Speakers:
Cassie Green, Content Director, The Apparelist
Stacey Wharton, Chief Production Officer, Nine Line Apparel
Jaymes Clements, President and Chief Commercial Officer, Monster Digital
Andy Espenel, VP Business Development, Zumiez
2026 is bringing a collision of forces — AI-led commerce, margin compression, trade disruption, labor constraints, and demand volatility — all hitting the apparel and decorated goods industry at once. This panel argues that direct-to-garment printing is no longer just a production method; it’s becoming an operating capability built for speed, agility, and on-demand economics in a market where traditional inventory models are breaking down.
Together they cover how digital printing supports sustainability (low waste, no speculative inventory), how real-time data and AI are reshaping decision-making, how brands are navigating tariffs and supply chain disruption through efficiency rather than price increases, and why authentic in-person experiences still matter even as digital and social channels grow.
Key takeaway: On-demand digital decoration turns speed and flexibility into a genuine competitive advantage — letting brands cut inventory risk, absorb economic shocks like tariffs, and test/ship designs (even influencer-driven ones) in near real time, all while being inherently more sustainable than legacy production methods like screen printing.