In today’s fast-paced print-on-demand (POD) market, speed, scale, and sustainability are non-negotiable. For UK-based garment printing leader T-Shirt & Sons, meeting these demands means revolutionizing their approach to fulfillment. Their journey with Kornit’s Apollo platform is a clear example of how innovation can unlock new levels of performance and reliability.
A Legacy of Quality Meets the Future of Fulfillment
Founded in 1989, T-Shirt & Sons has built a reputation as one of Europe’s most trusted providers of high-quality, eco-friendly direct-to-garment (DTG) printing. But with the continued surge of e- commerce and customized apparel demand, even the most reliable legacy workflows needed a rethink.
“We’ve always had the people and the will,” says Adam Golder, Managing Director at T-Shirt & Sons, in a recent video case study. “But we’ve never had the tools that enabled us to do it with confidence, day in and day out—until now.”
That confidence came with the installation of the Kornit Apollo system.
The Challenge: Scaling Without Sacrificing Quality
At peak times, T-Shirt & Sons was already handling thousands of daily orders, but the processes involved were resource-intensive, and growth brought increasing pressure on quality control and turnaround times.
“We knew automation was essential,” says Golder. “But not at the expense of quality or sustainability. That’s where Kornit came in.”
The Solution: Apollo, Kornit’s Smart Production Platform
Kornit Apollo isn’t just another production upgrade—it’s a redefinition of what’s possible in modern fulfillment. This smart, end-to-end DTG platform brings together hardware, software, and data to enable faster, smarter, more sustainable printing at scale. The Apollo solution integrates seamlessly into T-Shirt & Sons’ workflow, enabling fully automated production from order intake to shipping label. It’s a leap from batch-based to continuous, intelligent production.
“With Apollo, we’ve brought together hardware, software, and data into one intelligent platform,” explains Golder. “This isn’t just faster printing—it’s smarter printing.”
The Impact: Efficiency Without Compromise
Since adopting Apollo, T-Shirt & Sons has transformed its operational model. The company now reliably fulfills up to tens of thousands of individual garments daily, a figure that would have been unthinkable under their previous setup.
Highlights of the transformation include:
- 35,000+ orders per day fulfilled without compromising quality
- Near-zero human error through automation and quality control
- Faster turnaround times, improving customer satisfaction
- Sustainable processes with reduced waste and water use
What’s more, the intelligent dashboarding and data analysis tools built into the Apollo platform have given T-Shirt & Sons the insights they need to continuously optimize operations.
“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.”
The Bigger Picture: A Blueprint for the Industry
T-Shirt & Sons’ partnership with Kornit isn’t just about numbers—it’s about a mindset shift for the entire POD industry. With the right technology and vision, high-volume, high-quality, and environmentally responsible fulfillment can go hand in hand.
“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.”
