Seaglass Times

How is Seaglass like a Candy bar?

2012-01-27T15:27:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite networking groups is the Business Exchange Leaders Chapter of BNI, and our theme for this week's 60 second commercial was "Candy Bar". So how does Seaglass Logowear, a sign & apparel company, relate to a candy bar? After some pondering and a little Google-ing this is what I figured out....

The Take Five candy bar was introduced in January 2004 and is a combination of pretzels, caramel, peanuts, peanut butter, and milk chocolate. The Take Five is your all-in-one candy bar. Seaglass Logowear is quite similar. Introduced in October 2004 it is a combination of 5 outstanding employees - Danielle, Ashley, Michele, Loressa & Lisa, who provide 5 days of superior customer service each week, with our 5 top sellers…embroidery, screen printing, promotional products, signs and engraving. So, the next time you are frustrated with your promotional company, Take 5 and visit the 5 at Seaglass.

And then I ate my sample of the Take 5!

The "Seaglass-mobile" gets wrapped

2011-07-09T23:52:00.001-04:00

Have you seen the newly wrapped "Seaglass-mobile" around Clifton Park these days? What began as a silver Rav 4, in one day transformed into a transparent water scene with the Seaglass Logowear logo & the information of what we provide...embroidery, screen printing, banners, vinyl lettering, trophies, awards, engraving...and now vehicle wraps!

To begin, the car was cleaned & prepped with alcohol, extraneous pieces removed (side mirrors, back tire etc) and now ready for application. The printed vinyl sheets went on in sections, 2 pieces for the each side, 2 for the back door, 1 for the hood & 1 for the front grill. The windows were completed last with perforated window treatment (a view-thru material so you can still see out). With many choices for materials on the main body of the car, we used a cast material with laminate that conforms to complex curves (...basically my entire vehicle) and has superior durability. With many helpers, this vehicle transformed over the day with precision layout, squeegeeing and trimming.

Our vehicle now advertises for us, without us going above & beyond our normal daily activities. Research into vehicle wrap effectiveness has shown that an average vehicle driving around town will garner 30,000-70,000 impressions every day. That is 1.6 million people seeing your vehicle every year. Have you seen the "Seaglass-mobile"?

February Facebook Promotion

2011-02-02T11:16:00.001-05:00

January has ended, yet the snow has continued. So, as I sit here on my snow day, during the 4th (or whatever number we are on now) major snow storm of 2011, I ponder the promotions that can benefit our Facebook fans. To encourage participation and sharing on Facebook, I have decided to offer a discount based on the number of fans we have. Here is how it works....

During the month of February, invite your friends to Seaglass Logowear's Page. The number of fans as of March 1st will determine the discount. At the time of this post, we have 429 fans, which would equal a 4.29% discount. However, if we hit 830 fans, the discount for March will be 8.30% and for 1000 fans, a 10% discount (and so on; you get the picture!). As of March 1st, all fans on that date, will be allowed to participate in the discount for the entire month of March.

The bottom line, every fan gets a discount during the month of March. The size of the discount depends on you!

Who visits a "t-shirt place"

2011-01-24T15:59:00.003-05:00

I have had the pleasure of showing numerous visitors Seaglass Logowear, but have never enjoyed a group quite like the one I had last week. A group of young Girl Scouts setup a time to tour Seaglass Logowear, see the the equipment and create their own masterpieces. In advance, the girls had come up with a logo and I was able to prep it before they arrived.

Once they settled in here, I brought up their design on the big screen and we played around with the colors and the logo itself. The girls saw how the decals were printed, and were able to take them home to show their families.

Once the decals were done, the t-shirts came out! We used single color, cut vinyl to print t-shirts for the girls. A picture of Charlie, my famous puppy, was placed into a star, printed and pressed onto t-shirts as well. Some of the girls have Charlie on their shirts so they will always remember the cool dog at Seaglass Logowear.

Thank you Girl Scout Troop 2278 for visiting our shop, and for the beautiful frame with all of the pictures for our wall. Visit us anytime!

Large Format Wall Graphics

2010-12-03T14:39:00.000-05:00

First tile is complete

Last week was a fast week, with the Thanksgiving holiday squished in the middle. Monday began a 3 day adventure of printing and installing a 36' wall mural. This is an 8' x 36' graphic installed in Clifton Park Center which shows the layout for the newly begun renovations (the addition of a hotel on top of the mall...yes, you read that correctly... and the new cinema). As you may have noticed, the renovations have already begun over there!

The material used for the job is an actual wall graphic material (Seramark) (same concept as the "Fatheads") and is removable without leaving residue behind. After finalizing the graphics and size, Steve set the job up for printing...a total of 9 tiles (4' wide by 8' long each) and we spent Monday watching the printer. Once each tile was printed it was trimmed, wrapped and set aside ready for the next step...the big install!

