Guest Contributor, Author at Cascade Print Media

History of Print: Part 1

FAQ, New, Print Marketing

Guest Post by: Noah

Did you know the history of printing goes back over 5,000 years?

The history of printing is a history filled with inventiveness and innovation, with each development in printing technology building upon the lessons learned from a previous technology.

Part 1: Ancient Printing

Printing first began in one of the earliest known human civilizations. The Mesopotamian culture came to be in what is now Iraq where they formed the first known cities, such as the city of Sumer. It was in these ancient cities that the first known form of printing developed around 3100 BCE.

The first known type of printing used a cylinder that was etched with a design and rolled through soft clay. Once the clay hardened, the design was preserved. This process allowed a single design to be replicated over and over. In other words, printing was created!

This form of printing went hand-in-hand with the world’s first known written language, called cuneiform, which was developed around the same time period.

The next great innovations in printing occurred in ancient China. Around the year 200 CE, the ancient Chinese culture developed wood-block printing. This type of printing featured lines of text carved into wooden blocks that could transfer ink to sheets of paper.

You may be wondering, where did they get the ink and paper? Well, it just so happens that both ink and paper were also invented in ancient China around the same time period!

The next great innovation in printing technology was the development of movable type, which occurred in China in 1041 CE. This innovation dramatically sped up the printing process, as the letters and words on a page could be easily rearranged, eliminating the need to carve the entire design for each page one at a time.

History of Print: Part 3

FAQ, Marketing, New

Guest Post by: Noah

Part 3: Modern Printing

The last History of Print: Part 1 and 2 in the history of printing delved into the technological innovations that allowed printing to be mass produced. In this section, we will take a look at the printing technologies that were developed in the last 100 years.

The first such technology, inkjet printing was developed simultaneously in both the US and Japan in the 1950s. This type of printing eliminated the need for ink to be directly pressed onto paper. Instead, inkjet printing works by spraying ink through tiny jets onto paper. This technology allowed printing to become cost-efficient and compact, allowing printers to reach a much wider audience.

The next innovation in printing also happens to be one of the most recent. Digital printing was invented in the US in 1989. This type of printing works directly with digital files, allowing the ink that prints on the page to mirror the pixels on the screen.

History of Print: Part 2

FAQ, Marketing, New

Part 2: Industrial Printing

Our first History of Print: Part 1 delved into the origins of printing, as well as developments made throughout its early history. In this section, we will explore the next stage of printing’s history

After originating in the Middle East and Asia, printing continued to be developed throughout Europe. The most influential printing technology developed in Europe is the famed Gutenberg Press. While not being the first printing press to be created, the Gutenberg Press, invented in Germany in 1440 CE combined many printing innovations into one machine. It is because of this that this press allowed for the printing of brochures, pamphlets, and posters on a mass production scale.

The next great innovation in printing technology was the creation of a form of printing known as lithography, which transferred designs to paper using an etched stone. Lithography, invented in Germany in 1796 CE allowed for the printing and mass reproduction of artwork, advertising, and illustrated books, all in full color and great detail.

The next stage of printing is known as offset printing. Offset printing was invented in England in 1875 CE. This form of printing replaced the flat stone of lithography with an etched cylinder, which sped up print production times dramatically and allowing for the mass production of books, magazines, and newspapers. Offset printers are still used today to print these items in a similar way to the way they were printed almost 150 years ago.

Guest Post by: Noah

Elevate Your Brand: Custom Branded Clothing

Company Stores, FAQ, Marketing, New, Promotional Products

Guest Post by: James

In today’s competitive landscape, a well-designed company uniform or branded clothing line is more than just a way to dress your team – it’s a powerful tool to project professionalism, boost brand awareness, and foster a strong company culture. Investing in custom company clothing is essential for your business and how to make the most of this branding opportunity.

Reasons to Invest

Well-designed company branded clothing projects a polished and professional image to clients and customers. When employees wear company apparel, they become walking billboards, subtly promoting the company wherever they go. The unified look and branding helps clients more easily recognize and interact with employees to be better served.
A consistent uniform or apparel theme creates a sense of belonging and unity among employees, strengthening team spirit and collaboration. This can help boost loyalty and morale.

Key Considerations for Choosing Branded Clothing

Align your clothing design with your brand identity, considering color palette, logo placement, and overall style. Investing in durable, high-quality materials will ensure long-lasting wear and project a positive brand.
Cascade Print Media works with a wide variety of clothing suppliers allowing us to offer a range of clothing items. These include t-shirts, polos, hoodies, jackets, hats, and many more to cater to different needs and branding preferences. You can select what styles, colors and overall looks are acceptable for your business needs.

Creative Ways to Utilize Branded Clothing

Gift new hires with an onboarding welcome package including company branded clothing to help integrate them into the company culture.
Encourage employees to wear company clothing at conferences, team building activities, or special company sponsored events to further promote your brand.
These options and more are easily paired with online storefronts allowing employees to login, select, and order clothing that fits both their aesthetic and size. This allows for increased employee freedom while keeping the company’s approved vision and branding needs in mind.

Company branded clothing is a valuable tool to elevate your brand image, strengthen employee engagement, and create a unified company identity. By carefully considering design, functionality, and usage scenarios, you can leverage branded apparel to project a positive and lasting impression on your employees, clients, and the wider community.

Do you have any questions about incorporating branded clothing into your company culture? Contact us today to explore our custom apparel design options and elevate your brand today! Whether it’s a dozen hats or an entire online apparel website for multiple locations, Cascade Print Media can provide solutions and help elevate your business.