Sustainable textile innovation showcased at fashion show

Epson has set out to revolutionise the fashion industry by leveraging advanced pigment inkjet printing technology on Spiber’s Brewed Protein fibre in a partnership with Japanese fashion brand, YUIMA NAKAZATO.

Brewed Protein materials are fibres, films, and other material types that are manufactured through fermentation (brewing) of plant-based ingredients.

The innovative approach combines cutting-edge technology with more sustainable practices and is said to set a new benchmark for responsible textile production.

The solution was showcased for the first time in June when fashion designer Yuima Nakazato unveiled his latest collection at Haute Couture Week in the Palais de Tokyo.

Yuima Nakazato’s collection featured a blended fabric composed of 70% cotton and 30% Spiber’s Brewed Protein fibre.

Traditionally, printing onto blended fabrics requires different types of dye inks however, Epson’s Monna Lisa digital textile printing technology combined with pigment inks overcomes these limitations and enables high-resolution prints onto various fabrics.

Due to not requiring steaming and washing processes after printing, Epson has also highlighted the environmental benefits of pigment inks compared to analogue dye inks.

The manufacturer says that by adopting its Monna Lisa ML-13000 digital textile printing technology, water consumption can be reduced by 96%.

Yuima Nakazato also showcased a collection of garments created using Epson’s Dry Fiber Technology and printed with pigment inks by Epson’s Monna Lisa digital textile printer.