Digital textile printing has come a long way over the years. Its growth is significant – Research and Markets values the digital ink segment for textile printing at approximately $970 million in 2020, with a CAGR of 9.37%. This would place the market at more than $1.66 billion by 2026.

Much of that growth is driven by technical improvements in textile printing, as well as the advantages of just-in-time printing and customization. There is every reason to believe that this growth will continue.

Not surprisingly, digital ink and equipment manufacturers see unlimited possibilities for growth in digital textile printing.

Micol Gamba, product marketing manager for EFI Reggiani, said that in the near term, through reshoring and nearshoring, EFI is expecting new customers to enter into the industrial area and into new geographies.

“This phenomenon has particularly been amplified in Europe and North America, where an increasing number of new small businesses in the last few years started growing to provide local, customized, web-to-print offerings to customers,” Gamba reported.

“For these realities, it is key to step into the market with easy-to-use and easy-to-integrate printing solutions, preferably involving short and green processes not requiring post treatment steps after printing,” Gamba added. “These new customers are showing us the potential for growth and diversification with new entrants adopting digital with advanced industrial entry-level solutions such as the EFI Reggiani BLAZE and TERRA Silver.”

Lily Hunter, Roland DGA senior product manager, said that inkjet printing of textiles will continue to grow, with the main driver being personalization and customization.

“Printing technology and ink formulations are continuously improving, and production costs are becoming lower,” Hunter observed. “Demand for customized goods remain popular, and web-to-print storefronts are common. Digital printing is also a more environmentally friendly and sustainable way of decorating fabrics, as printing with dye-sublimation inks and pigment inks only require heat to ‘fix’ the inks on the fabrics. There is no washing involved, which creates water pollution and waste.”

Simon Daplyn, manager, product marketing, Sun Chemical, said that the future for digital textile printing is bright.

“In the near-term, there will be a quick recovery from the dip caused by the pandemic with strong growth potential,” Daplyn observed. “The drive for production flexibility closer to the consumer will likely see investment into cleaner digital technology, enabling printing in the territories where fabrics will be consumed.

“As the industry continues to evolve over time, new ink chemistry will further accentuate the benefits of digital printing and improve sustainability credentials,” added Daplyn. “Digital textile printing will grow in share and Sun Chemical is well placed to support both customer and market needs to add value and differentiate on quality, service, and sustainability with our team of experienced ink and textile chemists and support engineers.”

Eric Beyeler, global marketing manager, DuPont Artistri Digital Inks, said that DuPont expects that digital textile printing will experience double-digit growth for years to come.

“We look forward to contributing to the transformation of textile printing into a more agile and sustainable industry without compromising on the colors and comfort our customers expect,” Beyeler concluded.