Print Masters Throwdown: Where Skill, Art, and Proof Collide at Impressions Long Beach 2026

Screen printing lives in a rare space. It is everywhere, yet often unseen. Almost everyone owns a screen printed shirt, but few ever see the printers behind it, tucked away solving problems, dialing settings, and making judgment calls most people never realize are happening. The Print Masters Throwdown was created to bring those printers forward.

At its core, the Throwdown is a live screen printing competition built to give printers at every level a stage, from DIY setups to the most advanced shops. What matters is mastery, problem solving, technique, and decision making under pressure. In an industry crowded with opinions, comment sections, and “what I would’ve done” chat room takes, the Print Masters Throwdown cuts through the noise with real screen printing, happening live, where skill and results speak for themselves.

The idea started simply. A few printers, myself included, decided to stop waiting and just do it. No waiting for permission. No overplanning. We pulled in the screen printing community, aligned with sponsors who believed in the vision, and hosted the very first eight Print Masters Throwdowns in Boston, Massachusetts, at my studio, Self-Made Designs.

They were raw, exhausting, and unforgettable. Long days, constant troubleshooting, and an undeniable energy that proved this was more than an event. It was a platform worth growing.

Now the Print Masters Throwdown steps onto a bigger stage. In 2026, it goes live at Impressions Long Beach, bringing competition directly into one of the largest decorated apparel shows in the world. With the support of Impressions and sponsors like ROQ, PMI, GSF Screens, GraphX Source, Bella+Canvas, Avient, and others, the Throwdown continues to grow while staying focused on what matters most: the printers.

What sets the Throwdown apart is what it highlights. Screen printers are artists. Yes, the craft is technical, but behind every great print is creative decision making. Color, ink, mesh, pressure, timing, and knowing when to pivot. The Throwdown puts that artistry front and center, showcasing printers as creative problem solvers working live, in real time. And the talent stepping into the arena at Impressions Long Beach 2026 represents exactly that.

The Teams Competing

Team Print Plugz

• Sanger Davidson

• Omar Ortiz

Team MADE

• Kyle Caldwell

• Lindsey Salinas

Team Pine Brand

• TeeJay Henry

• Nicole Galzin

These teams aren’t here to argue technique online. They’re here to print, adapt, and solve problems live, showing what happens when experience meets pressure. The Print Masters Throwdown celebrates the art of screen printing and the printers who show up and do the work.

If you’re attending Impressions Long Beach 2026, come watch it live at 12pm each day in the ROQ Atrium. Register FREE here!

Stay locked in and keep an eye out for what’s coming next.