Keeping Up with Technology
Actively Engaging with New Technology to Propel Your Business Forward
How do you embrace technology in your business? For many, technology involves something complex, software-based, or rooted in a gigantic expenditure. That is only sometimes the case.
Technology always refers to the new ideas, methods, and systems used to create or improve something. Usually, this means that a new idea has surfaced that can solve some sort of problem.
For example, quite a long time ago, fire was used to apply intense heat to clay to create pottery. This allowed people to store food and use it for other purposes. Other ideas such as electricity, air conditioning, vehicular transportation, the internet, smart phones, and modern medical advancements have all contributed mightily.
Revolutionary ideas make the greatest impact when applied to people’s lives and work. But you have to use these ideas to create positive change. That’s the trick.
Watching or hearing about others using a new technology doesn’t help you. Your engagement and action learning and implementing the technology is what propels you into new territory.
Artificial Intelligence-Based Technology
Have you started down the road on AI yet? Whether using text-based AI such as ChatGPT or a word prompt method of creating images on the Discord-hosted Midjourney platform, these tools can allow you to do amazing things.
ChatGPT
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence conversational tool developed by OpenAI. It is based on the Generative Pre-Trained Transformer architecture and uses a massive amount of data to generate responses to a wide range of text-based prompts seemingly instantly. The “Chat” in ChatGPT signifies that you can converse with the AI regarding a topic. The model can learn from the conversations it has with users and can be fine-tuned to provide personalized responses.
Although it isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, the incredible amount of potential applications for your business places this idea at the top of the priority list for you to start using. It has been compared to the invention of fire or the internet for the possibilities and opportunities to help.
While that might be a stretch, ChatGPT has many immediately useful applications such as customer service, chatbots, writing and brainstorming assistance, product descriptions, marketing outlines, and even authoring detailed articles.
Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, start playing around with ChatGPT and see how you can harness this tool for your business.
Midjourney
Like ChatGPT, Midjourney and other AI creative imaging apps use text prompts to create. This time, instead of word responses, the application creates images. If you are an artist, graphic designer, photographer, or anyone that creates images for a living, you may see this as an immediate threat.
While ChatGPT feels like a fancy auto-complete, Midjourey can instantly create stunning visual images that a person might take hours or even days to build. It isn’t next-level technology, it is a thousand times that. Remind yourself that when the camera was invented, that didn’t stop people from painting or drawing. It only gave the creative-minded people another tool to use.
AI creativity tools like Midjourney are the same. You must understand how to use the tool to create the desired outcome. For Midjourney, try combining descriptive words and technical jargon from photography, videography, and other visual platforms.
For example, “Porsche 911, Targa, convertible, California street view, cinematic lighting, woodcut style illustration, graphic, colorful, fun, circular design with an outline” will get you one type of image. “Porsche 911, Targa, convertible, California street view, bright sunlight with natural lighting” will return something completely different.
Whether or not your art team likes it, your shop needs to sign up and start playing with AI-produced art. One day in the near future, you will need this, and your preparation now determines what you do with that opportunity.
Productivity Technology
There are many great software tools these days for small businesses. Whether it is productivity, marketing, communication, accounting, sales, or project management, something is out there to fit your needs.
A fun question to ask at any networking event is comparing software tools to see what other industry colleagues use to solve problems. Some folks use a whiteboard that hangs in an office, while others prefer to connect other staff members with platforms like Asana, Trello, nTask, or Todoist.
Why does this matter?
These days, many small business owners and their smaller staff wear many hats in the business. It’s easy to put something off or even completely forget to do something because of the crush of work that many people face every day.
Productivity technology helps make you and your teams more efficient, accomplish goals on time, and stay motivated.
These types of tools allow you to organize and plan. I’m sure you have heard the phrase, “Work smarter, not harder.” Having a standardized place to gather information, thoughts, and goals regarding a project or outcome helps everyone focus and stay on track.
Production Technology
Have you been to an industry trade show lately? You can’t throw a rock without hitting a booth showing or talking about direct-to-film (DTF) print technology.
Why is that? It’s not like using transfers is anything new. Except that it is.
These aren’t your daddy’s transfers. The DTF industry is one of the fastest-growing segments in apparel decoration for good reason. DTF transfers are inexpensive, look great, and can apply to anything that can withstand or fit onto a heat press.
If you have online stores for your customers, DTF transfers are a perfect fit. Gone are the days when you had to open and close the store so you could gang-run the screen print order. Now, you can easily customize apparel from an online store and sometimes ship on the same day if you have stock.
Also, if you are new to the DTF game, you can order the transfers from any number of vendor partners. This is great if you don’t want to invest in buying DTF printing equipment right away.
Garment Technology
Not too long ago, there were three basic fabric content options for apparel for the industry: 100% cotton, 50/50 cotton/polyester, and 100% polyester.
Now industry decorators must adjust to printing on fabric from other sources. One such material is rayon, which is derived from wood pulp. Bamboo and hemp are becoming more popular due to the sustainability factor.
Also starting to gain traction are garments that are made from recycled materials such as RPET polyester, which is usually sourced from plastic water bottles. Garment scraps can be respun into yarn and spun into new T-shirts of the same color without over-dyeing.
On the market these days are also shirts that are designed with patterns. Camouflage is popular but could also have stripes, textures, shapes, or any pattern. A common way these are manufactured is to sublimate the design onto polyester fabric.
Also, you should be aware of how T-shirts are dyed. Cationic cotton dyes are used more frequently as they significantly reduce the amount of water, energy, and chemicals used in the dyeing process. This is also known as “reactive” dyeing, as the process bonds permanently to the fabric. Pigment-dyed shirts work differently, as they do not become part of the fabric.
Why does garment technology matter? For starters, sometimes you must decorate differently depending on how the shirt was constructed. Sublimated patterns and some fabric dyes are known to dye-migrate with the addition of too much heat.
To counteract this, many methods exist to get a great-looking decoration on these fabrics. Have you spent the time necessary to learn?
Technology Wrap-Up
I’m sure you will agree that today, technology is evolving and advancing at a blistering pace. A new idea can completely transform a business if applied the correct way.
You must keep up with the latest technological advancements in the decorated apparel industry. Here are some of the leading reasons why:
- Improved Efficiency. Let’s face it; we don’t have time to waste. Our customers demand faster turnaround times, better quality, and more creative ideas. Take a minute and do a self-evaluation of your shop. What is the slowest part of your process or something that needs to change? I’ll bet there is some technology out there that can help.
- Competitive Advantage. Answer this question. “Why should anyone do business with you?” Staying current with the latest technology and techniques can give you a competitive edge. Do your potential and current customers see you as an industry leader? Why not give them a reason to call you?
- Relevancy. The word “relevant” means “closely connected or appropriate to what is being done or considered.” In today’s marketplace, would your employees, vendors, or customers consider what you do “relevant”?
- Innovation. While your competition may be talking about the same tired way of doing something, you can gain market share by incorporating the newest thinking and technology into your products and services. Opportunities come to those that think differently.
Keeping up with technology is essential for apparel decorators who want to stay competitive, efficient, and innovative. By learning about the latest tools and techniques, apparel decorators can improve their skills and drive lower costs and business success.