Tuesday morning, we met with DCG and determined the final placement of the prints. The wall was measured, lines drawn out and Steve & Michele began. Laying the initial tile, they lined up the top and bottom to be straight with the floor & ceiling and taped the graphic to the wall. Removing a portion of the top of the graphic from the backing, they carefully squeegeed the print to the wall. From there, it was easy to proceed downward with the rest of the graphic.


Michele squeegees the first tile

First tile is almost finished


Almost complete (Thank you Santa's Helpers!)

When the first tile was down, the second tile was overlapped onto the first, lining everything up top to bottom. The same procedure was followed, removing a a portion of the print from the backing and squeegeeing it to the wall. I had the "brilliant" idea of these awesome Elf Ears...and Michele & Steve were good sports about wearing them for some pictures. I do believe they received some compliments from mall shoppers too! (Oh, and don't worry, I made sure they found their way to Facebook!)

This is it...the big moment!

Thirty six feet later, the wall graphic was completely installed and I had to check it over (Yes I did sit there taking pictures and sipping coffee throughout most of the install...tough job, but somebody had to do it!) Overall, the installation took approximately 3 hours and with two sets of hands, and a great supervisor (if I may so so myself...) things went quite smooth!

The following day, we added the wall graphic prints referring to gift cards purchases. What a week and an awesome project! If you are ever in Clifton Park Center, take a look at the wall and the beautiful expansion project DCG has going on.

Thanks for Buying Local

2010-11-29T09:15:00.000-05:00

The Chamber of Southern Saratoga began a campaign this year to promote buying locally. Below are the top 10 reasons for buying local. So thank you, for shopping locally this holiday season and putting your money back into your economy.

Top 10 Reasons to "Buy Local"

#10 Keep Money in Our Community - Significantly more money re-circulates locally when purchases are made at locally owned businesses
#9 Support Community Groups - Non-Profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller locally-owned business owners.
# 8 Keep Our Community Unique - Where we shop, where we eat and have fun-all makes our community home.
# 7 Keep Recycling Your Dollar - Locally-sourced products are often "greener" because they don't require as many fossil fuels to reach you.
# 6 Create More Good Jobs - Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in our community-providing the most jobs to residents.
#5 Get Better Service - Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they sell and take more time to get to know YOU!!
#4 Invest In Your Community - Local businesses are owned by people who live in your community and have much invested in our community's future.
#3 Put Your Taxes To Good Use - Buying local contributes to our community's tax base and charitable giving.
#2 Encourage Local Prosperity - Buying local strengthens area businesses, service providers and employees.
#1 It's the Right Thing To Do - Your family, friends, neighbors and acquaintances rely on you! Help us keep our community strong.

Chamber Angels

2010-11-23T07:18:00.001-05:00

Last Thursday, Seaglass Logowear joined over a hundred individuals at the Chamber Angels gala. Located at the beautifully decorated Mohawk Country Club, Jess, Michele, Steve and I enjoyed the delicious food and wonderful company. Best of all, it is a great cause! All proceeds go directly to the children in Saratoga County providing them with gifts they would otherwise not receive this holiday season. We had our picture taken, courtesy of Creative Photography, and mounted to a magnet (but of course, it is too early in the morning for anything too cooperate and I can't get the photo on here...perhaps later).

The silent auction was fabulous and some members of the Seaglass team won a trip to the Mirror Lake Inn, Lake Placid as well as boot camp sessions! A great night, with fabulous company!

Seaglass Logowear Does Exist....

2010-11-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

I realize I have not been keeping you up to date on the events with Seaglass Logowear....Did you know we moved? I know, I am slacking! This past August, we decided to expand our business by doubling our space. We now have a 4000 square foot store next to the DMV in Clifton Park Center. We love it here! It is open and spacious in here. Walking in the front door, you can see the entire production area, the garments being embroidered/printed, decals and banners printing. Ever wonder how it's done? Stop in and take a look.

Since I have now updated the blog after 6 months, I will work at keeping you up to date on the latest and greatest at Seaglass Logowear!

Caring for your printed garments

2010-05-31T20:30:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder the best way to care for your screen printed garments? Soon you will see a postcard with every t-shirt order from Seaglass Logowear & Promotions describing garment care. Until then, when washing, use mild liquid detergent, and skip the fabric softener. Turning your garment inside out will help protect the print from scraping across other garments, zippers, buttons etc. Use warm and a low dryer setting will also help. Refrain from adding the bleach...this can be quite harsh on your prints!

We have done some testing recently to determine the best way to save your printed clothes. Pictures will follow soon so check back!

