The Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner
There’s lots of excitement about the market for digitally printed textiles. There are plenty of hungry manufacturers keen to talk to printers who want to get into this field. And there is a lot to say for using digital printing systems to print short run textiles. That’s good news.
Conventional production processes use huge amounts of resource. They are responsible for numerous and complex emissions to water and air, not to mention the high volumes of waste generated. The European Environment Agency estimates that the textile industry is the world’s fifth largest industrial sector. They base their calculation on the volumes of primary materials used and the sector’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. But although we know that the volumes of printed textiles and footwear (all those shoes) are substantial, we’ve really not much idea of how to quantify their environmental impact.
We do know that a shameful throw-away culture in the West and a growing global population are driving rising volumes of textile production. It’s also expected that the use of synthetic fibres derived from petroleum will continue to grow because of their cheapness to make, durability and fast drying qualities. Polyester accounts for about half of textile fibres and cotton less than a quarter. The maybe good news is that as chemicals which hinder recyclability are increasingly regulated, a preference to using natural fibres might develop.
Whether it is digital or conventional, printing’s contribution to textile and footwear production value chains is small, relative to the rest of their production and supply processes. But small or not the printing of these goods should be made more environmentally accountable. Effective communication of the environmental aspects of printed textiles is a starting point. The recyclability of the fibres and ink for instance should be measured and evaluated in order to make change.
And it’s not just domestic clothes and cushions that matter. Household and interior textiles such as bedlinen, towels, tablecloths, curtains and so on are also used by governments and businesses. All those uniforms and the bedlinen and towels used in hotels, restaurants and healthcare have a huge environmental footprint. The list is almost endless and although the high volume applications are not really within the scope of current digital printing systems, short run textile printing aimed at artisans and consumers definitely is.
There are undoubtedly lots of possibilities. If you’re planning to get into this business, think carefully not just about your target market but about what happens to the printed materials at end of life. Consider the inks and fabric compositions and question your equipment providers about how these things are recycled. You’ll probably get a blank response, but at least you will have asked the question. And you never know, perhaps manufacturers will start thinking about how to answer the question next time around.
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This article was produced by the Verdigris Project, an industry initiative intended to raise awareness of print’s positive environmental impact. This weekly commentary helps printing companies keep up to date with environmental standards, and how environmentally friendly business management can help improve their bottom lines. Verdigris is supported by the following companies: Agfa Graphics, EFI, Fespa, Fujifilm, HP, Kodak, Miraclon, RicohSplash PR, Unity Publishing and Xeikon.
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