Explore the Current State of the Digital Textile Industry
Oct 5, 2021

Digital Textile PrintingThough it's hard to believe it's already fall, this time of year means one thing for the digital textile printing community: that the Digital Textile Printing Conference (DTPC) — presented by PRINTING United Alliance and American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists — is right around the corner. With registration for the 2021 DTPC now open, I would like to share my thoughts on this event and a little of what you can expect by attending it this Dec. 8-9 in Durham, North Carolina.

This conference is by far the highlight of the year for me, to be able to hear what is new and happening in digital textile printing. There are a number of innovative ideas and a wealth of information presented every year, and I look forward eagerly to what is in store this December.

What is also so special about this conference is that after each session or panel you get to participate in a time of questions and answers with the speaker or panelists. To hear the dialogue that goes back and forth between everyone in the audience and the speakers is really quite special. This really makes it a game-changing experience and something I just don’t get anywhere else. 

This year, one of the new sessions that I’m particularly excited about is the Young Designer Spotlight. We have designers that are recently graduated who will share some of their projects and design ideas now that they are running their own businesses in the textile industry. Also among the 2021 session lineup are "Advancements in Digital Cutting" with ISW's Nick Buettner; "Sourcing Inks to Answer Growing Sustainability Demands" with Hohenstein Institute America's Samantha Shintay; and "Technologies and Applications that Are Driving Digital Textile Printing Growth" with Mimaki USA's Victoria Nelson Harris. A packed agenda that covers design, color management, coatings, and sustainability is what brings me back year after year to this first-class event.

In addition to the educational sessions, this is a great opportunity to collaborate with the best minds in the industry that are gathered together in one place. The contacts you will make during the conference are priceless. I always leave with lots of new ideas for my own business and for our textile community and my customers.

Come and experience this year's Digital Textile Printing Conference — you won’t regret it! Learn more and register today. 

Michael SandersMichael Sanders is the president of Digital Bias. Formerly the director of printable textiles and finishing technology for TVF, he has been part of the textile industry for more than 40 years and has extensive knowledge and experience in dyeing, printing, and finishing both natural and synthetic fabrics. His involvement and work with digital textile printing goes back to the early days of the discipline’s existence. Today, Sanders sits on boards and expert panels and gives lectures nationally.