With the rise of globalization and outsourcing, many products we use every day are made outside of America. However, there are still opportunities to buy American made goods if you know where to look. This is especially true when it comes to event tickets and custom printed materials like raffle tickets and fundraising tickets.
Why Choose American Made Tickets?
There are a few key reasons you may want to seek out American made tickets for your next event or promotion:
- Support American Workers – When you choose tickets printed in the USA, you are directly supporting American jobs and workers.
- Higher Quality – Many people perceive American made products as higher quality with tighter QA controls.
- Fast Turnaround – Using a domestic ticket printer allows for very fast turnaround, even for rush orders.
- Customization – American printers are more likely to accommodate customized or unique ticket designs and shapes.
- Environmental Impact – Printing domestically reduces the carbon footprint from overseas shipping and transport.
How to Source American Made Tickets
The key to finding American made tickets is knowing where to look. Here are some tips:
- Search for “Made in USA” – Try searching for phrases like “tickets made in USA” or “American made tickets.” This will help surface companies promoting domestic production.
- Ask Your Current Supplier – If you have a current ticket vendor, simply ask them if they print in the USA. Many will offer domestic production options.
- Look for Union Printers – Searching for union printers like Allied Printing Trades or Teamster print shops often indicates American production.
- Check State Associations – State printing associations like Printing Industries of California maintain lists of in-state printers.
- Contact Local Printers – Don’t overlook smaller local print shops who may offer domestic ticket printing.
Top American Made Ticket Companies
Here are some of the top domestic ticket printers to consider:
Company | Location | Products |
---|---|---|
Trodat USA | Missouri | Custom raffle, fundraising, and promotional tickets |
Printing House Press | Wisconsin | Event, theater, cinema, and amusement park tickets |
Lawtons Printing | Florida | Parking, retail, hospitality, and gaming tickets |
Insight Graphics | Oregon | Sporting event, concert, and festival tickets |
Colonial Printing | Pennsylvania | Movie, theater, and amusement park tickets |
Many of these printers offer online ordering and extensive customization options for unique ticket designs, shapes, colors, and security features like sequential numbering.
Made in America Ticket Printing Technology
Ticket printing requires specialized equipment and processes to handle mass production. Here is an overview of some common technologies used by American made ticket manufacturers:
Lithographic Printing
One of the most common technologies is lithographic printing, also called offset printing. This process involves transferring inked images from plates to rubber blankets and then onto the ticket substrate.
Advantages of lithographic ticket printing include:
- High volume capacity – can print thousands per hour
- Cost effective for large quantities
- Ability to print fine details and imaging
Digital Printing
Many modern print shops use digital printing for tickets requiring lower quantities or variable data. The process applies toner directly to the substrate without plates.
Benefits of digital ticket printing are:
- Fast setup and changeovers
- Cost effective for shorter runs
- Ability to print variableticket numbers
Numbering & Barcoding
Sequential numbering and barcode addition happen in a separate manufacturing step after printing. This allows each ticket to have a unique code or number for security and tracking.
Common methods include:
- Inkjet printing
- Thermal printing
- Laser printing
- Embossing
Finishing
The finishing stage transforms printed tickets into final products. Steps may involve:
- Coating – gloss or matte laminates
- Slitting – cutting down large press sheets
- Scoring – adding crease lines for easy folding
- Collating – assembling multiple part tickets
- Perforating – adding easy tear lines
American Made Ticket Materials
Tickets can be printed on a wide range of materials including:
- Paper – Smooth uncoated ticket tag paper is very common. Recycled and synthetic paper are also options.
- Plastic – PVC and PET plastic are used for durable tickets.
- Foil – Metallic foil substrates add reflective shine.
- Synthetic – Polyester and polycarbonate composites provide durability.
Many domestic printers offer eco-friendly options like recycled paper and biodegradable plastics to reduce environmental impact.
Common American Made Ticket Products
Here are some of the most common American made ticket products:
Raffle Tickets
Custom printed raffle tickets are popular for fundraisers and contests. Numbered stubs detach from the ticket for drawing entries.
Roll Tickets
Continuous roll tickets on perforated paper are convenient for quick tears. Often used at events, arcades, theaters and more.
Airline Tickets
Airlines use specialty multi-part carbonless tickets for boarding passes and baggage tags.
Parking Tickets
Parking tickets have unique tear-off stubs to leave on a vehicle. Long-term thermal stock resists fading.
Wristband Tickets
Plastic wristband tickets provide secure attendee identification. Some include RFID chips for cashless payments or tracking.
Quality Assurance for American Made Tickets
To provide the highest quality, domestic ticket printers implement stringent quality assurance standards including:
- Trained Press Operators – With years of specialty experience running commercial ticket presses.
- Process Control – Careful process monitoring with statistical control charts.
- Press Audits – Frequent press checks to verify quality up to standards.
- Incoming Inspections – Each substrate batch is inspected prior to printing.
- In-line Inspection – Quality checks during production not just at the end.
- Light Box Testing – Illuminated defect checking stations.
- Counting Verification – Inventory accuracy via hand counting.
Why American Made Matters
At the end of the day, choosing American made tickets supports local communities and the national economy. Though price will always be a driving factor, domestic sourcing has intangible benefits over import tickets. And the quality will be noticeably higher from skilled local craftsmen using well-maintained equipment.
The next time you need tickets printed, take a moment to search out domestic suppliers. Look for “Made in USA” labels and ask potential vendors about their production capabilities. With some diligent research, you can find event, amusement, fundraising, and promotional tickets proudly printed in America.
Conclusion
Finding custom printed tickets made in the United States is very possible with the right supplier. Dozens of skilled American companies offer domestic production using specialty ticket printing presses and technology. With some research, you can locate printers of event, amusement, fundraising or promotional tickets right in your home state.
The benefits of American made tickets include supporting local communities, reduced environmental impact, faster turnaround on rush orders, and higher perceived quality. And domestic printers are more likely to accommodate unique custom ticket designs and shapes.
Key ticket printing technologies include lithographic, digital, inkjet, and thermal printing. Substrates range from paper to plastic to foil. And rigorous quality assurance procedures ensure defect-free products. So don’t settle for generic imported tickets. Seek out custom options proudly made in America for your next project.