After what could be described as a “rocky” year for the apparel decoration industry in 2025, many are looking forward to 2026 leveling out. However, history shows that small businesses must be ready for anything — good or bad — that affects their operations.
It’s true that implementing specific business plans, setting clear goals, and operating with strong fiscal responsibility sets you up for success. But for apparel decorators, understanding how global trends influence the community can provide clearer direction.
No one has a crystal ball, but those that stay on top of news, follow headlines, and keep up with economic trends will find themselves most prepared when the ball inevitably drops. To clear up some of the haze, a few industry experts with a strong grasp on global events offered their insight to help guide apparel decorators into 2026 and beyond.
Several Years of Global Impacts
Let’s go back in time to the COVID-19 pandemic. Life, retail, and the industry as we knew it upended, and what we have now is a new look to business. “I feel like we still don’t fully understand the impact of COVID, our industry, and the end consumer,” Ross Hunter, COO of Liquid Graphics, says. “A lot of decorators haven’t wrapped their heads around how insanely large a shift the retail market had and the way people [now] buy decorated apparel.”
Malls, big box stores, and even large events like concerts saw major upheaval. Those big, bulk retail print orders aren’t as front and center as they were five to eight years ago.
Read the rest of this article on Apparelist, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
