David Savastano, Editor07.27.20
Digital printing of textiles is on the rise. According to the Allied Market Research report “Global Digital Textile Printing Market by Ink Type, Substrate, Application: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020–2027,” the global digital textile printing market was valued at $2.2 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $8.8 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 19.1% from 2020-27.
Meanwhile, the global printed textile market size was estimated at $146.5 billion in 2018 and is expected to register an 8.9% CAGR through 2025, per Grand View Research.
According to a report published by Allied Market Research – “Digital Textile Printing Inks Market by Ink Type and Application: Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020–2027” – the digital textile printing inks market was valued at $1,112 million in 2019, and is projected to reach $2,665.7 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 11.6% from 2020-27.
There’s so much in the way of opportunities ahead for digital textile printing to grow. The news that Sun Chemical and its parent company, DIC Corporation, have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Sensient Imaging Technologies makes a lot of sense in that context.
With its SunJet line of inks, Sun Chemical is already a sizable player in the inkjet ink segment, but Sensient Imaging, the 15th largest North American ink company according to our Top 20 Report with estimated sales of $70 million annually, adds more depth in a number of growth areas, including textiles.
“We are excited about the prospects of combining our offerings in digital technology, capability, products and services to the valued customers and distribution and technology partners of the Sensient inks business and Sun Chemical,” said Peter Saunders, global director-digital business, Sun Chemical.
The Growth of Digital Textile Printing
Digital textile ink manufacturers agree that the market is growing fast.
Simon Daplyn, marketing manager, Sensient Imaging Technologies, said all market reports and forecasts point to digital printing in textiles continuing to grow year-on-year.
“And yet, digital printing accounts for only 6% of all printed textiles currently,” Daplyn continued. “The potential for growth is huge, and the development of innovative digital inks and systems should help to further accelerate adoption across the industry. Similarly, the requirement for more flexible and on-demand production – for example, with fast fashion– will only speed up adoption, as digital printing delivers shorter runs without compromising on quality.
“Digital printing is the fastest-growing printing technology in textile, where today it represents only 7% of the market, with a big opportunity over time to grow significantly,” said Micol Gamba, EFI Reggiani product and marketing manager. “Consumers’ behavior trends are moving in the digital direction: design to shelf speed has reduced due to multi-season trends and shorter collections and in that environment, the fast turnaround time of digital compared to analog is undisputable. Moreover, we cannot ignore that green is no more only a slogan; the textile industry is demanding concrete actions, and digital is a real solution, with less energy, less water and less waste generated.”
“It is a common understanding that digital printing on textiles is growing globally, with a current 6% penetration in the general textile print market,” said Marco Zanella, managing director of INX Digital Italy. “Motivations for digital printing of textiles may vary from region to region and may also be different if we look at the target applications; dye-sub inks are still playing a major role, although new interesting applications and ink technologies are finding inroads.”
Timothy Check, senior product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc., said digital printing in the apparel market was 3% five years ago, and now is at 5%. There are a variety of reasons for this growth, he added.
“There are a number of key things driving that,” Check observed. “Compared to traditional screen or rotary flatbed printing, the major benefits are so much less waste and supply chain efficiency, which is getting products to market quicker. From a product design standpoint, there is a dramatic reduction in risk in trying a new design, as you don’t have to make a million-piece run. With digital, you have a short run capability and take minimal risks.”
Lily Hunter, Roland DGA product manager, textiles, eCommerce, and supplies, noted that wide-format digital printing continues to grow in popularity as a method of producing dye-sublimated textiles.
“Advanced digital dye-sublimation inkjets, such as those offered in Roland DGA’s Texart series, are used for creating everything from performance wear and swimwear to soft signage and tradeshow graphics,” Hunter added. “Users appreciate the ability of these machines to do custom printing and short production runs to meet changing consumer demands.”
“The need for short runs, local supply and sustainability improvements will continue to drive the transition to digital,” said Eric Beyeler, global marketing manager – inkjet inks for DuPont.
