The newest format of printing is changing the designing process rapidly. It is only a matter of time before we see digital prints everywhere. Read more about what makes it so unique, here!
Welcome to Threads & Fabrics, a blog by Mangla Textiles, where we share market trends, industry insights, behind the processes and more, to document our 80 year journey as a fabric manufacturers.
Digital Printing has been picking up pace in the fashion & apparel segment since the early 2000s.
What is Digital Printing?
Simply put, its a large color printer that can print on fabrics. The prints we get on paper are now, quite accurately, achievable on fabrics. Fabric is not as smooth as paper and there is certain drop in sharpness from paper however it is a huge leap from what was achievable before!
When did it start?
Digital printing machines made their way into the market around the 1990s. Since then companies have researched on new inks to include all kinds of printing in their portfolios. The industry has not yet adopted digital printing with open arms yet however. The product is premium and so is the costing naturally. But with each new generation of machines and ink technology, the method becomes a bit more viable.
How does Digital Printing work?
There are majorly 2 methods of digital printing prevalant worldwide for commercial printing, Sublimation & Ink-Jet.
Sublimation printing is a method tailored for man-made fibres like Polyesters, where printing is done on a paper and the printed image is fused on to the fabric with heat-transfer (similar to the concept of stickers and tattoos). This printing is durable, sharp, photographic and viable, however only possible on man-made fibres.
Ink-Jet printing on the other hand is possible on all fibres. Here, like traditional color printers, dots of various colors are sprayed to print a pre-loaded image directly on to the fabric. This process requires relevant pre and post printing processes to set the colors. It is relatively more costly due to the bigger processing cycles, however the color depth, durability, and photographic quality are simply unmatchable by rotary printing.
The Benifits of Digital Printing Technique
Digital printing is said to be the most eco-friendly method of printing. Theres minimal ink wastage, and nearly no waste of energy. Printing accuracy is high hence wastage of fabric is low as well.
The ability to produce highly intricate designs opens incredible doors for designers to imagine the best of fashion and styles.
Orders are completed at speeds like never before. No matter how big or small the orders are, digital printing is instantly ready to go. The option of sampling before production is another feature we can offer, thanks to digital printing. Furthermore, samples are a completely accurate sample of the bulk production.
Our Work with Digital Printing
We have been designing and manufacturing extensively for the Women's Dress material segment for the past 10 years. Our all-over series, Rubia Digital, is a collection of fine designs on the finest Voils fabric. We manufacture all our fabrics mindfully, to craft fabrics that are instant favorites.
We are experimenting heavily with Digital printed Dress Material concepts with further value additions. We have developed an extensive roster of concepts on innovative digital prints with Burnout effects, Aari work, Chikan and much more. Connect with us to Book a presentation today!
The idea is to print objects and textures that are simply impossible on roatary and screen printers. Women's ethnic wear has adopted Digital printing whole heartedly, but Shirting for Men and Women is only starting to explore digitally printed concepts.
Sampling has begun, however, and we hope to bring some incredible new concepts for Digital printed Shirting fabric very soon!
“Digital printing was not viable until very recently. Now, we are expecting to see a major shift in design trends in this very decade.”
Fashion is Changing With The Times
Mainstream men's fashion has been subtle, sober and disciplined for the most part of history. We are noticing a new wave coming however. With more conversations on masculinity and people getting comfortable as indivuduals, fashion is slowly blooming. We're looking at bolder colors and playful yet elegant designs that can elevate your wardrobes instantly for a brighter look and feel.
A better Everyday, as we like to call it.
Stay tuned to get a glimpse of our new collections on Digital textile prints for AW 2021 due very soon!
Hope you have a wonderful day ahead,
Team Mangla
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