Kornit Digital says sustainability will continue to shape the textile and garment print markets
Addressing trends
Neither textile nor garment print are new concepts to sign-makers and wide-format printing companies, with many businesses having been active within these markets for some time. However, while it is one thing to offer such services to customers, responding to changing demands and new trends is a whole other matter.
Here, SignLink speaks with major manufacturers and suppliers within the two markets to find out more about the stand-out trends that were apparent in 2023, which of these are likely to continue into 2024, and what else companies offering garment and textile print can expect over the next year.
Speed of Culture
First up is Kornit Digital, which offers solutions across both the textile and garment sectors. Phil Oakley, director for the UK and Ireland at Kornit, says that onshoring and nearshoring operations, as well as streamlining production processes, are important at present, with these being driven by multiple factors.
Among others, Oakley says, these include demand for rapid fulfilment of e-commerce orders, the need to immunise operations from supply chain disruptions and bottlenecks, and the need for eliminating waste, creating transparency, and conforming to sustainability standards.
“Consumers demand applications that react to the ‘speed of culture’, responsive to sudden market trends and opportunities, capitalising on moments with agility and a consistent, high-quality product,” Oakley says.
“Upcycling – being able to take used or disfavoured materials and transform or repurpose them into unique and brilliant new applications – seems to be catching on as one answer to the waste conundrum.
“As ever, consumers expect versatility in their options – being able to fulfil increasingly customised or personalised concepts without limitations of fabric, graphic design, colour gamut – while producers and brands equipped to answer those expectations position themselves to thrive and grow regardless of market dynamics.”
From this, Oakley goes on to offer advice as to what sort of work and markets companies should be looking to target in 2024 and beyond. He comments that “versatility breeds success”, so being prepared to answer new and unforeseen opportunities underlies any wise fulfilment strategy.
“Providing decorated fabrics for do-it-yourself (DIY) creatives will likely remain a reliable source of business,” Oakley explains, adding: “Fashion and apparel are reliable because everyone needs garments, and on-demand digital decoration services increasingly provide an inexpensive point of entry for aspiring designers to build their online stores and grow their labels.
“Home décor is another. We have customers using digital direct-to-fabric decoration to produce durable, graphically uncompromising applications for the hospitality and automotive industries, as well.”
So, how can Kornit help? Oakley says the manufacturer’s core systems for sustainable, on-demand digital decoration are Kornit Atlas MAX and Kornit Atlas MAX POLY direct-to-garment (DTG) print systems. The latter of these specialises in polyester and poly-blend materials critical to team sportswear, fan gear, and athleisure apparel markets.
The Kornit Atlas MAX and Kornit Atlas MAX POLY are both DTG print systems
Compatible with a range of natural, synthetic, and blended materials, both use a single-step end-to-end process with integrated pre-treatment and energy-efficient curing, as well as pigment-based inks certified by GOTS, ECO Passport, and BlueSign to reduce water and energy consumption, as well as GhG emissions.
“They incorporate higher degrees of process automation, such as automated garment loading, for a streamlined routine minimising human error, and now include a Rapid Size Shifter pallet empowering users to switch applications such as standard front-of-shirt graphics, sleeves, leggings, baby apparel, and others in a fraction of the time,” Oakley says.
Kornit’s XDi capabilities offer a layering effect for 3D applications emulating screen, dye-sublimation, vinyl, embroidery textures, and other techniques
“Our proprietary XDi capabilities offer a layering effect for 3D applications emulating screen, dye-sublimation, vinyl, embroidery, textures, and other decoration techniques, all with one machine and ink set – ideal for consolidating operations and scaling the business. Finished pieces are ready to ship or wear in minutes and meet the quality and durability standards of some of the most demanding apparel brands in the world.”
Need for Speed
Next, Epson is also active across both areas, working with companies around the world to support them with textile and garment print projects.
Phil McMullin, head of sales for commercial and industrial at Epson UK, says that for 2024, the manufacturer is expecting continuing growth in quick return, on-demand orders, and operations responding in a more agile way to meet client needs.
Phil McMullin, head of sales for commercial and industrial at Epson UK, expects continuing growth in quick return, on-demand orders
“Highly automated, quick to set up and easy to run systems support this, particularly in multi-disciplined operations or where there is a skills shortage,” McMullin explains, adding: “Also, an increasing priority is media recyclability including the inks and the substrates – with an eye on ensuring high-quality print, scratch, and fade resistance.”
Wasting no time, McMullin delves straight into the Epson technology that he says can help companies with textile and garment work. First up is the Epson SC-S80600, which McMullin describes as the “workhorse” of the Epson portfolio.
“It delivers unrivalled accuracy and sophisticated substrate handling for the high-quality execution of a wide range of applications,” he says, adding: “Its latest generation dual Epson PrecisionCore TFP printheads, working in tandem with new formulation Epson UltraChrome GS3 with Red inks, ensure superb colours and clarity.”
Also from Epson is the SureColor SC-R5000, which McMullin says is increasingly being chosen by versatile printing operations because of its ability to produce scratch-resistant results across an expansive range of media.
“Its new six-colour water-based, odourless, inks provide reliable colour consistency across the entire length of the print run, avoiding the need for reprints due to mismatched colours,” he says, continuing: “They also enable immediate lamination and same-day delivery.”