Gamba observed that COVID-19 has shown some limits of the industry.
“It has complex supply chains that are often centralized in few geographies far away from end-consumers. Also, after the health emergency and economic slowdown related to the crisis, green and sustainability, nearshoring and reshoring, as well as growth of online shopping will be the rising trends, and all those trends finding their perfect answer in digital printing,” Gamba said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the textiles industry – but as we start to get back to a ‘new normal’, digital printing offers a number of benefits that will support textile manufacturers in getting operational again and driving improvements in efficiency and quality,” added Daplyn.
Designers and Digital Printing
Designers are one of the key drivers in the growth in the use of digital printing technology in the apparel market. The difference in costs of using inkjet as opposed to screen are dramatic for short runs, and controlling inventory is a huge plus.
“From a designer standpoint, you are facing far fewer restrictions and virtually endless colors,” Check pointed out. “You’re not limited to a 12-inch pattern with eight to 12 colors. Each rotary screen cylinder is $3,000. With digital, if you just want to make one garment, it is the same exact price as production. Designers see they can do more and their creativity is not being squashed.”
Check added that designers have to produce a lot of product to make it profitable, but with digital, they can quickly produce another batch as they need it.
“You’re not producing wasted products” Check said. “Fast fashion is drawing a lot of attention. H&M is changing products every few weeks. We are seeing premium brands looking to do onshoring of products, but with digital, they can make custom-fitted products at premium quality. It costs more but the long lead time is favorable.”
Beyeler said that designers are certainly key to the growth of digital printing technology.
“Digital printing allows the inclusion of many designs in a textile offering with much less investment and effort vs. analog,” Beyeler said. “This allows designers much more flexibility and creativity. Note that in the case of home furnishings, some of the finer designs can only be achieved with digital.”
Check also noted the environmental advantages of digital printing.
“On the environmental side, producing dyed cotton requires so much water treatment – 500 liters per kilogram of apparel,” Check said. “You have to lock the pigments in, like indigo dyes in jeans. Developed countries have tight regulations for getting the dyes out of the garment.”
Zanella said that designers can now take full advantage of the freedom digital printing offers them, and EFI is seeing designers develop collections that will never exist outside digital.
“There is the possibility to print without needing a screen, decreasing the time and the cost (direct and indirect) of such technology, or the possibility to increase the productivity of printing machines,” Zanella added. “A special mention would be the largely smaller environmental impact that digital printing has when compared to conventional – a much more conscious water consumption and a reduced waste of chemicals.”
Hunter reported that designers account for a good portion of the demand for dye-sublimation digital printing technology. “This technology has shortened the turnaround time for the entire process – from design to proofing and approval to production,” said Hunter. “Equipped with these specialized dye-sublimation printers and inks, designers are able to print locally and make changes quickly prior to production.”
Daplyn said the growth in the use of digital printing technology is being partially driven by designers.
“There are many reasons to adopt digital printing, with benefits for textile manufacturers including responsive manufacturing, reduced inventories, a reduction in waste and, consequently, a reduction in the environmental impact of textile production,” Daplyn said. “The ability to quickly respond to the latest consumer trends and buying patterns is also an important factor as designers can see their creative ideas turned into finished goods in very short turnaround times. Digital printing allows for greater flexibility with collection launches, moving away from more rigid and traditional season-based releases. With no pattern, color or design repeat length limitations, digital printing ultimately opens up the potential for more complex and photorealistic designs.”
“Digital without any doubt unleashes creativity because it enables the possibility to print more designs with superior quality and incredibly brilliant and deep color shades,” said Gamba. “It is basically a dream come true for designers, whose ability to create and innovate has progressed beyond their expectations.
“Fast fashion paved the way to shorter multi-seasons and short collections, making fast design to shelf speed a must in the textile industry,” Gamba added. “Digital has been the answer to this market evolution, that’s why its penetration in this segment represents is far superior to the broader apparel market at around 15%-20%. Also, the empowered consumer is also starting to request more and more personalization and customization, and that means short run lengths and a very short time to market. Digital is the solution.”
