Digital Textile Conference, Day One: Presentations Call Attention to Sustainability, Change in the Printing Industry

Ray Weiss, PRINTING United Alliance, welcomes the attendees

The Digital Textile Printing Conference wrapped day one with one common theme: the printing industry is changing.

On Dec. 7, suppliers, manufacturers, print service providers (PSPs), and more came together in North Carolina to explore the innovations in digital textile printing and what it means for the print industry. From banners to home décor, commercial packaging, and even apparel, digital textile printing is clearly bringing to light a few growing trends in the industry.

Fisher Textiles table display | Credit: Cassie Green

The complete lineup of presenters on day one included:

• Business Growth and DTG – Victor Pena, Omniprint International
• Textile Industry Update: 2022 and Beyond – Johnny Shell, Keypoint Intelligence
• New Spot Color Library Optimization – Jim Raffel and Shelby Sapusek, ColorCasters LLC
• Décor-Print Story – Dee Dee Davis, Décor Print
• Empowering the Print Community to Better Understand the Interior Design Industry Panel – Adrienne Palmer (moderator), Big Picture; Alyssa McNamarra, Spoonflower; Michael Sanders, Digital Bias Consulting; Kathryn Sanders, Western Sensibility
• On Demand Direct Print – Stene Amitai, Greentex America
• Digital Product Passports – Lily Hogan, Toxnot.com
• How to Formulate Pigment Ink Jet Inks for Fashion and Apparel Applications – Scott Donovan, DuPont Industrial Solutions
• Computer to Screen Application for Garment Printing – Carle Blue, Clemson University

Kornit Digital table display | Credit: Cassie Green

Rising to the top of discussion on day one of the conference was sustainability. The first presentation, given by Victor Pena, founder and CEO of OmniPrint International, explored ways businesses can grow through digital print on demand. Pena touched on several key traits that successful businesses in today’s printing industry share, including becoming more sustainable through on-demand printing, which reduces waste in both textiles and processing/production.

Johnny Shell of Keypoint Intelligence also took the floor with some staggering numbers regarding global textile waste, which is the second largest polluter in the world behind energy. Shell pointed to several key innovations in digital equipment and other areas of technology that will help move toward improving those numbers.

As conversations continued throughout day one of the conference, another theme also became apparent: automation. Walking hand-in-hand with sustainability, many of the presenters noted that the qualities of digital textile printing allow for greater automation, leading to fewer touch points, more efficiency, and ultimately, less waste.

Johnny Shell, Keypoint Intelligence, gives a 2022 textile industry update | Credit: Cassie Green