Introduction: A New Chapter for TDA
TDA is rolling out something we've needed for years. TDA Pro is an annual membership designed for screen printing professionals who want real, ongoing value — not a one-time punch and you're done. Whether you're printing alone in your garage, running a shop with a team, or supplying the industry, there's a tier for you.
The old TDA model worked. Buy once, keep it forever. That got us through 20+ years and built a global community. But the industry doesn't stay still, and neither does your business. Screen printers told us what they needed: fresh content every month, tools that actually grow with your operation, real industry connections, and pricing that actually saves money. TDA Pro answers that.
For nearly 23 years, TDA has been the place professionals go for education, certification, and community. TDA Pro keeps that promise, but makes it work for where the industry is now.
Why the Change?
TDA's been around since 2004. Over 100 countries, thousands of certified professionals. The one-time membership worked—it let us build community on a small team budget and reach professionals globally on the cheap. That's how we grew this thing.
But we hit a limit. Monthly education takes time to produce. Building tools that actually solve your business problems is expensive. Running a job board, hosting events, maintaining certifications—that costs money, and we couldn't fund it on a model from 2004. Either we find a new way to sustain real value, or we watch TDA become another dormant forum nobody visits.
So we listened. Members said: give us new content regularly, give us tools that work, give us real industry connections, and yes, make the pricing reasonable so we can actually afford the value. TDA Pro is that answer.
What About Existing Members?
This is the thing we fought hardest to get right: Legacy members keep everything forever. Nothing changes. You have a one-time membership? Keep it. All your current benefits stay. You don't owe us anything.
If you want to upgrade to TDA Pro and get the new stuff, we're giving you a 30-50% discount as a thank-you for showing up when TDA was still finding its footing. But there's no pressure. The original deal stands.
Three TDA Pro Tiers
TDA Pro isn't one-size-fits-all. We built three tiers because decorators, suppliers, and educators have different needs. Pick the one that matches what you do.
TDA Pro Business ($49/year)
For shop owners, printers, and anyone making money from screen printing.
- Priority in the Member Directory (TDA Pro members show up first when people search for you)
- CDP recertification covered (no extra fees to renew)
- Continuing Education credits earned through TDA content, webinars, and events
- Supplier discount program—real deals from ink companies, equipment makers, blank suppliers
- Access to webinars and new educational content as it comes out
- TDA Pro badge to put on your website or portfolio
- Monthly newsletter with actual industry news, not fluff
TDA Pro Supplier ($99/year)
For ink makers, equipment manufacturers, blank distributors, and service providers selling to the industry.
- Featured spotlight in the TDA directory where buyers look
- Your products and services promoted to TDA members via newsletter and Hub
- A platform to run special deals for TDA members directly
- Your logo in TDA publications, events, and the website
- Access to member data—what's in demand, where the growth is, who's buying what
- All Business tier benefits included
TDA Pro Training ($79/year)
For schools, training programs, and educators teaching screen printing.
- Training modules and curriculum updated every year
- CE credits that instructors can earn
- Course content that aligns with the CDP exam—your students prep for certification as they learn
- Student discounts on CDP exam fees
- Teaching guides and supplemental materials
- All Business tier benefits included
Continuing Education: A First for Screen Printing
Here's something that doesn't exist anywhere else in screen printing: a structured system for continuing education credits. TDA Pro creates it.
If you're CDP-certified, you can earn CE credits by consuming TDA content, joining webinars, completing training modules, and participating in the community. Credits go toward your recertification every two years. You stay sharp. You stay current on new techniques, safety, equipment changes. Your certification means something.
Electricians have continuing education. Plumbers have it. Healthcare workers, accountants, contractors—they all do. It's the standard that says "this person stays current." Screen printing's been missing that. TDA Pro brings it.
How CE Credits Work
- Read a TDA article (15 minutes): 0.25 credits
- Watch a training webinar (1 hour): 1 credit
- Finish a full course module: 2–4 credits
- Attend a TDA event in person (half-day): 2 credits
- Help others in community forums: Bonus credits
Your dashboard tracks everything. No forms. No spreadsheets. No confusion. Just a clear path to staying certified.
The Supplier Discount Program
TDA Pro members get access to real pricing deals from industry suppliers. We're negotiating with ink makers, equipment companies, blank distributors, and software providers to bring exclusive discounts to TDA members.
Partners launching with TDA Pro will be announced soon. But here's the promise: your membership should pay for itself in the first few orders. That's not marketing talk. That's the goal.
Why This Works
The supply chain is fractured. Ink from one place. Equipment from another. Blanks from a third. Software from a fourth. You're buying from five different vendors and you've got no negotiating power alone. But when you pool buying power across 1,200+ decorators, you get leverage. TDA uses that leverage to negotiate better prices.
A shop ordering supplies every month could save $300–$1,000 a year through these discounts. That's 6–20 times the cost of a $49 membership. Do the math.
What Stays the Same
This is important: TDA's not gatekeeping anything. We're not taking away what's free and putting it behind a paywall. If it was free before, it's free now.
- The CDP exam is still $59, no membership needed — anyone can test
- The Resource Hub stays free and public — read articles, learn, grow, zero cost
- The Member Directory stays public — your customers can still find you
- TDA's core mission doesn't change — we're still about education, certification, community
- Legacy members keep everything forever — no surprises
TDA Pro is on top of what's already here—new stuff piled on top of what already works. Nothing disappears.
How to Join
It's straightforward.
Pick Your Tier
Business ($49/yr), Supplier ($99/yr), or Training ($79/yr)—whichever fits your role.
Sign Up
Fill in your info and handle payment. Five minutes, tops.
You're In
Your dashboard goes live right away. Directory placement, discount codes, CE tracking—all active immediately.
Already a Legacy Member?
Log into your account and see your upgrade pricing. We're giving 30–50% off as a thank-you for being here first.
Still Unsure?
Get in touch with the membership team. They'll walk you through it and answer whatever's on your mind.
What's Coming Next
TDA Pro is the foundation. Here's what we're building on top of it:
- Video training courses from working professionals — learning by doing, from people who actually do it
- New content in the Hub every month — trending techniques, industry shifts, case studies of shops solving real problems
- Community features that actually work — forums where people answer each other, regional meetups, live events for networking
- Industry data and reporting — numbers on market shifts, supply chain changes, what's in demand right now
- A job board and marketplace — hire people, sell used equipment, find opportunities
- Advanced certifications beyond the general CDP — credentials for specific disciplines like discharge, plastisol foil, digital hybrid, specialty inks
- Partnerships with major industry events — making TDA the professional home where the industry actually connects
Screen printing is a $10+ billion industry globally — and it deserves a professional organization that treats it like one.
Join us. Whether you print one shirt a week in your basement or run a shop with employees and equipment worth hundreds of thousands, TDA Pro is built around your growth.