FIVE SUPPLIERS OF NATURAL AND ECO-FRIENDLY INTERIOR DECOR AND FASHION FABRICS FOR DIGITAL TEXTILE PRINTING
Sourcing sustainable textiles for digital textile printing is no easy task. Fabrics for digital printing need to be pure and free from oils and other contaminants to ensure consistent print quality. Any impurities will affect both colour consistency and the final printed surface, choose your suppliers wisely for sustainable, and consistent supply.
Finding sustainably certified fabrics independently requires a lot of expert knowledge and for the busy digital textile printer a lot of time, over the next few years as availability improves and sustainable textiles become mainstream the process will no doubt get somewhat easier.
Finding prepared for digital print (pfdp) textiles, is even harder. If you are a new entrant to the industry or expanding your offer to include Interior Décor fabrics, or Fashion bases we have compiled a short list of textile companies that offer fabrics un-coated alongside suppliers that offer pre-coated textiles for digital textile printing.
From rich, heavy natural linens to cool organic cottons, these fabrics are in high demand as the consumer begin to question the origins of products they purchase.
Sustainability has been accelerated by the global health crisis, acting now to ensure that your textile collection offers environmentally conscious print bases will generate new business.
Sourced from the flax fields of Belgium to the GOTS certified cotton producers of India these producers bring certified sustainable sourcing to the eco-friendly agenda, as their renewable and bio-diverse credentials show.
Libeco: Belgian Linen
Libeco is the largest flax weaving mill in Belgium and is ranked among the top three linen manufacturers in Europe. The family business is located in Meulebeke and was established in 1858.
Under the Libeco Fabrics brand name, it produces beautiful linen fabrics for applications such as upholstery, curtains and apparel as well as technical textiles. In addition to local and sustainable production, superior quality is at the core of Libeco’s mission.
Since 2006, they have held the title of Belgian Royal Warrant Holder and in 2014, the mill received the CO2-neutral label.
Premier Digital Textiles: Organic Cotton and recycled synthetics
Premier Digital Textiles have been supplying the worlds Textile industry for over 30 years, and the Digital Textile industry for over 15 years. They are also credited as the pioneers for the many new substrates and woven innovations that have unlocked the textile supply chain to bring the print Industry a balanced selection of print-ready textile substrates available in large and small volumes.
Premier have a fundamental commitment to sustainable fabric development and have been working closely with existing key suppliers to bring new sustainable fabrics to market.
This has involved close collaboration with some of the world’s biggest mills and a sharing of knowledge, which has resulted in an exciting new range of sustainable print ready fabrics, all of which are fully certified and tested to meet exacting quality standards.
https://www.premierdigitaltextiles.com/
Lebenskleidung: Organic Cotton
At Lebenskleidung you will find unique organic fabrics by the meter, which you can buy directly online. They specialize in organic cotton fabrics and offer you a wide selection of widely used sustainably sourced certified fabrics.
At the heart of Lebenskleidung are materials that are produced fairly and sustainably and have a long life. Their focus is on fabrics made from organic cotton, they also supplement their portfolio with new qualities such as wool or Tencel™.
The buyer will find many different categories with organic fabrics for every purpose.
https://www.lebenskleidung.com/en/
Biddle & Sawyer Silks
Biddle Sawyer Silks are the only organic silk supplier in the UK, and their silk woven fabrics have recently received accreditation from the Global Organic Textile Standard.
GOTS is recognised worldwide as the leading processing standard for textiles made from organic fibres, and in order to become GOTS certified, textile products must contain a minimum of 70% organic fibres.
Guaranteeing quality assurance to consumers, GOTS assesses the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, trading and distribution of all textiles in terms of ecological and social criteria to award them organic certification.
Carried out by independent certification bodies, every part of the production process is analysed from start to finish in order to ensure that all guidelines are adhered to.
https://www.biddlesawyersilks.com/
Whaleys: Natural and Synthetic
Whaley’s have been a go to source for digital textile printers for many years and have an extensive collection of fabrics available for wholesale. They stock both cellulose and synthetic textiles that include; organic cotton – canvas, twill, sateen and even pineapple, alongside Polyester, Viscose and Spandex . A fabric that stands out and is sure to continue to grow in popularity is Bamboo – available as a woven and knitted jersey. The fabric is created from the cellulose that naturally occurs in the leaves and stem of the bamboo plant. This cellulose is extracted forming fibres that are then spun into what has come to be known as Bamboo Fabric.
As Bamboo is a fast-growing plant requiring no pesticides to grow it is widely regarded as being an ecologically friendly fabric. Whaley’s supply the highest quality wholesale bamboo fabric in loom state by the metre.
Bamboo fabric is a natural textile that is highly sustainable and eco-friendly. The fabric is soft, light and surprisingly silky with excellent wicking properties whilst the fibres provide great insulation in colder climates. Bamboo fabric is also hydrophilic and has natural deodorizing qualities. Some forms of pure bamboo fabric are even considered to have hypoallergenic and UV resistant properties.
https://www.whaleys-bradford.ltd.uk/
