Digital Textile Printing: From Showcase to Standard

What was once a futuristic concept is now becoming an operational reality. Direct-to-garment and direct-to-fabric digital printing systems are increasingly being used to meet the growing demand for short-run, customised textile products. These systems support flexible production workflows and deliver high quality output on a wide range of substrates, including cotton, polyester blends, lycra and even delicate materials such as silk or wool.

This development is being driven by the need for fast, personalised production in sectors such as fashion, home textiles and promotional wear. Digital solutions enable scalable, on-demand production with minimal waste, which fits well with today's sustainability-driven market.

Recent developments have led to the emergence of highly automated digital presses capable of producing short runs at industrial speeds. These systems often feature integrated workflows that handle everything from garment scanning and loading to curing and unloading, and can often be operated by a single person. With reported throughputs of hundreds of items per hour, they are overcoming previous limitations that made digital textile printing less viable for larger scale applications.

Manufacturers have also introduced subscription or click-charge models, reducing the need for significant capital investment and aligning machine usage with actual production volumes.

The digital textile printing market is experiencing significant growth. According to Coherent Market Insights, the market is expected to grow from USD 2.90 billion in 2025 to USD 4.75 billion in 2032, a CAGR of 7.3 percent. This growth will be driven by increasing demand for customised and sustainable textile printing solutions.

Sustainability remains a key driver. Digital printing processes typically use less water and produce less waste than traditional techniques. The use of eco-friendly inks and energy-efficient processes further enhances the environmental benefits, making digital textile printing an attractive option for environmentally conscious manufacturers.

As we look forward to the next drupa, the transformation of textile printing serves as a compelling example of how digital technology continues to move beyond the showroom to redefine possibilities across all print sectors. Innovations once considered experimental are now integral tools in modern production environments. And it remains exciting to see how the technology will evolve between now and drupa 2028.