Emerging trends in digital textile & décor print

We are all familiar with the impact of digital printing on the commercial printing, packaging, wide-format, label and converting market segments. Over the last several years we have seen dramatic changes in digital printing technology, increased overall quality levels and decreasing cost structures, which fundamentally changed the business models in the graphic arts industry.

Add to this the latest geopolitical changes and the current impact of COVID-19, and we are noticing an increasing adoption rate of digital print technologies, which in turn is accelerating the consolidation and convergence trends in the above-mentioned market segments.

The key drivers behind these shifts are the increasing demands for: (1) shorter run lengths (including versioning and personalization); (2) faster turnaround times (print products need to fit within the other tighter media communication cycles); and (3) cost efficiencies (supply chain benefits and inventory elimination/ reduction advantages).

Digital printing is now an integral part of the printing industry, co-existing with conventional printing – but growing at a much faster pace. This feature will take a closer look at the impact of digital printing technology on the textile and décor printing business, looking for similarities and/or differences.

First off, some numbers. A June 8, 2020 report by Research and Markets, titled Textile Printing – Global Market Trajectory & Analytics estimates that by 2027, the Global Textile Market will reach 34.9 billion square meters, growing at a CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate) of 3.6%. Of that number, screen printing will account for 31.1 billion square meters, projecting a CAGR of 2.8%. Digital printing will account for 3.8 billion square meters with a CAGR of 14.2% over the 7-year period.

Digital textile printing will make up 11% of the total volume of textile printing, growing at a double-digit pace. The study does take into consideration the implications of the current pandemic and its “induced economic crisis.” One interesting side note in the study is the notion that the current significant political and economic challenges confronting China, are creating an economic ‘decoupling’ and distancing push with other geographies, which in turn will change the competitive dynamics. But that might be a topic for another day.

The takeaway from these numbers is that digital printing will have a CAGR of five (yes five) times that of screen printing. Clearly, digital printing will drive profound changes in the textile printing industry. Before we go into detail of what those changes might be, let us focus on the basic types of textile printing technologies.

Textile printing technologies

1. Conventional textile printing.

Conventional rotary screen printing and flatbed screen printing presses are for textile printers, what lithographic offset presses are for commercial printers, focusing on high volume, static printing. As mentioned earlier, screen printing accounts for the lion’s share of textile print production. Most of these high volume industrial screen printers are operating in the Asian market, close to where the fabrics are actually produced.

Major vendors in this roll-to-roll space that come to mind are EFI (with their Reggiani Traditional Industrial Printer line) and SPFPrint. Screen printing is also predominantly used for DTG (Direct To-Garment) applications. There are a multitude of equipment manufacturers in that space, ranging from tabletop screen printers to sophisticated multistation, multi-colour-unit screen printers. M&R is one of them.

2. Digital textile printing.

As mentioned, digital printing is rapidly gaining in importance in the textile printing space. There are three types of digital printers for textiles – dye-sublimation printers, direct-to-fabric printers and hybrid printers.

A. Dye-sublimation printers.

Epson SureColor F10070

This process creates the most ideal chemistry for printing on polyester, which is one of the most popular textiles used for soft signage at tradeshows, airports, and malls. Sports apparel and home décor (such as tapestries and shower curtains) are also best printed using this process. This process transfers the dye from an intermediate substrate (treated paper) and gasses the dye into the fabric (by using heat and pressure), without liquifying it, making for more vibrant colours.

Major manufacturers in this space are Agfa, Durst, Epson, Mimaki, Mutoh and Roland. They offer a wide range of equipment ranging in speed, size, and print quality.

B. Direct-to-fabric (DTF) printers.

Mimaki Tiger-1800B MkII Hybrid

When it comes to cotton, silk, nylon and all other (non-polyester) fibres, the dye-sublimation paper transfer process will not work. That is where the evolution of different ink formulations comes in. Specialty inks for silk and nylon, and the newer generations of pigment inks, have opened a world of possibilities to print on a much wider range of textiles.

Major advancements in printing technology, including transport mechanisms and inkjet print heads, combined with the introduction of various types of ink, have not only broadened the range of fabrics one can print on, but have also substantially increased the productivity of digital presses.

