toiletries. It made me realize that my everyday conveniences were luxuries the troops yearned for while overseas. Bob, who I view as a noble man with these everyday acts of selflessness, makes a world of difference in these troops lives.
When everyone from ClassB arrived, Bob gave us the grand tour of his entire warehouse (which is a lot bigger than it appears). Bob receives donations from everywhere. He has coffee, flossers, toothbrushes, pens, paper, cookies, DVDs, candy, cigars, and even Wii consoles!
Some donated snacks
See the Wii?
Cigar Humidors
On the tour
Bob also told us that he doesn’t just send things that are donated. He makes an honest effort to get troops items they specifically ask for or what he feels they need. He has sent spotlights, flashlights, knives, and even red dot scopes. It seemed weird to me at first, but then I realized that these items were practical.
Bob told us the gifts have more of an impact than any of us know. He related a story about how a Beanie Baby saved Marines from certain death. They were trying to pass over a bridge, but there was a little girl playing in the middle with a Beanie Baby. They got out to talk to her and get her out of the way, only to realize that she was playing near a land mine. She saved their lives.
Another story Bob told us was more on the humorous side. Bob has a lot of cigar humidors in his warehouse. He sends them to the troops to give as gifts to leaders. Bob received a letter asking him to be careful about sending them; apparently, an Iraqi leader was so impressed with this gift, that he tried to give his daughter away in return. Again, the things Bob sends have more of an impact that any of us know, including Bob.
Gregg, leader of the bagger people
The cart we used to tote care bags
Sisco making boxes for the care bags
The finished boxes, ready to be shipped
After the tour, we began to make the care packages. We divided ourselves up into three groups: baggers, runners, and boxers.
Baggers, using the assembly line method, filled 1-gallon Ziploc bags with candy, tooth brushes, thank you cards, and other various items on the table. Runners went back and forth between the tables taking empty boxes to be recycled and replacing the box with either the same item, or a similar one from storage on the second floor. Boxers took the cart full of finished bags and boxed them. We fit about 25 bags into each box.
Two other groups came in to help out, which made everything a lot quicker. All-in-all, I would have to say that ClassB successfully filled 50+ boxes. That’s at least 1,250 bags, and at least 1,250 troops lives we made a difference in.
One of many 'thank you' notes Bob has. Thank you Uncle Bob!
Stickers livened up the boxes with patriotic statements
Look how fast Eddie is moving to get things done!
We made sure these bags were packed with love!
We want to thank Bob Williams for including ClassB in his efforts. While he will never turn down a helping hand for donations to the troops, what Bob really needs is help with postage. Donate to his cause here. Thank you for supporting the troops!
The Paper Trail: Todays Paper is Tomorrows Insulation
January 11, 2010
Sarah making boxes for employee work stations. Notice the recycled paper boxes!
Going green can sometimes be easier than you think. We have taken small steps that have made a huge impact, not only within our company, but also in our community.
Almost every item used within ClassB is reused, reduced or recycled. One of those items is paper. Every piece is recycled and where it takes its final resting place is very interesting.
The coolest part about the paper recycling is that the school we donate it to makes money because of it! Makes money? Yes, MONEY! The process goes down like this:
- We save up all the paper that would normally be thrown in the garbage. This includes magazines, catalogs and phone books.
- Once we have a good amount, we take it to West Zephyrhills Elementary School where its placed in Green Fiber’s dumpster on their campus.
- Green Fiber then picks up the paper at no charge and gives credit to the school for it.
- Green Fiber takes all the paper to one of their processing plants and processes it into insulation for homes and businesses.
Everyone at ClassB is so excited about this new way we are recycling paper. Everyone is doing their part to help. All employees have a recycle box at their work station. This new process will allow us to never have to place another piece of paper in the garbage again.
WHAT IS GREEN FIBER?
Green Fiber Is a company that takes waste paper and recycles it into insulation for homes & businesses across the country. Considering the U.S. being one of the largest paper consumers in the world, it’s comforting to that know in the end it will not be in a landfill.
One ton of recycled paper saves 17 trees, saves 3.3 cubic yards of landfill, and saves 4,000 kW of energy. That is a lot of space and energy saved.
The insulation that Green Fiber produces from the recycled paper is environmentally friendly, safe, and energy efficient. Get more information from Green Fiber’s website at www.greenfiber.com.
Written by Charlotte Suter
Single T-shirt Orders Now Possible! Thanks, digital printing!
