Under the bright lights of Hollywood sound stages, where the cameras don’t miss a single detail, textile printing precision counts. The lightning-quick pace of the motion picture industry’s creative cycles are also unforgiving, so answering Tinseltown’s call when apparel, costuming, or other accessories must be on-set can be daunting. Fortunately, for the millions of critical viewers in theaters, at home, or on mobile devices, digital textile printing studios like Los Angeles-based MY Prints can save the day.
MY Prints Co-Owner Steven Moreno’s prints can be seen in movies, TV and streaming shows, music videos, and commercials. “We’ve done everything from swimsuits to pants to shirts,” the 18-year industry veteran says. “We’ve done shorts, scarves.”
Moreno is passionate about his craft – even the challenges that go with it. He says there’s a lot of consultation inherent in his work, including finding alternatives for less-forgiving or less-printable materials when designers or stylists ask for a particular look. For example, when a job calls for silk or cotton, he often suggests polyester textiles, which can be printed in a tighter timeline and on the equipment he uses.
“There’s always that small education process that comes… especially from new stylists that have only gotten my name from somebody else and then, you know, came in to work on a project. They’ll come in and say ‘we need silk, we need cotton’…” Moreno recounts “…and immediately, I’ll show them some polyester samples.”
Two TVF fabrics he’ll often start with are 8.4 oz. 88/12 Polyester LYCRA® Jennifer and 1.5 oz. Polyester Silky Chiffon. “Jennifer… because… one of my biggest things is the matte yarn. And then the Silky Chiffon just feels so flowy. It’s so soft, it’s so silky, that nine out of 10 people do not believe that it is a polyester fabric when they first touch it.”
He continued “that’s where I like to leadoff by saying this is a perfect indication that not all polyester feels like the 1970s. You know, disco polyester that you guys may have wrapped in your mind.”
Recently, Moreno provided a replica kimono in warp speed for the HBO hit series Euphoria. When the staff contacted him about the job, he jumped at the opportunity. “You know, we just started watching the show. I’m a huge fan. I’d love to be a part of it. Definitely bring down the work,” he recalled telling those involved with the show. “So (the staff member) sent her assistant out and she dropped off this beautiful purple kimono and I said, ‘OK, this is pretty cool. What is it that you need me to do?’”
The work involved scanning the artwork of the original and printing up two replica samples for a stunt double. The catch? They wanted it by 5 o’clock the next morning. The bigger catch? It was already 5 o’clock in the evening.
After working through the night and coordinating the sewing assembly, Moreno’s story has a happy ending. “She texted me at about 10:30 and she said the filming just finished and it was awesome… I remember I was at home, shaking my head and going, ‘I can’t believe I just worked straight through the night just for a kimono to put on the screen,’” he chuckled. “And when we saw the episode, I mean, if I counted on my fingers, I don’t even think I would have got two fingers up in the air. That’s how quick it went through the screen.”
Moreno’s optimism and passion for his craft won out, even with a deadline that would be impossible for a lot of other print studios. “For me, the fun is the challenge. You know, trying to figure it out.”
In addition to Jennifer and Silky Chiffon, TVF offers dozens of printable apparel fabrics that meet the needs of your specific application. Chat with our team of knowledgeable experts.