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Tim J. Phillips

Digital Textiles: The Next Tornado Application?

Background

• Xennia is a leading industrial digital solutions company• World class 20 year heritage and strong IP portfolio• Expertise in inkjet chemistry, software and engineering

• Headquarters and manufacturing facility in UK• Sales offices in China and Brazil• Part of Royal Ten Cate group

• Innovative digital manufacturing solutions• Complete digital solutions for industrial manufacturing• Advanced printing inks and software

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• Product portfolio

Embracing digital technology

Digital inkjet textile printing

• Digital printing being adopted rapidly for textiles• Key market driver

• Rapid introduction of new designs• Driven by retail demand for faster design turnover

• Additional driver becoming increasingly valued• Vibrant detailed designs not possible with traditional tech

• Other benefits• Just-in-time customisation• Variable data and image printing• Cost-effective short runs/reduced inventory

Paradigm shift in modern manufacturing

CURRENT MODEL

Remote mass production

Long distance transport

Regional distribution Mass retail

PUSH

Local manufacture on demand Online retail

PULLNEW MODEL

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Flexible manufacturing

• Move to consumer driven flexible manufacture

• Implies manufacturing closer to consumption• e.g. Inditex manufactures >50% “nearby Spain”1

• Reversal of move to low cost territories

• Does this trend impact textiles?

• If so, how quickly?

1 Inditex, reported in Business Week

Digital application adoption

• “Crossing the Chasm” – Geoffrey Moore

GraphicsCeramics (tiles)Textiles (apparel)

LaminatesFurnishingWallcovering

Textiles (interiors)

Labels

Crossing the chasm

• What determines the rate of adoption of digital technology?

Market pull – do benefits have

compelling value?

Economics – cost

acceptable? investment available?

Technology – how well are market needs

met?

Communication – does market

understand value of benefits?

Adoption rate

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Technology barriers

Digital solution requirements

• Industrial digital solutions must meet the following:

• Required productivity• Speed• Reliability/uptime

• Required image quality

• Required print durability/fastness

• Ease of use

Printhead technology

• Two printheads currently dominate digital textiles:• Kyocera KJ4B (used in Reggiani, MS)• Epson (used in Epson, Mimaki, Roland and Mutoh)

• Emerging printheads from Spectra Dimatix, Ricoh, Seiko• Other manufacturers such as Xaar and TTEC shut out

• Fulfilling the demand for• High quality• High productivity• Production reliability

Ink technology

• Key digital ink suppliers: Huntsman, Dupont, SPG, Xennia

• Key requirements• Colour performance• Fastness performance• Feel or ‘handle’• Print reliability

• Textile applications require inks for different fabrics• Reactive dye for cotton/cellulosics• Acid dye for polyamides• Disperse dye for polyester• Sublimation disperse dye for transfer printing of polyester

• ‘Holy grail’ ink• Excellent colour/handle/fastness performance• Fabric independent

Software developments

• A digitally defined image gives limitless possibilities – software is key

• Also key to providing ease of use

• Variable image generation• Allows a truly unique product

• Integration with rest of production line• Potential to allow digitally defined garments (rather than just prints)

• Direct to print from the internet• Cutting supply chains• Reduced labour costs• Local production

Encoder/product detect

Wetting, drying, curing

Fluid control

Drive electronics, software

Substrate Printheads

Ink chemistry

Motion system

Digital textile printing requires a complete solution

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• Capability

Transformational benefits

New design introduction• Use of digital technology allows• Faster design introduction

• Days instead of weeks• Lower cost design introduction

• Enables response to demand for ‘fast fashion’• New collections in stores 3-4 weeks from design1

• Time from design to sale “most complicated but critical part of the business”2

• Majority of product lines ordered tactically during season

1 Inditex, reported in Wall Street Journal2 Esprit CEO, reported in Wall Street Journal

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Design transformation• Supply chain improvements have a secondary impact on

consumers

• Design impact is primary

• Now a key factor in market pull for digital textiles

• High digital technology enables striking designs to be realised• Fine detail• Colour gradients and shading

• Early win for digital textiles was in high end silk scarves• Striking designs and low runs offset high initial costs

Sustainability• Growing importance for environmentally sustainable

manufacturing

• Often not primary driver for adoption

• But impact is highly significant

• Textile mills extensive users of water and power• Washing, steaming and drying

• Use of digital technology enables major reductions• Up to 95% less water usage• Up to 75% less power usage

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• Product portfolio

Apparel is only the start

Not just apparel

• Benefits of digital apply in other textile markets

• Home furnishings• Not ‘fast fashion’ but design benefits still hold

• Soft signage• Replacement of PVC with polyester fabrics for signage

• Technical and industrial textiles• Perhaps the biggest opportunity of all• Game changer

• Combine decoration and functionality using digital technology

Application example: Sun awnings

• Sun awnings• Digital decoration combined with digital finishing

Vibrant designs

Self-cleaning coating

Smart apparel fabrics/smart garments

• Multi functionality• Single sided application possible• Two sides can have different functions

• Patterning – place function where you want it• Just hype?

Vibrant designs

Hydrophobic coating

Functional devices

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The next digital revolution?

Outlook summary• Apparel printing will move rapidly to digital over the next 3-5 years

• Slower but still significant take-up in adjacent markets

• New ink technology will accelerate this

• Single dominant printhead will be joined by others

• Untapped opportunity in industrial/technical textiles

• Textiles the next industry to be revolutionised with digital technology

• ‘Smart textiles’ hype for now, but watch this space