These Converse gym shoes were produced by Mimaki HQ in Japan using a JV300- 160 printer with Mimaki dye-sublimation inks. This shirt was produced using a Mimaki TS500-1800 textile printer with Mimaki dye-sublimation inks. of the fabric, rather than a chemical process that bonds the ink with the fabric itself. In most cases, the pieces can be washed, although different fabric and ink variables will have different levels of durability. This is another area where printers who want to get serious about this market will want to run their own tests so they have concrete examples of how different fabrics will hold up, so they can help clients chose the best possible combination. A Market Shift The range and complexity of the systems required to enter into the soft signage market have been part of the reason it was slow to take off. The sublimation method was preferred for many years, although it came with a hefty price tag for the equipment. The explosion of new technologies and advances in inks—especially UV—are part of what is pushing the growth. “There are a lot of people want to get into soft signage,” noted Steve Richardson, the CEO for Impression Technology Pty Ltd. “The entry point has always been a large expense. But of late, a number of solutions that allow a simpler, less expensive machine have hit the market. That has opened up the door.” Richardson went on to say that the desire to print on more natural fibers has also driven the growth of new technologies, along with an increased desire to use pigmented inks for these applications to create soft apparel or home furnishings alongside the desire to create signage. “There were a lot of machinery sellers at Dye sublimation offers multiple opportunities for PSPs to produce anything from decor items, such as pillows and draperies, to clothing. coating that is specific to solvent or latex. There also are fabrics with universal coating that will work with both,” said Luedtke. Once the ink is on the fabric, it also varies as to what postpress processing it will need. Some fabrics and systems are designed to work together, and the finished piece will come off the line already cured and ready to ship. The most popular method, however, is heat-curing, which will often require additional equipment in place as well. Luedtke noted that on his equipment, for example, “Textiles that have been printed with Kornit’s NeoPigment process need to be dried with a hot-air dryer. Depending on the amount of ink that has been used, they will require about 350°F drying temperature for about six to eight minutes.” This type of system is the most common, and the end result is a thin layer of ink that sits on top the digital textiles conference in Germany,” Richardson said. “And all they were talking about was natural fiber—there was not much talk about polyester at all. That is still a growing market, but we are seeing unprecedented growth on the natural side.” He also noted that lately, he’s been seeing as many inquiries about equipment from designers as he is print shops, suggesting there is a growing demand for more versatile applications that most printers aren’t yet offering. This is a huge opportunity for shops willing to make the initial investment in the equipment to position themselves as the go-to source not just for signage, but for a wide range of digitally printed textile projects. Find this article at MyPRINTResource.com/12070916 Wide-Format I MyPRINTResource.com maging | July 2015 13
Wide-Format Imaging July 2015
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