Balfour wins Graphic Excellence Award for innovations in letter jackets
Balfour recognized for its use of dye sublimation printing to reinvent traditional school achievement apparel.
DALLAS, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Balfour®, digital retailer and premier provider of school recognition products, has been honored by the Printing and Imaging Association (PIA) at its annual GraphEx awards for Best in Category for Dye Sublimation.
PIA MidAmerica's annual Graphic Excellence Competition known as GraphEx, announced winners at its virtual awards event in August. The organization is committed to recognizing the achievements and innovations of the very diverse printing industry, awarding recognition to companies in more than 300 categories.
"We feel truly honored to have won this award amongst so many professionals in the industry," Jessica Suttle, Senior Product Engineer at Balfour, said. "We believe this innovative product will give us competitive advantage and bring a creative look to the letter jacket category."
Balfour began using dye sublimation printing—a process that infuses ink into fabric—for its school letter jacket line in 2017. The offering gives students a new way to show off their accomplishments with upgrades to this wearable recognition garment.
With the dye sub process, schools can customize the inner lining of the jacket, a popular trend in both men's and women's fashion today. The artwork can include the school's mascot, name or crest. Several eye-catching designs are available to choose from.
As the technique continues to grow in popularity, Balfour has also begun using the dye sub process in creative ways to elevate the look and style of graduation gowns.
"We get so many comments from students after seeing the dye-sublimation," Suttle said. "It brings an eye-catching appeal to the letter jacket that has not been done before and keeps us current with trends in the market, which is key for Gen Z."
To learn more about Balfour's letter jacket offerings and school solutions, find your rep at http://www.balfour.com.
About Balfour
American Achievement-Iconic Group Inc (The Iconic Group) is the world's largest Collegiate and High School commencement services company leading the industry in digital product innovation by helping students and their families celebrate life's most important achievements with a suite of digital commencement services & innovations. As the parent company of industry-leading brands such as ArtCarved®, Balfour®, Keepsake®, Taylor Publishing®, GradImages and Gaspard Cap & Gowns, American Achievement's legacy is based upon the delivery of exceptional, innovative products, including industry-leading publishing software, graduation jewelry, yearbooks, graduation products, and custom regalia. The School's personalized, customized products and services are available through digital technology, personal in-school deliveries and customized school assortments on Balfour.com, the destination for Graduation products.
SOURCE Balfour
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