Little Falls, NJ - July 1, 2011

No decorated apparel business was left unaffected by the recession of the past few years. Veterans share how they survived the worst of it, and how it has helped them get stronger. June 07, 2011
By Deborah Sexton, Contributing Writer

Kevin Kelly, right, president, Blue Heron Industries, Little Falls, N.J., purchased a Kornit digital printer right before the recession hit, and he partially credits that move with saving his business.
To get a pulse on how today's decorators are faring three years after the start of the Great Recession, we interviewed six decorators from Rhode Island to the California coast. Some of our panelists saw sales drop in fall 2008, while others began to feel its effects in early 2009. But regardless of when these shop owners felt the recession affect their businesses, they all experienced a significant plummet in sales.

The recession forced owners to take a hard look at their business practices and make necessary — and often hard-to-swallow — changes. Some held massive layoffs, reduced the production workweek and sold equipment. Others stayed afloat with new business opportunities such as referrals and digital technology.

While the jury is still out on whether the worst is over, all our panelists agree that the landscape of the decorated apparel industry has changed forever. Business owners must be smarter, savvier and more efficient with time, resources and staff. The recession has demanded that they not just make do with less, but make more with less.READ FULL STORY

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