Save green ... on the green

2010-03-27T13:03:00.000-04:00

Although the weather doesn't seem warm enough today, golf season is upon us! With charity events, corporate golf outings and tournaments, what are the most popular giveaways this year? Avid players will tell you, a golfer needs a lot of accessories to play the game (golf balls, tees, club cleaners etc). From golf tees to performance apparel, we can help you get everything you need for your event. Some of the hottest items for golfers this include tees, balls, multi-tools, water bottles and pocket towels.

Tees are available in numerous colors, with a screen printed logo about 1 1/2" wide. Packaged in groups of 10 (other quantities available), these tees start at $0.74 per package. Would you rather print your name on golf balls? Not a problem! We can get you Titleist, Wilson, Pinnacle, Top Flight, Nike and Callaway brand golf balls printed with your logo, and packaged singly or up to 12 per box. The average logo size for these balls would be 3/4" diameter.

Ever need a golf ball cleaner? This was voted the PGA Merchandise Show Award Winning Product because it is a safe and unique way to clean your golf ball on the green. Completely soak inside, wring out excess water and place flat in the pocket. The pocket stays bone dry!

Not sure about the best promotional product for you? How about the deluxe golf knife,a chrome finished mutli-purpose golf knife with ergonomic styling. It features 6 tools: divot repair tool, spike wrench, bottle opener, screw driver and removable ball marker. Starting at $3.60 each, these multi-tools allow for two printing areas measuring up to 1" wide.

Don't forget about the divot tool, golf club groove cleaner, multi-purpose brush (spike wrench and shoe horn), detachable divot key ring, ball marker, golf pouch, water bottle and golf club cover; and who wouldn't love a golf cooler, filled with towel, tees, divot repair tool, can holder and bottle opener! Add more items before the big event as well!

Promotional shoe bags are always a hit! Made of 600 denier nylon, this bag features a large main compartment for shoes, small side compartment for golf balls or shoe spikes, separate compartment for polish, shoe mitt etc., and a nylon webbed carrying handle. The imprint area is as large 7" x 3". This shoe bag is so versatile that your name will be staying with golfers for a long time!

Now that you have your promotional products all set, what are you going to wear?! From cotton to polyester, we can find a polo shirt that works for you. With moisture wicking capabilities, you will stay cool on the green all day. Brands available include Nike, Adidas, Port Authority, Reebok, ALO, all of which are available in women's styles. (Ladies you are all set!) Visors and caps are also available.

Don't limit yourself! Stop in today to see what we can do for you! With so many items to choose from, we can make promotional items and apparel work on your budget! Mention this blog and we will save you an additional 5% off your golf promotion order!

Have a successful and safe golf season! We hope to see you on the green!

How is that t-shirt made?

2010-03-10T04:39:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered how your t-shirt was made? Or why some printed shirts look different than others? Or why there are so many printing options when all I want is my logo on a shirt? There are several ways to make a t-shirt with benefits to each. I am sure the first thing that comes to mind is screen printing because this has been around "forever". Screen printing uses open areas of mesh screens (the open area being your logo) that allow plastisol ink to be squeegee-d onto a garment. Once the ink is on the shirt it is "flashed" (partially cured) and layered with another color, or run through a dryer to completely cure the ink.

A similar alternative to screen printing is heat pressing plastisol transfers utilizing the same type of inks. With this, the image is screened onto sheets of paper rather than directly onto the garment. The sheets are partially cured and then heat pressed onto the garment. With screen printing and plastisol transfers, these are best purchased in bulk. Typically the largest number of colors you would want to use is 6.

On that note, if you are looking for a full color print on a shirt you may consider a custom printed vinyl transfer. This type of transfer allows for full color reproduction of virtually any design and color (photos, gradients etc). These are printed on a large format printer with eco-solvent inks and then pressed onto the garment. This is a notable option for small quantities, intricate designs and numerous colors. The industry has brought out numerous specialty materials that give an added edge to your logo. These vinyl materials are printed directly onto, then pressed and include flock print (fuzzy & soft), glitter print, twill print (gives the look of a printed patch), reflective print, metallic print and puff print (actually puffs out on the shirt when exposed to the heat press). (The Niskayuna Fire logo's are full color prints on standard printable vinyl. The camouflage star is a camouflage image printed onto flock material and then embroidered onto a garment, and the"feeling lucky" is glitter print material before it has been weeded.)

For full color prints there is also sublimation and direct to garment printing. Sublimation uses specialty inks that when heated at high temperatures next to a polyester substrate, form a gas and adhere to the item. This is also used on mugs, tiles, fiber board and more. Although you can print unlimited colors, the catch is that it must be pressed onto a polyester fabric...so no cotton t-shirts with this! Direct to garment printing is fairly new to the industry and utilizes inkjet technology to print directly onto a garment (which is why it is called direct-to-garment...). The shirt is put onto a platen and run through the printer, which means unlimited colors...and cotton t-shirts!

