ISS Orlando. Anybody going?

[blue moon]

I'll be there tomorrow, would love to meet with anybody who might be attending. . .

pierre

[tonypep]

Gravity booth is at Surf say hi to Emily and Rose

[tpitman]

Damn! I'd forgotten about it. I haven't been in 3 years.
I'm registered but I don't know if I'll go tomorrow or Saturday.

[screenprintguy]

Probably going on Saturday

[tpitman]

Went yesterday around noon. The food court and eating area were bigger than the show, and if I hadn't been with my repulsive sidekick who will stop and BS with anyone, I'd have been out of there in about 20 minutes.
I did, however, score a quart of Saati Grafic 42HU, which is what I use, for nuthin'. The M&R exhibit was about the only thing that amounted to much.
Sorry to see it shrink so much. Hadn't been in about 3 years, and this will likely be my last.

[bulldog]

I went last year and it was lame. Took more time to walk to the convention center than to walk through the exhibits (for printing anyway.) I won't be going again.

[Frog]

What a shame to hear that the quality of their shows varies so greatly, as I have only been to Long Beach.
Of course, it can be kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy as folks don't go as they hear folks don't go.

Thing is, Florida is teeming with shirt decorators.

[244]

What a shame to hear that the quality of their shows varies so greatly, as I have only been to Long Beach.
Of course, it can be kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy as folks don't go as they hear folks don't go.

Thing is, Florida is teeming with shirt decorators.

I seriously doubt the show in Orlando will continue. I am not there this year but our team says it small.

[screenprintguy]

We popped in for a few hours yesterday to see some friends, spend some time with PattFinn and Tim Foreman, and bug Alex Mammoser, lol. It's always good to see these guys, they are always cool, happy to see us and super supportive. It's cool to see all the vendors still putting on a display, but I can remember the first time we went to ISS Orlando, for us, we don't go back as far as some of you guys, but it was 06 I believe, the show was waaaaaaaaaaay bigger, displays were bigger, and turn out was huge. This was like a Micro show I guess, but it always helps Niki and I hit the reset button and get out of our cave. Looks like we may just have to hit up SIGIA ATL this year and see the big guns come out. 

[californiadreamin]

What a shame to hear that the quality of their shows varies so greatly, as I have only been to Long Beach.
Of course, it can be kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy as folks don't go as they hear folks don't go.

Thing is, Florida is teeming with shirt decorators.

This is My Take! For What It Is Worth
ISS Florida (Tampa) Used to Be The Largest Textile Convention/Show In The USA.
Florida Used To Be Screaming (not teaming) With Decorators. In the late 80' to Mid90's
There 1500+ Automatic T- Shirt Machines , and 50+ Automatic Belt Printers From West Palm To the Keys.
Many factories were printing around the clock. There were 1500+ Autos And 20 more Belts In the Rest Of Florida.
Manual Shops were doing Local Custom Work. There Were A Number of Competing Machine, Ink, Emulsion Manufactures,
Suppliers, Apparel Companies Renting Space In These Shows. There was No Internet! If You Wanted To Find Out What
Was Happening. You Had To Go. Period! or fall behind to your completion. It was a time I could and would recommend
Someone To Go In The Screen printing business To make a GOOD living for themselves and their loved ones. Why did
this happen? South Florida has cut and sew going on in a BIG way 24/7. The 807 program started killing the sew industry,
NAFTA Put it on Life Support, DR/Cafta put the nails in the coffin. These factories closed in South Florida, The Screen
Printing Machines followed the work to Latin America. Cut and Sew was still going strong in Los Angeles, the last big
Cut/Sew left until now, which Made Long Beach The New Show. The Process of T-Shirt Decoration is Also Changing.
The reason T-Shirts Look So Good Today  IMHO is because (I know! Conteversy Box) Is Because of ART! PERIOD
It is not because of Machines and Ink. Printers in general today, push buttons/displays. Most do not understand the
very basics of screen printing. It reflects mostly in there pay! Decent pressman used to make $20 per hour and they
only worried about printing. They were good! A good Ink Mixer, Screen Maker made the same. They were also the best!
Who knows how many Turnabout Mixers, Ink stretching machines were is used. They were in use, and I mean in use 24/7
These craftsmen provided for their families. Now a Multi-Task Laundry list combining all these trades for $10 per hour.
In Tijuana, MX across the San Diego a pressman makes $12.50 per hour. No wonder they left So Cal. Go Figure.
Another BIG factor, is Digital Printing! Now everybody can get rich in the T Shirt Business and never leave their House.
Why Not? Nuff Said! The next Biggest Factor Is THE TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY to Third World/developing countries.
They Print On The Same Machines, Use The Same Supplies as we do. And Their Work Looks Great!
Kind Of Hard Keeping The Once Largest Show Open, If you don't have vendors, printers coming to the show! They can
watch a rock star on youtube tell them how to get rich!
Regards,
Winston

[dirkdiggler]

What a shame to hear that the quality of their shows varies so greatly, as I have only been to Long Beach.
Of course, it can be kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy as folks don't go as they hear folks don't go.