December 21, 2009
Customers have been asking for quite some time about single t-shirt orders. Thanks to digital printing, we can now fill those requests! What makes these t-shirt different from our other screen printed t-shirts? A lot of things are different! Depending on your preferences, some are good, others not so good:
With this new process the turnaround is much quicker, at least half the time of screen printed shirts. We want to decrease the turnaround time until we are printing and shipping in 24 hours (It’s one of our New Year’s Resolutions).
In comparison to screen printing, digital printing costs much less when ordering less than 10 shirts. Of course, we are always looking for ways to save our customers as much money as possible. With digital printing, we can also achieve a higher level of detail than with screen printing. This is great because we can now produce more complex designs!
As is in our screen printed shirts, the colors look great in digitally printed shirts. But, place the two side-by-side, one will look better than the other. These two processes differ so greatly from each other that getting identical results is impossible. The texture of a digital printed shirt is smoother and flatter than that of a screen printed shirt. This can be good or bad. When we print on white or very light shirts, we cannot use an under-base. This leaves the print sinking into the garment a bit. Its not a major issue, though.
Samples were sent out to customers to find out what people thought of the new process. Customers received a screen printed t-shirt and a digital printed t-shirt of the same design. This was done, primarily, to answer the question: “Is it as good as screen printing?” Most people liked the digital print, but felt it was not quite as good as screen printing. Less than 10% felt the digital print was bad.
Some ink colors cannot be reproduced: glow-in-the-dark, metallic inks, suede texture, fluorescent inks. For now, the online ordering system is not aware of this limitation. Don’t worry, we are working on fixing this issue. We will call you if there is a concern. Also, digital prints do not launder as well as screen printing. Washing and drying your shirt with hot water and high heat with rough texture cloths, like jeans, will tear up the image a bit. Doing that multiple times will result in the print looking horribly peeled after about 10 washings.
We are happy with being able to offer something that comes this close to screen printing. As technology improves, we hope to get the process so perfect no one can tell the difference.
To ramp up production we are limiting the single t-shirt orders to S110 (100% cotton t-shirts only).
You want to order? Make your design, and then click the ‘order t-shirts with this design’. Click the left hand ‘pick garment sizes’ button. Prices are $18.95 for a one-sided print and 26.95 for a two-sided print. Both come with unlimited ink colors. Shipping is free if you order over $50.
With this new process the turnaround is much quicker, at least half the time of screen printed shirts. We want to decrease the turnaround time until we are printing and shipping in 24 hours (It’s one of our New Year’s Resolutions).
In comparison to screen printing, digital printing costs much less when ordering less than 10 shirts. Of course, we are always looking for ways to save our customers as much money as possible. With digital printing, we can also achieve a higher level of detail than with screen printing. This is great because we can now produce more complex designs!
As is in our screen printed shirts, the colors look great in digitally printed shirts. But, place the two side-by-side, one will look better than the other. These two processes differ so greatly from each other that getting identical results is impossible. The texture of a digital printed shirt is smoother and flatter than that of a screen printed shirt. This can be good or bad. When we print on white or very light shirts, we cannot use an under-base. This leaves the print sinking into the garment a bit. Its not a major issue, though.
Samples were sent out to customers to find out what people thought of the new process. Customers received a screen printed t-shirt and a digital printed t-shirt of the same design. This was done, primarily, to answer the question: “Is it as good as screen printing?” Most people liked the digital print, but felt it was not quite as good as screen printing. Less than 10% felt the digital print was bad.
Some ink colors cannot be reproduced: glow-in-the-dark, metallic inks, suede texture, fluorescent inks. For now, the online ordering system is not aware of this limitation. Don’t worry, we are working on fixing this issue. We will call you if there is a concern. Also, digital prints do not launder as well as screen printing. Washing and drying your shirt with hot water and high heat with rough texture cloths, like jeans, will tear up the image a bit. Doing that multiple times will result in the print looking horribly peeled after about 10 washings.
We are happy with being able to offer something that comes this close to screen printing. As technology improves, we hope to get the process so perfect no one can tell the difference.
To ramp up production we are limiting the single t-shirt orders to S110 (100% cotton t-shirts only).
You want to order? Make your design, and then click the ‘order t-shirts with this design’. Click the left hand ‘pick garment sizes’ button. Prices are $18.95 for a one-sided print and 26.95 for a two-sided print. Both come with unlimited ink colors. Shipping is free if you order over $50.