Stacking Whites on Press: A Smarter Way to Build Bright Prints

MADE Laboratory was founded through a partnership with SanMar's Decorator Solutions Team and our founders Tom, Brett, and Brian Lessard, who brings 30 years of screen printing and ink manufacturing experience to the lab. The mission was simple: provide manufacturers and decorators with reliable, scientific data so they can make better decisions before anything hits the press.

If you've ever watched an experienced press operator, you'll notice something right away—they don't seem to move much. They're not rushing around the press. They're not constantly walking to grab tape, ink, squeegees, or screens. Everything they need is within arm's reach.

Every screen printing shop wants smoother production, fewer surprises, and more time spent printing instead of scrambling. One of the biggest factors that determines whether your shop runs proactively or reactively starts in a place that doesn't always get the attention it deserves—the screen room.

This year, MADE Laboratory opened its doors in Fort Worth, Texas, for a full day dedicated to education, collaboration, and helping print shops improve what they do every day. Instead of walking through rows of trade show booths, attendees got to experience equipment in a real production environment, ask questions directly to industry experts, and see new ideas put into action.

You're halfway through a production run when ink starts drying in the mesh. The image begins plugging up, prints start looking rough, and production slows to a crawl. Someone grabs a can of screen opener, gives the screen a quick spray, and suddenly everything is back to normal.

The branded apparel industry is changing quickly. Customers are asking for more. Production teams are being asked to move faster. Technology is reshaping what is possible. Distributors, decorators, suppliers, and apparel sellers are more connected than ever, but many industry events still treat education like a set of separate tracks instead of a full business-building experience.