Pivot in the Market
Switching from manufacturers to suppliers, RA Smart offers solutions from several leading brands such as HP. Alex Mighall, operations manager at RA Smart, says the company noted plenty of success with the HP Stitch S1000 3.2m-wide dye-sublimation printer in 2023 following a number of installations throughout the year both in the UK and Ireland.
RA Smart is the exclusive distributor for HP Stitch products in the UK and Ireland. Pictured: the HP Stitch S1000
“It would appear that the large-format graphics market continues to pivot towards textiles, which are a more versatile and sustainable solution for signage and exhibition work, something we expect to continue leading into 2024 and beyond,” Mighall comments.
It would appear that the large-format graphics market continues to pivot towards textiles”
“The exhibition sector continues to move towards textiles – in particular tension framing systems – to produce high-quality exhibition stands that are quick to erect and reusable. Plus, shipping is much easier as all the graphics can be folded up small. Couple this with a compact and versatile framing system, such as REXframe, and you can save a considerable sum in transport and labour costs.”
Mighall goes on to say that another area sign-makers are seeing the benefit of moving to dye-sub is with lightboxes. He explains that the HP Stitch’s advanced ink technology, with impressive colour gamut and density, results in stunning lightbox prints.
“The benefit of producing lightboxes with dye-sub, as opposed to other methods such as UV, is that there is no chance of any creases or scratches ruining the print,” he says, adding: “Moreover, finished products can be folded and packed into small parcels cutting down on shipping costs and environmental impact.”
While Mighall maintains that the HP Stitch S1000 would be the ‘go-to’ recommendation for anyone looking to get into superwide 3.2m dye-sublimation print, or even those looking for very high production at 1.6m wide, as there is now the option to run dual roll technology, if space is a premium or you do not require the 3.2m width, there is another option from HP.
Mighall says the HP Stitch S500 packs a lot of punch for the money. He describes it as being an extremely capable 1.6m solution that holds a lot of the technology found on its larger sibling such as automatic maintenance and end-user changeable printheads.
“Users can still expect impressive production print speeds and still benefit from the ability to be able to choose between printing directly onto substrates or via paper transfer,” Mighall says.
“RA Smart is the exclusive distributor of HP Stitch products in the UK and Ireland and would be more than happy to discuss requirements and suggest a solution to best suit customers’ needs.”
Direct to Success with DTF
Completing our mini round-up is Hybrid Services, Mimaki’s exclusive distributor for the UK and Ireland. Sales director Andrew Gregory says the development and adoption of direct-to-film (DTF) printing was a huge trend during 2023 and Mimaki’s entrance into the market with the TxF150-75 was very favourably received.
Mimaki entered the direct-to-film market in early 2023 with the TxF150-75
“We already knew that many established garment decorating companies were waiting for a solution from a ‘known’ brand and the first batches of the Mimaki solution were hugely oversubscribed, with demand outstripping supply through the rest of the year,” Gregory says.
“DTF offers garment decorators a simple and effective solution for printing onto almost any colour and material, with highly detailed artwork and in vibrant colour. Mimaki’s solution delivers this, in a stable and reliable package that ensures maximum uptime and counters the typical challenges that other systems experience, with consistent runnability and proven technology that ensures a quality result, every time.”
DTF offers garment decorators a simple and effective solution for printing onto almost any colour and material, with highly detailed artwork and in vibrant colour”
Gregory goes on to say that DTF printing affords a relatively simple entry into textile printing, with many of the usually associated garment decorating challenges removed. He adds that thanks to the simplicity of the process, even the most complex and detailed designs can be created on T-shirts, hoodies and other apparel, helping establish a new revenue stream that in many cases, companies will already be sourcing from an alternative supplier.
“The Mimaki TxF150-75 was launched in early 2023 and has been a huge success,” Gregory says, adding: “Customers have been reassured by a combination of the Mimaki brand, Hybrid’s long-established position in the market, and the proven technology incorporated into the new printer, and it has delivered on every level.”
Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to the printer, Mimaki is set to launch the TxF300-75, the fastest direct-to-film printer from the manufacturer to date offering three times the productivity of its launch model.
This machine will be debuted at Sign & Digital UK from Sunday 25th February to Tuesday 27th February with the event co-locating with Printwear & Promotion Live! for the first time after it was acquired by Datateam Business Media in summer 2023.
Held in Hall 1 of the NEC, Birmingham and linked to Sign & Digital UK by a joining corridor, Printwear & Promotion Live! is the UK’s only garment decoration and promotional product exhibition. This year’s event will see returning exhibitors such as Amaya Sales UK, AWDis, Grafityp UK, Result Clothing, DTF-Printers, and Stanley/Stella showcase their offerings.
Printwear & Promotion Live! 2022 saw the return of big crowds following the Covid-19 period
The 2024 edition will also welcome a number of new exhibitors such as advanced on-demand 3D customisation SaaS platform, Kit Builder, and fashion supplier T&F Sports Apparel.
This is just a taster of the textile and garment print markets. The reality is that there is so much more going on, with new advancements on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Keeping abreast of the latest developments and ensuring you are responding to the latest trends will help you succeed in these exciting areas.
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