“It was an expensive learning process. In view of this I would recommend you use trade printers to ensure that you have a market before making the investment.” FaberExposize UK is a part of the FaberExposize group, a large European display network with factories across the world offering a range of wide-format products. The company’s sister business Northern Flags is a specialist in flags, flagpoles, pull up banners, fabric banners, and automotive display. With this relationship, FaberExposize was able to utilise resources to effectively offer the widest range of products possible before investing in new kit. But aside from owning the kit, Clasper-Cotte emphasises the importance of training. “There is definitely more of an art to it than with UV, but when you master it, the results are well worth the effort and the clients love the quality and greater robustness of the end product,” says Clasper-Cotte. “The biggest bit of advice is when selecting your hardware partner carry out due diligence on the support. Speak to other customers. If there is poor support, then your people will struggle, and your output will become unreliable.” Where to expand? With big shifts in the marketplace due to the pandemic, cost of living, e-commerce, and new focuses on sustainability, new trends and opportunities have arisen. Speaking about what he believes to be the biggest opportunity in 2023, Mighall cites tension framing systems as products that can be incorporated into/or expand a textile offering. “Essentially it involves stretching a printed textile over a frame by stitching a silicon edge onto their graphics. It’s a highly sustainable method to use, especially when compared to traditional stand and display building techniques. The frames are often manufactured from aluminium, like our REXframe solution, and can be re-used or 100% recycled.” Despite the advantages new machinery and solutions can bring your business, the running cost of these processes are also important to consider, especially considering the current rise in energy prices. Clasper-Cotte explains: “With dye-sublimation printing, the calender machine where the print is ‘baked’ consumes a significant amount of energy whenever it is switched on as it needs to heat up and maintain a specific temperature. Investing in such machinery needs to be considered carefully with sustainability at the forefront of every decision.” Another important element to consider is inks, especially when viewed from the point of view of sustainability. Clasper-Cotte adds: “Over the past year we have switched to water-based Greenguard certified inks for both UV and dye-sub printing as they do not contain chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or other solvents that might emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Clasper-Cotte concludes: “Whatever the investment, businesses should aim to reduce their environmental impact. Personally, I would not advise on inline fixation based on our experiences (I know others may disagree). “If you can afford it, always buy a bigger calender than you need so it can cope with expansion. Luckily, we invested in one of the largest capacity machines made by Monti Antonio, and now it is sublimating three high-volume printers with over 600sq m an hour of capacity.” But while Mighall and Clasper-Cotte have alluded to expanding into wide-format solutions, many businesses will still find success in garment and apparel printing. As mentioned previously by Mighall, print and signage companies can add a machine like a heat press to existing equipment in order to expand a company’s offering. Phil Oakley, director of Kornit Digital UK and Ireland, adds: “Highly specialised cutting systems such as those produced by Kornit partners like Gerber (a Lectra company) and Zünd, as well as the growing range of design applications, make it easier and more efficient than ever to transform custom fabrics into high-quality, ready-to-wear apparel.” Discussing the need for diversity in times of crisis, Oakley says: “Kornit direct-to-garment production systems are more capable than ever. They require less energy, floorspace, labour, and materials and have created opportunities for commercial print businesses to diversify and grow in the face of a volatile, unpredictable marketplace that’s increasingly paperless”. 39 Textile printing is one of the fastest growing sectors in wide-format print. The market is heading into a ‘boom phase’ and there’s a great amount of potential to capitalise on ▲ The fashion industry has often been criticised for the waste it creates and the ways in which products are produced TASTE FOR SUCCESS / TEXTILE AND GARMENT PRINT www.signlink.co.uk Issue 245 - February / March 2023
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