If you have a single color design and you need a small quantity, an alternative is single color cad cut vinyl. Similar to the full color custom printed vinyl, this material is instead cut (versus printed) into the desired logo, weeded (the removal of the excess pieces) and pressed onto the garment. This is not recommended for complex, detailed designs as the weeding can be time consuming. (The Saratoga Stryders logo is white cad cut vinyl adhered to polyester track jerseys.)

So now you know why we ask so many questions when you come in and tell us you want your logo on a t-shirt! We are trying to match your logo with the best printing method to meet your needs. There are pros and cons to each printing method, and we will work with you to determine the best outcome for your logo.

As with any custom printed garment, follow the manufacturer's washing instructions. We recommend washing your shirts inside out for added life.

It's all about canvas

2010-02-07T18:41:00.005-05:00

Did you know that Seaglass Logowear & Promotions offers custom printed framed canvas? With the Roland Versacamm large format printer, we have the ability to print on hundreds of materials, photo quality canvas being one of them. You may have even seen several canvas prints hanging on the wall in our shop. Those photos were taken by S. Christian Photography (www.schristianphotography.com) here in Clifton Park and we now use them as samples in the shop.

A canvas print begins with your creativity (and they make awesome gifts)! Email us your best photo in the highest resolution possible (the higher the resolution the cleaner/clearer the print) and we will work with you to decide the best size for your framed canvas. Once this has been decided we bring your photo into our printing program and set the proper size print area. Then we wait for the printing to finish and the canvas to dry.

While waiting for the print, we will put together the frame based on the size you chose. Each print is a custom job and only limited by your wall space! Once the frame is connected and stapled for extra stability and the print is dry, it is time to wrap the canvas around the frame. Beginning with one side, the canvas is stapled to the frame; the opposite side is now stretched to ensure a snug fit and stapled. This same pattern is used for the other two sides. Any remaining excess canvas is trimmed and your photo is ready for display!

Frame sizes vary from 8” x 10” to 24” x 36”; which size you choose depends on the final destination of your canvas print as well as the quality of the image you are looking to print. (If you have a very low image resolution we do not recommend printing in the 24” x 36” size as it will look extremely grainy, but you could most likely get away with a smaller size just fine.)

**Photo for canvas demonstration was taken by S. Christian Photography

Reviews on the 5.11 Light for Life

2010-01-23T18:53:00.005-05:00

It has been nearly six months since the promised innovative, high powered, durable 5.11 Light for Life has hit the market. At close to one pound and nearly 12 inches long, this flashlight has proven itself over and over in numerous markets. With a 90 second re-charge and run time of 120 minutes, this flashlight could be your new life-saver. Here is what our customers have to say;

"Having effective lighting is crucial for treating patients pre-hospitally. The brightness, rapid charge, and light weight of the Light for Life has made it an essential tool during all of my night shifts." (Used in a local EMS agency)

"Don't use the Light for Life in a corn maze; people will yell." (Personal use)

"Ouch, my eyes." (Personal use)

"This flashlight was perfect for our recent family camping trip. My young daughter said it was the brightest flashlight ever (and was not disappointed by the fact it wasn't pink.)." (Personal use)

"As a fire police member, this Light for Life is perfect at any scene. I can re-charge it 90 seconds without losing the ability to control traffic at a cene. The cone tips [flare wand and lens filters] are just what we needed to go along with these flashlights." (Fire Department)

"Many times approaching a scene, you don't know what your lighting/visibility will be. With this Light for Life I know my crew will be able to do their job more efficiently." (Fire Department)

"I purchased a Light for Life from Seaglass Logowear for my wife's birthday. She loved it! I feel much better knowing she has proper tools in her vehicle, ones that I dont't need to check the batterises in on a regular basis!" (Personal use)

Over the next few months, 5.11 will be releasing a smaller version of the original Light for Life. A light 10 ounce flashlight, measuring 8.75 inches long, you will still receive the fast 90 second re-charge with a 100 minute run time. We will let you know once they have hit our store!

Mention this blog posting and receive a FREE AC Adapter for your home with the purchase of a Light for Life. (Limited quantities are available, so act fast.)

Where has Seaglass been?

2009-01-24T13:55:00.004-05:00

I know, I know; I have not updated the blog for a few weeks, but I must say we have been busy! We enjoyed the holiday break, as I hope all of you did, and are back to our routines. This month Steve hosted another training class on the Roland VersaCAMM and had attendees from as far out as California (Kevin, you won the "Farthest Traveled Award"). Steve has also been dilligently revamping garmentua.com, a site designed for digital printers.