Meanwhile, the global printed textile market size was estimated at $146.5 billion in 2018 and is expected to register an 8.9% CAGR through 2025, per Grand View Research.
According to a report published by Allied Market Research – “Digital Textile Printing Inks Market by Ink Type and Application: Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020–2027” – the digital textile printing inks market was valued at $1,112 million in 2019, and is projected to reach $2,665.7 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 11.6% from 2020-27.
There’s so much in the way of opportunities ahead for digital textile printing to grow. The news that Sun Chemical and its parent company, DIC Corporation, have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Sensient Imaging Technologies makes a lot of sense in that context.
With its SunJet line of inks, Sun Chemical is already a sizable player in the inkjet ink segment, but Sensient Imaging, the 15th largest North American ink company according to our Top 20 Report with estimated sales of $70 million annually, adds more depth in a number of growth areas, including textiles.
“We are excited about the prospects of combining our offerings in digital technology, capability, products and services to the valued customers and distribution and technology partners of the Sensient inks business and Sun Chemical,” said Peter Saunders, global director-digital business, Sun Chemical.
The Growth of Digital Textile Printing
Digital textile ink manufacturers agree that the market is growing fast.
Simon Daplyn, marketing manager, Sensient Imaging Technologies, said all market reports and forecasts point to digital printing in textiles continuing to grow year-on-year.
“And yet, digital printing accounts for only 6% of all printed textiles currently,” Daplyn continued. “The potential for growth is huge, and the development of innovative digital inks and systems should help to further accelerate adoption across the industry. Similarly, the requirement for more flexible and on-demand production – for example, with fast fashion– will only speed up adoption, as digital printing delivers shorter runs without compromising on quality.
“Digital printing is the fastest-growing printing technology in textile, where today it represents only 7% of the market, with a big opportunity over time to grow significantly,” said Micol Gamba, EFI Reggiani product and marketing manager. “Consumers’ behavior trends are moving in the digital direction: design to shelf speed has reduced due to multi-season trends and shorter collections and in that environment, the fast turnaround time of digital compared to analog is undisputable. Moreover, we cannot ignore that green is no more only a slogan; the textile industry is demanding concrete actions, and digital is a real solution, with less energy, less water and less waste generated.”
“It is a common understanding that digital printing on textiles is growing globally, with a current 6% penetration in the general textile print market,” said Marco Zanella, managing director of INX Digital Italy. “Motivations for digital printing of textiles may vary from region to region and may also be different if we look at the target applications; dye-sub inks are still playing a major role, although new interesting applications and ink technologies are finding inroads.”
Timothy Check, senior product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc., said digital printing in the apparel market was 3% five years ago, and now is at 5%. There are a variety of reasons for this growth, he added.
“There are a number of key things driving that,” Check observed. “Compared to traditional screen or rotary flatbed printing, the major benefits are so much less waste and supply chain efficiency, which is getting products to market quicker. From a product design standpoint, there is a dramatic reduction in risk in trying a new design, as you don’t have to make a million-piece run. With digital, you have a short run capability and take minimal risks.”
Lily Hunter, Roland DGA product manager, textiles, eCommerce, and supplies, noted that wide-format digital printing continues to grow in popularity as a method of producing dye-sublimated textiles.
“Advanced digital dye-sublimation inkjets, such as those offered in Roland DGA’s Texart series, are used for creating everything from performance wear and swimwear to soft signage and tradeshow graphics,” Hunter added. “Users appreciate the ability of these machines to do custom printing and short production runs to meet changing consumer demands.”
“The need for short runs, local supply and sustainability improvements will continue to drive the transition to digital,” said Eric Beyeler, global marketing manager – inkjet inks for DuPont.
Gamba observed that COVID-19 has shown some limits of the industry.