For example, singlepass printers are capable of printing upwards of 90 linear meters per minute. In the last several years, we have seen a barrage of new digital DTF printers entering the market.

Some of the major players in this space are Mimaki, Mutoh, Epson, Kornit Digital and Ricoh in the small to mid-size market – and Kornit Digital, Durst, SPGPrints, Konica Minolta and EFI in the larger industrial printing market.

Ricoh Ri6000 DTG Printer

C. Hybrid Printers.

Hybrid industrial inkjet printers combine the best of both worlds. They can print on both transfer paper and directly to the fabric. The choice depends on the type of application. For example, one might choose to print directly to fabric when the application is used for backlit displays. In this case, the ink penetrates deeper into the fabric, showing denser colours when backlit. Some major players in this sector include HP, Mimaki and Roland.

Digital printing is transforming the textile printing industry

Innovative technologies in high-speed digital textile production and printing solutions have had (and are having) a profound impact on businesses. Add to this changing buying behaviours for consumers of apparel and accessories (who shop both in brick-and-mortar stores as well as increasingly through online retailers), and one can understand how the textile industry must adjust its business models to fit these changing trends. It is remarkable to see the similarities of the impact of digital printing on both textile printing and commercial printing. Here are some of the common trends.

A. Shorter run lengths.

In an article, published on May 26, 2020, Jos Notermans, SPGPrints B.V., referred to what he calls “Fast Fashion” by which brands now bring out new collections every couple of weeks. He stated that: “people feel the urge for more individual choice, not wanting to run the risk of buying exactly the same as their friends or neighbours. Brands are now bringing new designs to market in a shorter period of time, which in turn leads to shorter run lengths.”

B. Faster turnaround times.

“Fast Fashion” implies not only shorter time to market, but also multiple variations. No longer do we have long seasonal fashion variations. We are now seeing mid-seasonal fashion variations, creating a need for more rapid responses. ‘Just-in-time manufacturing’ helps in getting products off the shelf in days or weeks, rather than months.

C. Improved sustainability.

For generations, textile manufacturers have been considered large polluters. There are two major aspects to the pollution with textile manufacturers. On the one hand textile printers are considered as one of the highest wastewater producers, and on the other hand many unsold apparel and accessories end up in landfills, further exacerbating pollution.

Textile printing equipment manufacturers are now focusing heavily on reducing the environmental impact of their equipment. And digital textile printing is a driving factor in optimizing the supply chain. Productivity improvements make it possible to adapt to more flexible production schedules – adjusting to demands, sharply reducing overstocked items and/or unsellable inventory – while minimizing environmental impact.

In talking with Mike Syverson, Textile Manager, North America for Durst Image Technology, he made the point that the recent evolution of digital printing in general, and the advancement with pigmented ink solutions, are driving factors behind the textile printing industry responding to these three trends: (1) shorter runs, (2) faster turnaround times and (3) improved sustainability.

Durst Alpha 5 Digital Textile Printer

Mike indicated that North America and Western Europe have recently seen an accelerated uptake of pigment-based textile printer installations. This in turn has driven the creation of what he calls “micro factories,” which are able to indeed print on demand, and broaden the notion of variable printing. In addition, this creates a sustainable “greener” print solution, avoiding the ecological impact of wastewater. Durst has built its advanced pigment ink solution into its Alpha Series 5 Digital Textile Printer.

It is striking to see how the textile printing industry is adapting to the technological changes that have been driving major changes in the commercial printing and graphic arts industries. Digital printing and workflow automation are quickly becoming integral parts of the textile printing industry too. Current geopolitical changes, and the economic impact of COVID-19, are just two key factors accelerating the digital printing adoption process in the textile printing industry – just as they are in commercial print.

Alec Couckuyt

Alec Couckuyt is an experienced printing executive who held key roles at Canon Canada, Agfa Graphics (Belgium, Canada, Germany), Transcontinental Printing, Symcor, and U.S.-based EDS. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from the University of Antwerp in Belgium, and can be reached at alec@agcconsulting.ca