The Apollo has given the Westbury based business automated workflow for a continuous optimal production model
In today’s print-on-demand (POD) garment market, operational factors such as speed, scalability, and sustainability are critical. UK-based T-Shirt & Sons, a specialist in garment printing, has adopted the Kornit Apollo platform to address these aspects of their fulfilment process.
Founded in 1989, T-Shirt & Sons is known for its direct-to-garment (DTG) printing services. With the growth in e-commerce and demand for customised apparel, the company reviewed its existing production workflows.
“We’ve always had the people and the will,” says Adam Golder, Managing Director at T-Shirt & Sons. “But we’ve never had the tools that enabled us to do it with confidence, day in and day out, until now.”
T-Shirt & Sons had previously processed thousands of orders daily. However, these processes were resource intensive, and increasing demand placed pressure on quality control and turnaround times. Golder stated that automation was recognised as essential, provided it did not compromise quality or sustainability.
The Kornit Apollo platform integrates hardware, software, and data to facilitate DTG printing at scale. The system was integrated into T-Shirt & Sons’ workflow, enabling automated production from order intake to shipping. This transition shifted the company from batch-based to a continuous production model.
Golder explained that the Apollo system combines hardware, software, and data into an integrated platform, leading to “smarter printing.”
Since implementing Apollo, T-Shirt & Sons has changed its operational approach. The company now processes tens of thousands of individual garments daily, a volume that was not feasible with their previous setup.
Key outcomes of this implementation include:
- Daily fulfilment of over 35,000 orders while maintaining quality.
- Reduced human error through automation and quality control.
- Improved turnaround times.
- More sustainable processes due to decreased waste and water usage.
Additionally, the Apollo platform’s integrated dashboarding and data analysis tools provide T-Shirt & Sons with insights for continuous operational optimisation.
“It’s like going from driving a car to flying a plane—with autopilot,” Golder says. “We’re still in control, but we’re supported by systems that understand what’s coming and adjust in real time. We’ve gone from wondering how to meet demand to asking how much more we can do,” Golder concludes. “It’s a new era for us—and for the industry.”