In addition, the Network of Young Professionals Committee (Southern Saratoga Chamber) is meeting next week to continue the planning of goals and events for 2009. We are looking forward to a fun and succesful year!

I will post again soon!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-25T11:58:00.001-05:00

Happy Holidays -

Blogged with the Flock Browser

A Day of Shopping

2008-12-06T19:02:00.003-05:00

As the holiday season is in full swing here, I find myself with less and less "free" time throughout the week. This week I completed more orders than expected but spent more hours than hoped at work, but it is all worth it! Today I finally (after 2 weeks of procrastination) spent the afternoon shopping for our adopted "angels" sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce anually. Catie's help was much appreciated! Daphne (8), Patricia (16), Joe (13) and Tal (11) will each have some useful and fun items this holiday! Thanks to all those who have helped with those "paper angels" on the trees in the malls and who have sponsored children & families this holiday season!

Too busy....

2008-11-19T21:02:00.004-05:00

For all those who have been watching for the updates, I have been slacking; more like focusing on your pending orders! It has been a busy week completing the line of 5.11 polo shirts for the Stratton fire department, outfitting the new Clifton Park Halfmoon Ambulance Corps personnel with their uniforms and showing off the new 5.11 Station Wear line to Ballston Lake EMS, Waterford EMS, Albany Airport and Verdoy Fire.

We are getting into our busy season as we finish off the year, (so get those holiday gift requests in early) so I may not update as often. If I don't update before the big Turkey Day, have a safe holiday!

Versacamm 101

2008-11-02T14:24:00.025-05:00

Friday morning began with old friends and new faces! Jean & Richard C. joined us again for another training class on the Roland Versacamm, taught by none other than our very own ... (Yes, you guessed it) Steven Jackson! With Mary Anne, Laura, Irv, Paul and Eloise the chit chat began and soon we realized there was a Navy man, Army man and a Marine in the shop and it was going to be a LONG day of comparing "war stories"!

What began as simple introductions led everyone to realize the similarities in each others circumstances and business plans. Each individual was the proud new recipient of a Roland Versacamm, different models, same concepts working with similar niches and under similar conditions. Each student had started out in comparable situations to Seaglass Logowear, which led to stronger bonds and most of all the realization of future practical and successful achievements.

When planning this day, Steve thought long and hard about the struggles he encountered when we first purchased our Versacamm, and what he wished he knew then. So this is where the day began, taking a concept from a customer, creating the graphics and inputting it into Versaworks, and ultimately printing the design on numerous types of materials. It was impressive to see the versatility with this piece of equipment, as Steve had shown off a picture we had printed on canvas. (Unfortunately no picture to show right now, but I will get one for you soon.)

Another important aspect often forgotten with new equipment is the cleaning and maintenace aspect; I must say my least favorite and Steve knows it. (Thankfully one of us is mindful of the up keep on our machines!) This is imperative for any business, and thanks to Steve a little easier to understand.

Each student learned the "art of weeding", the pros and cons to numerous printable materials for apparel and the process of pressing these onto shirts. The materials each individual weeded, masked and pressed were printable reflective, metallic, opaque, clear, glitter, puff, sub block, color print and flock. The same colorful design was used on each material to show the difference in shades when pressed onto shirts.

In addition, Steve discussed the non-apparel items the Versacamm is capabale of including banners, magnets and vehicle wraps. This machine does not limit your business at all and is a valuable asset to any apparel printing business.

By the end of the day there was interest in hosting more training events and remaining in contact with each other in the event of questions and better yet, major successes with the Versacamm! By Saturday morning we had received three emails regarding the exciting trials of different students and the gratitude for hosting the class. Steve and I, as always had a wonderful time meeting new individuals in our industry and sharing our knowledge. We hope to do this again soon!

5.11 Roadshow BBQ

2008-10-26T14:53:00.016-04:00

A long week, ended with a day of fun at Seaglass Logowear which wound down around 10:30 Friday night. Our 5.11 Roadshow BBQ went off without a hitch! The prep was done throughout the week, with Thursday being a late night. Christina and Mike (our 5.11 rep) came in to assist with weeding the promotional Hook & Ladder tees. Mike had never weeded before and found the process a bit tedious (and doesn't feel the word "weed" represents the process... although the best he could come up with was "picking" which we all agreed was unrepresentative. Any ideas?) Because the letters had some small pieces that were to remain on the print, he was pleased (as were the rest of us) when he completed the weeding of a single design, without losing a single "little extra piece". He was kind enough to show it off in the picture below. It's amazing how morale and productivity can improve with pizza and beer as a motivator! (Although, as you can see, it didn't work with Charlie!)