“It has complex supply chains that are often centralized in few geographies far away from end-consumers. Also, after the health emergency and economic slowdown related to the crisis, green and sustainability, nearshoring and reshoring, as well as growth of online shopping will be the rising trends, and all those trends finding their perfect answer in digital printing,” Gamba said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the textiles industry – but as we start to get back to a ‘new normal’, digital printing offers a number of benefits that will support textile manufacturers in getting operational again and driving improvements in efficiency and quality,” added Daplyn.
Designers and Digital Printing
Designers are one of the key drivers in the growth in the use of digital printing technology in the apparel market. The difference in costs of using inkjet as opposed to screen are dramatic for short runs, and controlling inventory is a huge plus.
“From a designer standpoint, you are facing far fewer restrictions and virtually endless colors,” Check pointed out. “You’re not limited to a 12-inch pattern with eight to 12 colors. Each rotary screen cylinder is $3,000. With digital, if you just want to make one garment, it is the same exact price as production. Designers see they can do more and their creativity is not being squashed.”
Check added that designers have to produce a lot of product to make it profitable, but with digital, they can quickly produce another batch as they need it.
“You’re not producing wasted products” Check said. “Fast fashion is drawing a lot of attention. H&M is changing products every few weeks. We are seeing premium brands looking to do onshoring of products, but with digital, they can make custom-fitted products at premium quality. It costs more but the long lead time is favorable.”
Beyeler said that designers are certainly key to the growth of digital printing technology.
“Digital printing allows the inclusion of many designs in a textile offering with much less investment and effort vs. analog,” Beyeler said. “This allows designers much more flexibility and creativity. Note that in the case of home furnishings, some of the finer designs can only be achieved with digital.”
Check also noted the environmental advantages of digital printing.
“On the environmental side, producing dyed cotton requires so much water treatment – 500 liters per kilogram of apparel,” Check said. “You have to lock the pigments in, like indigo dyes in jeans. Developed countries have tight regulations for getting the dyes out of the garment.”
Zanella said that designers can now take full advantage of the freedom digital printing offers them, and EFI is seeing designers develop collections that will never exist outside digital.
“There is the possibility to print without needing a screen, decreasing the time and the cost (direct and indirect) of such technology, or the possibility to increase the productivity of printing machines,” Zanella added. “A special mention would be the largely smaller environmental impact that digital printing has when compared to conventional – a much more conscious water consumption and a reduced waste of chemicals.”
Hunter reported that designers account for a good portion of the demand for dye-sublimation digital printing technology. “This technology has shortened the turnaround time for the entire process – from design to proofing and approval to production,” said Hunter. “Equipped with these specialized dye-sublimation printers and inks, designers are able to print locally and make changes quickly prior to production.”
Daplyn said the growth in the use of digital printing technology is being partially driven by designers.
“There are many reasons to adopt digital printing, with benefits for textile manufacturers including responsive manufacturing, reduced inventories, a reduction in waste and, consequently, a reduction in the environmental impact of textile production,” Daplyn said. “The ability to quickly respond to the latest consumer trends and buying patterns is also an important factor as designers can see their creative ideas turned into finished goods in very short turnaround times. Digital printing allows for greater flexibility with collection launches, moving away from more rigid and traditional season-based releases. With no pattern, color or design repeat length limitations, digital printing ultimately opens up the potential for more complex and photorealistic designs.”
“Digital without any doubt unleashes creativity because it enables the possibility to print more designs with superior quality and incredibly brilliant and deep color shades,” said Gamba. “It is basically a dream come true for designers, whose ability to create and innovate has progressed beyond their expectations.
“Fast fashion paved the way to shorter multi-seasons and short collections, making fast design to shelf speed a must in the textile industry,” Gamba added. “Digital has been the answer to this market evolution, that’s why its penetration in this segment represents is far superior to the broader apparel market at around 15%-20%. Also, the empowered consumer is also starting to request more and more personalization and customization, and that means short run lengths and a very short time to market. Digital is the solution.”
