Digitally printed textiles still constitute a niche market, but it’s one that is growing very fast. The 4th International Digital Textile Congress 2016, themed ‘Catch the Digital Wave’ at Ghent in Belgium on September 15, had one trend to forecast: that fast market growth will soon be matched by fast technological progress.Jozef De costerreports from Ghent.
Just as in the United States, many in Europe too are thinking of reshoring textiles and garment manufacturing back to their own country. Several speakers at the 4th International Digital Textile Congress in Ghent, Belgium referred to opportunities, especially speed and customisation, offered by digital textile technologies.
According to Eric Hopmann, CEO of leading producer of colourants and auxiliaries Dystar, even without taking into account the opportunities offered by digital textile technologies, big movements in the global textiles and garment industry will take place in the coming years. In the past twenty years and especially in the decade after the end of the Multi-Fibre Agreement (starting in 2005), production capacities in the West shrunk because of the big shift to the East. But now, the time has come for China to focus more on its own market and to move production capacities back to the West. Not only will Southeast and South Asia benefit from this shift, Turkey and even Mexico could benefit from the shift.
Mark Vervaeke, director at the Belgian textile association Fedustria, argues Hopmann fails to see the reshoring potential of Europe. He says, “Take an European country with relatively low labour cost and a rich textile tradition, like Portugal. I am sure that even Portugal will benefit from the ongoing movement from East to West.”
Mike Horsten, who represents leading Japanese manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers and cutting machines Mimaki in the Netherlands, agrees. He thinks that in the future, much more garment making will take place in Europe. Why? Because personalisation of clothing will be made possible by new digital textile technologies. Horsten predicts that European fast fashion chains like Zara, Mango and H&M will show more interest to produce in low wage countries like Romania and Bulgaria.
Even Oliver Luedtke, marketing director at Kornit Digital, says that industrial direct garment printing is paving the way for profitable mass customisation. Kornit Digital is an Israel-based international manufacturing company that produces high-speed industrial inkjet printers and pigmented ink and chemical products for the garment and apparel decorating industry. Luedtke says, “Digital production technologies have arrived in the textile markets. We know from our customers that those technologies enable new and exciting business models.”
Karen Deleersnyder, researcher at Centexbel (Belgium) says additive manufacturing (3D-printing) will play an important role as a new tool for production of customised fabrics. She says, “Additive manufacturing techniques are highly appropriate for mass customisation on a local scale. They may lead to a more efficient consumption of raw materials and stock management. Small series of specialised products become profitable. Ideas that could not be realised become real.”