Friday began extremely early for Steve and I; we were at the shop by 7 cleaning up from the evening before and moving the tables and chairs around. Fernando, a rep from 5.11 who flew in from California for our event, was our chef for the day. He was dedicated enough to be out grocery shopping unil 10 pm Thursday evening...he began before noon that day! Fernando arrived just behind us and began prepping the food and assisting with the setup of the rest of the place. He was out there hovering over the grill as it was about 30 degrees that early on Friday morning, a little chillier than California!

By 10:30 Christina, Mike and Catie had arrived, banners and balloons were on display by the roadway, announcing our big day, and we had 2 phone calls for directions...a sign of our soon-to-be-success! Even Stone had his balloons in hands, as you can see here posing with Catie.

Soon we had numerous individuals shopping at Seaglass Logowear and reviewing the new Fire and EMS line. I am pretty sure the first glass of beer (Hook & Ladder Golden Ale) from the tap was poured by 10:30! Mike and Christina were showing off the Cams 40" Outbound Bag to a group while Steve was discussing the new 5.11 1/4 zip job shirts with a local fire department. (I love these new job shirts...and if you haven't seen them, stop in and take a look - no fade, no shrink - honest! They are awesome!!)

From what I heard throughout the day, unanimously, the London Broil was delicious! Fernando is welcome back any time to assist as chef for the day! He put on a tasty spread for all to enjoy! Topped with a Hook & Ladder brew, you could not go wrong!

Throughout the day I caught Mike taking a break with his feet on MY desk. I allowed it as he was working diligently throughout the day. After this he did show off his laptop wrap, courtesy of Steve!

Stone was another team player today and sold the boots off his feet (and he has big feet) .... No really....

For those who didn't see it, we had a prototype of the new Light for Life flashlight 5.11 will have available in January 2009. We took several pre-orders on Friday for these as they are set to be unavailable until mid 2009 unless pre-ordered. Here is the link to the blog created by 5.11 for these flashlights. (http://www.511tactical.com/lightforlife.html) With this new technology, this flashlight will be the only one you need!

At the end of the day, we decided the most popular items were the 1/4 zip job shirts, ATAC boots and VTAC bags for tactical operations. I was quite busy throughout the day and unable to take many pictures, so if you didn't make it in the blog I'm sorry. But I hope you enjoyed yourself nonetheless! Thank you to all of those who came to show their support and enjoy the discounts, food, beer and freebies! We could not be who we are without you!

Anatomy of a Jersey

2008-10-26T14:44:00.004-04:00

360 degrees, set; 4 second pre-press, set; 6 second press, set; The heat press is set and warming up for the Clifton Park Mite and Mini-Mite Hockey teams jerseys. So what's next?

Each jersey initially received the front Eagles logo. These logos, although not screen-printed in house, were created using a screen printing method. We sent the image to a company who screen prints the logo onto sheets of transfer paper using plastisol inks, partially cures them and ships them to us. We generally refer to these as "tranfers". As these prints were to adhere to polyester mesh jerseys, specialty inks were used. With added opacity and durability, the prints were lightweight and had a very soft feel.

Once the prints arrived, the heat press was set and a logo was pressed onto the front of each jersey. For printing 124 jerseys, I was getting toasty standing over the heat press for 2 hours! The initial step in the mission was complete!

Now that the basics were finished, I was waiting for the names and numbers going on each jersey. The setup was to be a 2.5" tall name and 8" tall number across the back, and a 3" number on each shoulder. Since the coaches weren't going to have a final list until 3 - 4 days prior to needing the jerseys, the same transfer method used for the front logo was not going to work for the rest of the jersey!

Although this meant a bit longer process for finishing off each jersey, I ordered a 50 yard roll of white vinyl material. Each name and number was prepared in the computer using our graphics program and sent to the "cutter", a Roland GX24. As the jersey specifics arrived from the coaches, I began cutting in a somewhat organized fashion (cut a few names, weed a few names, cut a few numbers, weed a few numbers, press a few jerseys; repeat).

Once the vinyl was cut it needed to be weeded. The remaining vinyl (everything except the name or the number) was removed using a pick (a dental pick believe it or not). Once the names and matching numbers were complete, I pressed the jersey. There were 4 pressings per jersey. Each sleeve was done separately, followed by the back name and number.

With each "mini-step", the total time to complete each jersey was around 8-10 minutes. This of course, is not the most time effective way to complete a jersey, but for a coach requiring a short turn around time, this is what works. With a few stragglers joining the team, using this printing method allows us to turn around a jersey within the hour. A superior addition to our customer service!

Did You Take a Picture?

2008-10-25T20:08:00.016-04:00

There are two versions to the story you are about to read, the truth, and Steve's extended version.

