FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 13, 2004

SGIA Launches Garment Decorators Group

Fairfax, Virginia -- SGIA’s Board of Directors emerged from its July meeting with new voice for garment decorators. The Garment Decorators Group will provide networking and information resources, and will coordinate SGIA services of special interest to garment decorators.

“SGIA has a strong level of commitment to garment decorators,” says SGIA President Michael Robertson. “We’ve demonstrated that commitment frequently, but never so much as in the past few years. Since 2002, we’ve dramatically increased the support services we offer garment decorators, and we’re ready for the next step to support this important industry sector.”

Among the benefits added specifically for the garment decorating community is the Garment Decorators Resource Center on SGIA.org, which includes “Ask Dr. Print,” SGIA-exclusive pricing software, the SGIA Artist Registry and online tutorials for PhotoShop and CorelDRAW® special effects applications.

The Garment Decorators Group will function as a division of SGIA, under the Association umbrella. SGIA members may join the group at no extra charge, says Robertson.

“Garment decorators will benefit from a stronger sense of community. The differences between the graphics community and the garment community have been heightened somewhat by the rapid changes brought on by digital imaging.”

In the upcoming months, SGIA will aggressively promote this new division with a garment-specific e-newsletter, a Garments Decorators Group planning session at SGIA ’04 (Minneapolis, October 6­9) and on the West Coast early in 2005, and a Garment Decorators Group Lounge at SGIA ’04.

Leadership of the group will fall to the SGIA Garment Decorators Steering Committee (formerly the SGIA Textile Imaging Committee). SGIA Vice President, Technical Services, Johnny Shell will continue in his role as committee liaison.

SGIA Is Leading a New Generation of Imaging Professionals—“Specialty imaging” comprises digital imaging, screen printing and the many other imaging technologies SGIA members use, including those they’ll tap in the future. These are the imaging processes and technologies employed to create new products and to enhance existing products including point-of-purchase displays, signs, advertisements, garments, containers, and vehicles.

For more information about any aspect of SGIA’s safety services for members of the specialty graphic imaging industry, contact Johnny Shell at Association headquarters. Telephone: 888.385.3588. E-mail: jshell@sgia.org.

SGIA
10015 Main Street
Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: 888.385.3588
Fax: 703-273-0456
E-Mail: jshell@sgia.org
Website URL: www.sgia.org