Thing is, Florida is teeming with shirt decorators.

This is My Take! For What It Is Worth
ISS Florida (Tampa) Used to Be The Largest Textile Convention/Show In The USA.
Florida Used To Be Screaming (not teaming) With Decorators. In the late 80' to Mid90's
There 1500+ Automatic T- Shirt Machines , and 50+ Automatic Belt Printers From West Palm To the Keys.
Many factories were printing around the clock. There were 1500+ Autos And 20 more Belts In the Rest Of Florida.
Manual Shops were doing Local Custom Work. There Were A Number of Competing Machine, Ink, Emulsion Manufactures,
Suppliers, Apparel Companies Renting Space In These Shows. There was No Internet! If You Wanted To Find Out What
Was Happening. You Had To Go. Period! or fall behind to your completion. It was a time I could and would recommend
Someone To Go In The Screen printing business To make a GOOD living for themselves and their loved ones. Why did
this happen? South Florida has cut and sew going on in a BIG way 24/7. The 807 program started killing the sew industry,
NAFTA Put it on Life Support, DR/Cafta put the nails in the coffin. These factories closed in South Florida, The Screen
Printing Machines followed the work to Latin America. Cut and Sew was still going strong in Los Angeles, the last big
Cut/Sew left until now, which Made Long Beach The New Show. The Process of T-Shirt Decoration is Also Changing.
The reason T-Shirts Look So Good Today  IMHO is because (I know! Conteversy Box) Is Because of ART! PERIOD
It is not because of Machines and Ink. Printers in general today, push buttons/displays. Most do not understand the
very basics of screen printing. It reflects mostly in there pay! Decent pressman used to make $20 per hour and they
only worried about printing. They were good! A good Ink Mixer, Screen Maker made the same. They were also the best!
Who knows how many Turnabout Mixers, Ink stretching machines were is used. They were in use, and I mean in use 24/7
These craftsmen provided for their families. Now a Multi-Task Laundry list combining all these trades for $10 per hour.
In Tijuana, MX across the San Diego a pressman makes $12.50 per hour. No wonder they left So Cal. Go Figure.
Another BIG factor, is Digital Printing! Now everybody can get rich in the T Shirt Business and never leave their House.
Why Not? Nuff Said! The next Biggest Factor Is THE TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY to Third World/developing countries.
They Print On The Same Machines, Use The Same Supplies as we do. And Their Work Looks Great!
Kind Of Hard Keeping The Once Largest Show Open, If you don't have vendors, printers coming to the show! They can
watch a rock star on youtube tell them how to get rich!
Regards,
Winston

Just clicked my "LIKE" button a few times!

[tpitman]

What a shame to hear that the quality of their shows varies so greatly, as I have only been to Long Beach.
Of course, it can be kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy as folks don't go as they hear folks don't go.

Thing is, Florida is teeming with shirt decorators.

I seriously doubt the show in Orlando will continue. I am not there this year but our team says it small.

For what it's worth, Rich, your exhibit was good, and I spent more time there than anywhere else. Got to see the Kruzer for the first time. Very impressive for something in that price range, and that comes in boxes via UPS. Especially liked the off-contact controls, and I'm a Vastex fan, except in when I'm in Daytona on an old Gauntlet Revolver that still holds its own.

The show here has gotten smaller and smaller every year, Andy. It is what it is. There's no pimping it to be something it isn't to generate attendance that will only come to the same conclusion that I got. It used to be really good. I've gone every year I could when work didn't interfere, even knowing it was shrinking over time. If vendors won't participate, for whatever reason, it'll peter out. Orlando is drowning in t-shirt shops, so it ain't a lack of practitioners. I don't know what it is. Maybe if the entry fee for exhibitors was less more would participate.

[dirkdiggler]

ISS SHOULD make 2 GIANT shows.  One on the west coast, (which they already have) and one on the east coast, Nashville would be a good spot.  And that's it!  I bet attendance would be GREAT and costs would be down for vendors moving from city to city.  It would encourage all vendors to display if it were only 2 shows.  My 2 cents.

[TCT]

I thought aside from the size of the first Nashville show it was great! I'd be willing to wager that out of the current locations ISS is held, Nashville has the most options for after the show has ended for the day. That is where the real advantages of going to shows is anyway if you ask me.

[dirkdiggler]

I thought aside from the size of the first Nashville show it was great! I'd be willing to wager that out of the current locations ISS is held, Nashville has the most options for after the show has ended for the day. That is where the real advantages of going to shows is anyway if you ask me.

Agree, but if I go to a show in Orlando, the family gets a free Disney trip.  I bet I am not the only one.