For seven years running, the annual Women in Screen Printing Awards 2026 spotlights the shop owners, production managers, and print leaders who keep pushing our industry forward. Screen printing used to be a secretive trade where old school printers guarded ink formulas and exposure times like classified documents. The 2026 class of award winners blows that mindset wide open, proving that sharing knowledge builds a stronger, more profitable print community.
What the Awards Stand For
The Women in Screen Printing Awards 2026 recognize leaders who manage screen printing operations while leaving a major mark on the industry. Nominated by peers, team members, and supply partners, these six winners demonstrate that there is plenty of business for everyone when shops focus on training, communication, and mutual support. Huge props go to industry partners including Easiway, Stahls, Bella+Canvas, ZUND, Printing United Expo, and the Women in Print Alliance for backing this program.
Meet the Winners
Jamie Young | Uptown Screen Printing
Jamie Young founded Uptown Screen Printing in 2020, growing her Battle Ground, Washington operation into a full-service apparel shop serving the Portland region. After spending six hours registering her very first three-color job on a manual press, Jamie used early setup mistakes to sharpen her technical skills, eventually scaling Uptown into a million-dollar company using management software to eliminate order chaos.
Jennifer Oaks | Gerald Printing
Over a 22-year career moving from customer service to CEO, Jennifer Oaks guided Gerald Printing's expansion into a multi-state decoration powerhouse in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Jennifer grew the business by acquiring established shops and consolidating heavy production equipment at headquarters, demonstrating that multi-department diversification works when processes and shop communication stay locked in.
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Julie Denton-Price | BlueCotton
As Co-owner and CRO at BlueCotton, Julie Denton-Price oversees 130 team members and 18 automatic screen printing presses. By implementing daily shift stand-up meetings and investing heavily in team education, Julie helped double company revenue, land on the Inc. 5000 list, and slash employee turnover from 108 percent down to 14 percent.
Nathali Lopez | NL Designs
Nathali Lopez turned a 2019 side project into NL Designs, a thriving commercial apparel decorator in San Marcos, Texas. Holding an economics degree and an MBA, Nathali combined business analytics with press room hustle, upgrading from manual setups to an eight-color, 10-station automatic press to scale production without physical burnout.
Nicole Reynolds | Apparel Lab
Nicole Reynolds, owner of Apparel Lab in Madison, Alabama, scaled her shop from $300,000 to $1 million by setting firm client boundaries and focusing on profitable work. A regular speaker at events like PRINTING United Expo, Nicole educates printers on evaluating equipment purchases using labor savings, operator comfort, and production data.
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Janet Morris | Blue Ridge Graphics
Janet Morris has spent over three decades shaping production at Blue Ridge Graphics in Charlottesville, Virginia. Starting as an off-loader in 1995, Janet trained over 100 operators, helped earn Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) certification, and built expertise across plastisol, water-based, epoxy, and specialty inks.
Key Takeaways for Your Shop
- Invest in Operator Growth: Teach your team setup fundamentals, squeegee durometer selection, off-contact, and screen tension to build confidence at the press and keep misprints low.
- Track Hard Financial Metrics: Evaluate equipment and jobs based on profit metrics rather than gross volume. Drop unprofitable accounts to focus on sustainable growth.
- Standardize Production Workflows: Establish repeatable prepress processes, shift handoffs, and clear job boundaries to run a smoother, more predictable shop.
Industry Celebration at Printing United Expo
Screen printers gathered to celebrate these leaders in person at Printing United Expo in Las Vegas at the Screen Printing magazine booth. Read full winner interviews on ScreenPrintingmag.com.
Build a More Efficient Shop Setup
From manual presses to high-performance inks and reclamation supplies, stock your shop with equipment built to scale production.