October 14th, I was working on numerous projects around the shop (as usual). Pet Lodge had placed an order for another round of t-shirts with a full color print. For these we print the logo onto opaque solutions (thin white vinyl) and weed (with a dental pick) around Lodger. (I then place a heat sensitive mask material across it to transfer the print to the t-shirt.) Well, as I was weeding, I needed to grab a box down from the back shelf. Being the multi-tasker that I am, I held the dental pick in my left hand and reached for the box. The box stuck to another and they both started to come down. Using my typical gracelessness, I put my hands out to prevent the boxes from falling and ended up impaling the dental pick into my hand.

(For those with weak stomachs, skip this paragraph.) The pick punctured the skin approximately 3/4" below my left pinky finger. With the pick about an inch and a half deep into the skin, I panicked for a second and decided to try and pull this out! Yeah, didn't work so well. Then the EMT in me kicked in and I reminded myself the rules about impaled objects....don't pull them out! So I called Steve and this is how he describes our conversation;

J - Hkjsa hskldah cdshjkfhwp shfklashgd

S - Are you okay?

J - Hkjsa hskldah cdshjkfhwp shfklashgd

S - What happened?

J - Hkjsa hskldah cdshjkfhwp shfklashgd

S - Do I need to call 911?

J - NO

So once I finally spit out what had happened, I hung up with him and went to CIS. Thankfully John and Teresa were there and John drove me to Urgent Care. Once I was in there, the pick was out within 5 minutes (and numb...boy did I appreciate that!). In my line of work, a dental pick puncturing a hand seems out of the ordinary, so I had to explain what we actually use the picks for; An intriguing concept for most! (I had a few extra faces pop into my room to check out the incident!)

Steve arrived shortly after while I was finishing with my good ol' tetanus shot. Steve had only two questions for me. Thankfully he asked the correct question first, "Are you okay?"; This was followed by the line "did you take a picture?". What a guy! The jokes started flying after this and we all had a good laugh (the doctors, nurses and Steve more than I).

Steve drove me to the pharmacy and back to work shortly after this and was disappointed upon his arrival, noticing there was no blood anywhere in the shop! The extended version he created at this point, consisting of "gushing" and "spurtting", was the big joke around Seaglass Logowear for a few days.

It has been nearly two weeks, my hand is almost back to full function without pain. I was lucky not too do more damage! Don't worry Matt, we have joked about the incident and I don't hold you or Lodger responsible! (Sorry for the delay in the shirts!)

The valuable lesson learned, don't multi task with a dental pick in your hand!

Now every time Steve, Christina, Catie or Loressa sees me walking with one in the shop, they move out of the way and tell me to put it down! Fear!

Seamstress Steven

2008-10-05T16:21:00.015-04:00

Seamstress Steven emerged from the dark shadows of Seaglass Logowear! How did that happen, you ask?

The Clifton Park Youth Hockey Association is purchasing jerseys from us for the Mini-Mite and Mite teams, and Thursday came to us about name plates for the travel team jerseys. After a little research, we decided it was something we could do at a competitive price, quickly. We had a completed sample by Friday afternoon, the blank name plates ordered and delivered for overnight standard delivery Tuesday. With the names in hand, the setup process began Wednesday, which left Thursday for the embroidery day. What began around 3 pm Wednesday, wrapped up around 10 pm Thursday.

The lengthy process of name plates began with Steve taking the name and inputting the details/measurements into the digitizing program. Once he had all of the files setup for the cutting and stitching, he sent them along to me. I then took the cut files and uploaded themto the Roland GX24 for cutting the tackle twill (applique material). For each name, there are 4 cut files (2 different sizes per name, per name plate color - black vs. white). All names were run within 1 hour and set aside while I began the initial name plate.

Once the file was inputted to the embroidery machine, stabilizer was hooped and the design was aligned. An outline of the name plate was stitched onto the stabilizer (to which the name plate would be secured using "sticky back") allowing ease of name plate placement, matching with the lettering. Once the name plate was secured to the stabilizer, an outline of the first letter was stitched, the machine was automatically set to stop allowing the initial to be placed onto the plate. With pressure sensitive adhesive on the back of the twill, the initial was secured and then the tack down was stitched (This is the top outline securing the letter to the material.). This process is done for each letter across the bottom layer, then again on the top layer. On average, these name plates took about 35 minutes apiece, making it a long day and night!

Once Steve arrived Thursday afternoon, I continued to babysit the embroidery machine while he moved forward. Myself being a somewhat annnoying perfectionist when it comes to sewing straight lines, Steve offered to complete the hemming! With a short crash course on sewing, he was off! While Steve was on a short break, Charlie made a futile attempt at hemming these name plates; Lack of opposable thumbs was a major problem!

