THE DIGITAL SPRINT

(Image courtesy of Texintel.)

Simplifying printed textile production to deliver increased sales and a sustainable future

As the world’s population increases to reach eight billion by 2023, so does global affluence—increasing disposable income—creating the pressing requirement for more and more printed products and, unfortunately, potentially even more waste. The textile landscape has changed forever and industrial innovations have been evolving for the last decade. We now face a digital sprint to meet our clients’ demands as a direct result of the challenges faced during a global pandemic.

Accelerated by the impact of supply chain disruption on some of the world’s biggest brands, the print client now requires a collaborative, transparent and inherently agile service from the textile printing industry. As we move forward into the interrupted beginnings of a new decade, new buying behaviors have been quickly established, both by the consumer and the retailer, and the online marketplace is gaining ground on traditional bricks-and-mortar business models. This will now continue to shift toward customized production in-line with retail trends.

Manufacturing for the mass marketplace in the traditional format is no longer commercially viable. A recent report from McKinsey stated that 58% of fashion executives expected that assortment planning was a key area for 2021. The direct result means “less is more” -- holding less stock and replenishing at speed in tune with data and sales analytics. In getting closer to the consumer, the brand can identify trending sales and replenish stock to meet demand, and

even produce on demand. All of that changes the future of textile printing. Traditional technology cannot offer the agility required for post-pandemic production. The future safe business must incorporate digital textile printing technology and ensure that it is seamlessly connected to the supply chain. To do so, the textile industry and the retail industry must rethink their footprint, and they must collaborate to forge deep strategic partnerships—partnerships that are not merely transactional.

In order to adapt for commercial and sustainable success, the industry must now move to a digitized platform, upstream and downstream. Customized textile production requires manufacturing agility and a tailored blend of technology and software to maximize manufacturing efficiency.

What are the challenges and how do we invest wisely to meet our clients’ expectations?

The challenge for the traditional textile printer or the entrepreneurial brand lies in its ability to flex to meet demand. The consumer is becoming increasingly aware of their own footprint—sustainability is now a mainstream requirement. That’s good news for all of us, but it also puts a focus onto the technologies used during the manufacture of every garment that we wear, every purchase that we make for our homes, interiors and in our commercial transactions. Choosing the correct technology now will deliver commercial success.

The industrial textile landscape holds a great responsibility. In switching to digital technologies such as those provided by Kornit Digital, we can make a hugely positive impact by reducing water consumption by using waterless printing technologies, choosing certified inks that are green and kind to the environment with no loss of product quality, and removing toxic chemicals and heavy metals from the production process. Printing using sustainable technologies offers a whole host of environmentally positive attributes, but perhaps the biggest is in offering the ability to reduce stock and to print on demand and to do so in close proximity to the consumer. The savings for all partners are immense, and choosing the correct technology partner is an important factor.

To take advantage of the commercial opportunities offered by global affluence, supply chain demand, and our increasing requirement for personalization, we have seen many new entrants into the textile space. These businesses are often not burdened by a textile legacy—they offer a refreshing and disruptive sector that is democratizing the textile industry. The footprint of traditional textiles is a thing of the past. Production agility will be a key factor for the next decade.

As the consumer increasingly continues to navigate online, the requirement for design has also acceler- Read More… ated. Freed from the shack- Find article at les of mass production, the PrintingNews. designer and consumer com/21147848 demand a diversity that can only be delivered using digital technology at speed. Digital textile printing has injected a new energy into the design community, and we see a plethora of creative brands utilizing on-demand print. Buying direct from the print source and often using third party fulfillment, products range from apparel, sportswear and childrens wear, to customized interiors, home furnishings, furniture and accessories. Equally, we also see many industrial textile mills shifting to digital technologies to meet the demands of the commercial market for high-volume production and product diversity at speed.

Simplifying the production process offers the designer, brand owner, the consumer and the planet a sustainable future. Innovative digital textile printing technologies, such as the Kornit Presto, offer a sustainable digital textile printing solution: a singlestep production process that enables agile, efficient and economical manufacturing. Green technologies will ensure a future where on-demand production removes excessive waste from the textile industry and the retail sector to offer an environmentally secure pathway for our industry and the planet.

For more information, visit the Kornit website. ●

Debbie McKeegan is the CEO of TexIntel. As a multi-disciplinary creative and renowned digital print pioneer, she holds over 25 years’ experience within the Textile manufacturing industry.