industry thanks to R A Smart’s knowledge of printing and the range of machinery it offers. Mighall explains: “R A Smart was originally established as a bespoke manufacturer of specialist short-run textile printing equipment but has since become a large and well-known supplier of digital large-format printing solutions. “The company bared witness to the pioneering days of digital textile print technology in the late 1990s and has partnered with the leading machine manufacturers supplying and supporting customers throughout the UK and Ireland.” R A Smart has a long and rich history in printed textiles as not only a supplier of equipment, but also as a commission screen maker, printer, and weaver. In 2022 the company celebrated its 50th year in business, leading to its reputation and wealth of knowledge. Mighall says: “We’re proud to be partnered with leading machinery manufacturers including Mimaki, HP, Fujifilm, Transmatic, Polytech, and more to bring our customers the latest in digital print technology.” Discussing investable technologies and the industry as a whole, Mighall comments: “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. Within textile printing itself, dye-sublimation is one of, if not the, most popular print method. It’s a perfect starting point because it offers a solution for a vast variety of applications – from sportswear to soft signage – with a relatively easy process. Mighall points out that many wide-format companies can already enter textile printing with the addition of a heat press and an existing vinyl printer and/or cutter. “In my opinion, the HP Stitch S500 is a fantastic place to start. Partner this with a Transmatic calender heat press and you’ll have a 1.6m solution capable of producing stunning prints by the roll.” For businesses after a larger machine, Mighall suggests the 3.2m-wide HP Stitch S1000, adding: “It comes with a built-in colour spectrophotometer for consistent results and the ability to print two rolls of 1.6m material at the same time. Plus, it’s the only dye-sub printer on the market with thermal print heads, meaning no need for expensive engineer visits.” Research into this sector is certainly key as investing in certain materials and machinery drastically affects your quality and workflow if not executed correctly. Iain Clasper-Cotte, managing director at FaberExposize/Northern Flags, states: “Fabrics that appear to have the same specifications can print very differently, so unlike UV or Latex printing where you can almost print out of the box, fabric takes a lot of trial and error to select the right sub- ▲ The HP Stitch S1000 comes highly recommended by RA Smart as a practical and adaptable machine hour. Consumable developments are also fast paced with Resolute introducing different film types allowing for more elaborate designs to be produced at lower unit cost much quicker than by more traditional decoration methods.” With many options available for businesses such as garment printing, wide-format textiles, and interior decoration, let’s look at the key advice and focus points to look into in 2023. Where to Start? In order to better understand the technology and sectors of textile printing, it is also important to understand the trends and areas of growth in the marketplace. Regarding investment, Marsh comments: “Garment decoration is a safe bet for investment especially as a current client base will already be purchasing decorated apparel from somewhere.” Marsh also emphasises the importance of utilising existing customers and researching complex areas of the industry. “Having a ready-made client base is an ideal starting point to launch a new process to. Resolute’s DTF V series has a range of equipment solutions that allows a system to grow as a client base grows. Resolute also has a unique exclusive owners Trade Print Service as part of the backup and over capacity plan. “DTF for textiles and DTF UV for promotional items are the most popular and profitable ways to invest in this area. When considering investment remember some keys points: Look for UK-based support from a company that really understands the process. Check the terms of any warranty offered as wet parts, travel and labour costs may not be included. Find a company that stocks a wide range of consumables and work with a company that is proven in the marketplace.” Another company which has seen a vast range of changes in this sector is R A Smart CAD & Machinery. Product marketing manager Alex Mighall has seen a variety of solutions and trends impact the ▼ FaberExposize UK has recently expanded its fleet of machinery with new wide-format machines Methods of fabric printing include directto-garment (DTG), direct-to-film (DTF), heat transfer, sublimation printing, and screen printing Factoid 72 email: news@printmonthly.co.uk Issue 342 - May / June 2023 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES / TEXTILE AND GARMENT PRINT
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjM0NDIxOA==