Light for Life

2008-09-27T07:31:00.000-04:00

5.11 Tactical is always looking for ways to make your job easier, whether that's the creation of an entirely new product or the rejuvenation and revolution of an existing product. Only a few months ago 5.11 was approached about a new idea that sounded entirely implausible - a rechargeable flashlight, with no batteries! Unbelievable is what 5.11 thought until they met Dr. Alexander, a scientist from Flashpoint Technology who explained the technology and how their power management system could revolutionize flashlights for the public safety market. Dr. Alexander and his team have been working on this technology for more than ten years in the hybrid car market and beeen able to bring this breakthrough battery-free technology down into a handheld size.

5.11 Tactical and Flashpoint Technology have entered into an exclusive partnership to bring this patented technology to you, and at a reasonable price. The new 5.11 Light for Life flashlights have a dramatically higher return-on-investment vs. other rechargeable lights and outperform competitor lights across the board.

The 5.11 Light for Life flashlight comes with a limited lifetime warranty and its internal components are rated for a life of over 50,000 cycles (This adds up to more than 130 years if you use and recharge the light once a day!) The flashlight's body is made from a state-of-the-art polymer that is impact, abrasion and water resistant to stand up to the intense duty 5.11 knows you'll put it through.

These 5.11 Light for Life flashlights will be available in early 2009 and Seaglass Logowear is excited to offer such a versatile product for not only the public safety market, but to everyone needing an environmentally friendly, durable, long lasting, quick to recharge flashlight. With a 90 second recharge, no batteries and a lifetime of use, who doesn't need one?

53000 - Light for Life UC3.400

4 Way Power: Standard (90 Lumens)m Peak (270 Lumens), Strobe & Standby; Includes 12V DC Charger and mounting plate. 120V AC household adapter sold separately.

*Preorders are being accepted. Contact Seaglass Logowear at info@seaglasslogowear.com for your free informational packet.

Newest Employee

2008-09-21T16:25:00.000-04:00

We introduced Catie to our new employee on Saturday. We warned her he was tall, dark and handsome, and she may just fall in love! Meet Stone! Yes, he is a full size, 6' tall, dark & handsome mannequin! She of course laughed and we were sure to take a picture with her and Stone. I have to say, dressing Stone was not very easy. Catie and I dropped his arms a couple times and the pants were difficult when he can't bend his legs, and his legs are as long as me! But a fun time nonetheless!

Last week, our 5.11 Tactical Rep Mike was kind enough to come in and help us with the point of sale display items that had arrived for the new Station Wear Line Seaglass Logowear is carrying. We have dozens of EMS pants, station pants, station cargo pants, job shirts, polo shirts, t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, etc. with minimal place to display them. Mike did wonders on the store front and now Stone is sporting the new VTAC pack from the fire/EMS (station wear) line.

What is sea glass and who are we?

2008-09-21T14:32:00.001-04:00

Seaglass Logowear was established in 2004, originally named Just Us Embroidery. By the summer of 2005, the name had been changed to Seaglass Logowear. So now you are thinking, why did you change it, and what is sea glass? Sea glass is the glass found on ocean beaches that has been tumbled and smoothed by the water and sand, creating small pieces of smooth frosted glass. Steve and I have always loved the ocean and when walking the beaches, we would look for sea glass. At the time of renaming, we wanted something unique that would represent us while incorporating the services we offered (embroidery, screen printing, logo design, etc.), which led us to Seaglass Logowear.

What began as a part-time business quickly grew into a full-time business of 3+. In August 2007, we moved into a retail location in Clifton Park, NY and offered more services than ever before. We previously offered embroidery, screen printing, custom promotional products, digitizing and logo design. With the move and expansion, we have added trophies, awards, engraving, banners, decals, magnets and vinyl vehicle graphics. The theory behind the business; we should be your one stop shop for all of your advertising and promotional needs. Best of all, 90% of our services provided are done in house.

Meet the cast of Seaglass Logowear, (Left to right) Steven J., Christina F., Jen J. (front), Loressa P. & Megan S. (Catie F. not shown.) I am the owner of Seaglass Logowear and handle the day to day operations. Steve recreates the graphics/digitizing and enjoys the vinyl vehicle graphics. Christina is the 5.11 Tactical Series sales rep for Seaglass Logowear, working with many fire departments and EMS agencies on the new Station Wear Line. Loressa and Catie work for us per diem, assisting wherever necessary. Megan was an intern this summer. A senior graphic design student at Philadelphia University, she was able to dabble in a bit of everything, including graphics, production, sales and vehicle graphic applications.

Bottom line, Seaglass Logowear is here to provide your advertising and promotional creations!