Digital textile printing remains one of the fastest-growing segments within the digital print industry, with an estimated revenue of $3.1 billion in 2018.1 Despite accounting for a small percentage of the overall total yardage of printed fabrics, the volume of fabrics printed digitally has risen to 2.5 billion square yards.1 This rate of growth is expected to continue as new business models and products in the fashion, signage and home interior markets continue to be developed. There's no better time to be in, or expand your services into, this market. The only question is, what are you waiting for?
The digital textile growth rate is quite easy to explain. Analog printing technologies require makeready and press setup, and we are running out of inexpensive labor and sufficient water to continue producing printed textiles on the volume-based model.
Much of the world’s apparel goes unsold at full retail prices. Consumers want to express their individuality and do so with custom printed apparel while interior designers are breaking down traditional barriers to design one-of-a-kind interior environments with mural wallcoverings, custom rugs or upholstery. Soft signage in the graphics community is replacing vinyl. All of these factors point to one thing: You better get busy with digitally printed textiles.
AATCC and SGIA have partnered once again to offer this year's Digital Textile Printing Conference 4.0 (December 11 - 12; Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Durham, N.C.), a two-day event that will provide attendees with a wealth of understanding and inspiration. The program will feature the industry’s best-known and most-respected experts presenting topics on the newest digital textile ink and printing technology developments, key market drivers, global market conditions, color management and workflow developments, design software, digital manufacturing and integration, and more!
The program's sessions on workflow software and automation will help attendees understand how to manage data files from design to final output while education on single-pass inkjet will provide a glimpse of what the future holds for digital textile printing.
Sessions on digital cutting technologies, sustainability and brand adoption of digitally printed textiles will also surely elevate your knowledge and give you a better understanding of why you need to be involved with this rapidly growing industry segment (if you aren’t already).
So stop waiting for the future to happen … make it happen now by attending the AATCC/SGIA Digital Textile Printing Conference 4.0! Register today before early rates increase November 26.
1Smithers Pira. The Future of Digital Textile Printing to 2023. https://www.smitherspira.com/industry-market-reports/printing/digital-textile-printing-to-2023