1. Tim J. Phillips
DigitalTextiles:The Next
Tornado Application?
1

2. 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 RoyalTen Cate group
• Innovative digital manufacturing solutions
• Complete digital solutions for industrial manufacturing
• Advanced printing inks and software

3. • Product portfolio
3
Embracing digital technology

4. 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

5. Paradigm shift in modern manufacturing
CURRENT MODEL
Remote mass production
Long distance transport
Regional distribution Mass retail
PUSH
Local manufacture on demand Online retail
PULL
NEW MODEL

6. 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?
6
1 Inditex, reported in BusinessWeek

7. Digital application adoption
• “Crossing the Chasm” – Geoffrey Moore
Graphics
Ceramics (tiles)Textiles (apparel)
Laminates
Furnishing
Wallcovering
Textiles (interiors)
Labels

8. 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

9. 9
Technology barriers

10. 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

11. 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 andTTEC shut out
• Fulfilling the demand for
• High quality
• High productivity
• Production reliability

12. 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

13. 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

14. Encoder/product detect
Wetting, drying, curing Fluid control
Drive electronics, software
Substrate Printheads
Ink chemistry
Motion system
Digital textile printing requires a complete solution

15. • Capability
15
Transformational benefits

16. 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 inWall Street Journal
2 Esprit CEO, reported in Wall Street Journal

17. 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
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18. 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

19. • Product portfolio
19
Apparel is only the start

20. 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

21. Application example: Sun awnings
• Sun awnings
• Digital decoration combined with digital finishing
Vibrant designs
Self-cleaning coating

22. 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

23. 23
The next digital revolution?

24. 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