ESMA, the European Specialist Printing Manufacturers Association, is to hold its first garment printing conference later this year. Postponed from its original spot at the TV TecStyle Visions trade show, the ESMA Sportswear & Fashion tshirt printing Conference will now be held in the Autumn.

Details of the new program have yet to be announced, but will mirror the original one, which was due to take place at Stuttgart on February 2nd. Focussing on the niche market of sportswear, leisurewear and promotional clothing such as personalised hoodies, the conference was to also have highlighted the latest digital and screen-print technologies and practices. However, as these areas are already covered in detail at the TecStyle Visions show, ESMA sensibly decided to give their event its own spotlight.

ESMA have assembled a team of experts who will be turning their attention to the garment printing industry for the first time. With specialised workshops and in-depth presentations, the Autumn conference will offer a program which is altogether more attractive and complete than the original. Focussing on the cutting-edge technologies hitting the custom hoodie market, ESMA will also turn their attention to the latest developments in fashion, sports and leisurewear. Autumn is a crucial time for the fashion industry, and the winter collections will undoubtedly be heavily influenced by post-Olympics trends.

For those who personalise hoodies and t-shirts for a living, 2012 promises to be a particularly exciting time. However, once the London Olympics and Diamond Jubilee celebrations have finished, things are likely to fall a bit flat. The ESMA conference will give tshirt printers at least one event to look forward to, once all the bunting has been taken down.