California Apparel News

The Orlando, Fla., edition of the Imprinted Sportwear Shows, trade events for suppliers of decorated apparel and T-shirt blanks, was canceled Sept. 3 due to threats from Hurricane Dorian as the storm’s winds were projected to potentially reach 110 miles per hour if it reached Florida’s east coast, according to the National Hurricane Center. ISS Orlando was scheduled to run Sept. 5–7 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

“We are extremely disappointed that we cannot stage the 2019 ISS Orlando,” a statement from ISS management said. “Hurricane Dorian continues to pose a serious threat to Florida and the East Coast. Canceling the show allows those in the storm’s path to focus on preparing their families, businesses and communities and prevents those traveling from outside the area from coming to an unsafe situation.”

More than 3,000 people typically attend ISS Orlando. But about 4,800 people had registered for the September show, said Joshua Carruth, ISS’ director.

The trade-show statement also guaranteed that no cancellation fees would be charged. ISS parent company Emerald Expositions had also canceled the Surf Expo trade show, which was scheduled to run Sept. 5–7 in Orlando as well.

The next scheduled ISS Orlando show date is April 2–4, 2020, Carruth said. It will run in conjunction with the International Sign Association’s International Sign Expo.

“There’s synergy in print-minded businesses,” Carruth said. “It lines up for our clientele.”

ISS also produces other trade shows across America, including shows in Atlantic City, N.J.; Fort Worth, Texas; Long Beach, Calif.; and Baton Rouge, La.

For September 2020, Emerald Expositions has not scheduled another ISS Orlando trade show, but Senior Vice President Roy Turner wants members of the event’s community to look to the future.

“We have a show coming up at the end of the month in Fort Worth, so what we would be looking for is the exhibitor and attendee focus to be on that show, Oct. 3–5.” ISS Forth Worth will be hosted at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

Earlier this year, Emerald announced that the show’s name would be changed to Impressions Expo, which would better reflect the show’s connection to Impressions magazine, which is a trade publication and sponsor of the show. The name change is expected to be made formal at the ISS trade show in Long Beach Jan. 17–19, 2020.

Dov Charney, the founder of Los Angeles Apparel, exhibits at the ISS Long Beach show. He said that the cancellation of the Orlando show would affect the industry. “But it won’t affect it for the long term,” Charney said. “ISS is an important organization. The industry would cease to function without ISS.”