Agility Spotlighted at Kornit Konnections Event
As events such as Konnections, Apparel Decoration Summit, and more bring the community together, decorators are using the in-person time to explore better business strategies
As attendees, sponsors, and industry influencers gathered for two and a half days of education and exploration at Kornit Konnections 2025, agility became the focal point. The event, hosted by Kornit Digital, ran from April 27-29 in Miami and drew a spotlight on digital printing, automation, and the ability to adapt to the current global economy and supply chain.
Kicking off the event was a night of socializing at Hell’s Kitchen, where attendees could mingle with each other while enjoying the spirit of Miami.
Disruption and Adaptation in the Apparel Decorating Community
The second day featured networking opportunities, but the main focus was on education. Opening up the day’s discussions was Ilan Elad, president of Kornit Digital Americas, who then joined a panel featuring the Konnections steering committee:
The morning’s sessions were spotlighted by a presentation from Ronen Samuel, CEO of Kornit. Samuel spoke on agility and disruption, noting that major global trends such as sustainability, supply chain reorganization, tariffs, and even retail fashion are influencing the apparel decorating community.
“Agility [has] been brought by a few brands that now every company and brand is trying to learn how to develop [and apply to] their own supply chain,” Ronen said in an interview for Apparelist.
Elad also spoke of disruption through a couple different lenses. Decorators are reporting chaos, Elad noted in an interview with Apparelist. “A lot of people that were very comfortable in what they were buying are all of the sudden seeing prices rise … and they are looking for connections and other people to work with.” He notes that while many may see all of this disruption as a negative thing, overall there is opportunity to be agile and rethink supply chains.
After lunch, the day’s sessions broke out into different rooms, with sessions from the Kornit team, decorators, and sponsor partners taking place throughout the afternoon.
The day’s sessions wrapped with a lot of positivity from Tom Hassell at Life is Good, who spoke about the company’s agility during the COVID-19 pandemic to adapt. He spoke of optimism and the opportunity that attendees have with today’s current business climate.
The night’s networking event leaned into the Miami location with everyone hopping on a boat for a cruise. Attendees were able to pick each other’s brains, bounce around ideas from the day’s sessions, plus have a little fun with some light gambling and dancing.
The final day kicked off with a bang right away in the morning with an announcement from Tim Greene of IDC that Kornit has been awarded IDC’s “Leader in IDC MarketScape on DTG Industry” award for its:
- Global leadership
- Vision in sustainability
- Innovation in technology
- Investment in technology and people
- Partnerships
“For decades, IDC has been a leading voice in the industry, providing clear guidance and insight in the markets that matter most to businesses and their collective success,” said Chris Govier, EVP of strategic growth and marketing at Kornit in a press statement. “Their MarketScape framework is a tested and trusted methodology that analyzes key industries and the vendors that drive customer success. We’re honored that IDC has chosen to recognize Kornit Digital as a ‘leader’ in their comprehensive analysis of the DTG industry— one of the few awarded this designation.”
Among other morning session highlights was the presentation given by Jed Seifert of Stakes Manufacturing, based in Ohio, who received a standing ovation following his powerful speech on inclusive hiring practices.
Gooten and Kornit Tease Announcement
Kornit Digital and Gooten released a pre-announcement for everyone to keep a lookout for something big, which will be shared with the industry right around the FESPA show, which is set to take place in Berlin, Germany May 6-9, 2025.
While representatives from both companies declined to talk specifically about the announcement, both noted that it’s extremely exciting for the industry and will be a game-changer. "Both parties are very excited about the direction of our strategic relationship," noted Mike Schell of Gooten.
Attendee Feedback, Looking Ahead to Apparel Decoration Summit
Attendees of the Kornit Konnections event ran the gamut of large contract screen printers to those that operate in the print-on-demand (POD) space, and even global partners such as Gooten. There was also quite a mix of first-time attendees alongside those that have been to previous Konnections events.
“We wanted to come check out some new equipment and learn more from our peers, too,” said Zach Donaldson of Topshelf Printers based in Colorado. “It’s a great time for us to run into other businesses doing the same stuff that we’re doing and learning [from them].”
Others like Sarah Natow from TeePublic and Redbubble were also excited about building partnerships. “The thing that I like about this event is it brings ‘competitors’ in the space together to learn from each other,” she said. “As director of supply chain for both TeePublic and Redbubble, a lot of my fulfillment partners use Kornit technology … and they know that I work with them and can learn from each other. A big part of how I see my role in all this is that I’m invested in making sure these partnerships work and that my customers are successful. I think [everyone] gets better together.”
Rusty Pepper of Taylor on Demand noted that apparel is a smaller part of what their company does, but attends industry events to explore those potential growth opportunities. “I’m excited to engage with other people across the print-on-demand space as a non-provider here,” he said. “It’s interesting to see what’s happening on this side of the industry … because apparel represents roughly 50% of what the print-on-demand industry does.”
As industry events continue to unfold throughout 2025, one to look forward to is Apparel Decoration Summit, which will take place June 2-4, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Summit is a hosted-buyer event and aims to connect high-level decorators and printers with each other as well as leaders on the manufacturing and supplier side.
“Apparel Decoration Summit in its third year continues to bring decorators and sponsors together to share ideas, spark new partnerships, and deepen friendships,” says Brandy Jamison-Neth, brand director for Apparelist. “At its heart, the summit is about community, learning from each other, and growing the industry together.”
Those interested in learning more about the summit can check it out at summit.apparelist.com, where you can also apply to attend. Space is nearly sold out, so those interested are encourage to apply now.