CONNECTING THE DOTS - POWERFUL PRINT ON DEMAND SOLUTIONS FOR ECOMMERCE FULFILMENT
“By acquiring Custom Gateway, we double down on our commitment to creating efficiencies, scalability, sustainability, and new opportunity for fulfillers and brands in the e-commerce age. Expanding our model of eliminating waste to the complete end-to-end production process” - RONEN SAMUEL | KORNIT DIGITAL
The accelerated growth of ecommerce in the current pandemic has further enhanced commercial opportunities for reactive on demand retailing.
Bricks and mortar destination retailers have seen their turnovers decimated whilst cut off from their physical revenue streams during the global lockdown. Each must now rethink the offline/online business model (and at great speed) to retain market share and to service a new era of post covid retail.
For those companies which already had a strong ecommerce identity - the story is very different - the corona virus has presented an unexpected opportunity. The acceleration of online sales during the corona pandemic is unprecedented - in the first 6 months of the pandemic online sales growth advanced 10 years (source: Mckinsey and co.).
Opportunity also presents a new series of challenges.
The consumer has changed, shopping online was once the preferred route to source discounted products hence the “Black Friday” phenomena. But - over the years ecommerce has continually thrived to encompass more than 20% of total sales for the apparel industry and alongside this a new industry sector has emerged – Print on Demand.
In a post Covid world online is the new high street and at full market value. This accelerated growth now delivers an opportunistic paradigm as consumers will continue to choose to shop in a secure and safe environment – their own homes!
But that’s not the end of the dilemma – The consumer has also evolved
Customisation and Personalisation are the new normal. Which presents a whole host of operational challenges for the manufacturer. Creating unique products at speed must be automated, it simply isn’t cost effective to use manual process, nor can such speedy deliveries be managed, produced and delivered in such a short time frame without the use of technology.
The Direct to Garment sector has shown continuous growth and prosperity, as printing technology has advanced the digital textile marketplace has flourished spawning a new industry now valued at $3.4 billion with an CAGR of 9.6% [source: Grand View Research].
Digital - direct to garment technologies enable print on demand across multiple products – not just T-shirts. The decoration market includes sportswear, athleisure, childrenswear, accessories, promotional items, and homeware. Pre-sewn garments or blank products that are customized and personalised only after the point of sale. To do so at any scale, large or small, requires a transparent, efficient workflow that can control the manufacturers supply chain, inventory and fulfilment automatically. But that’s not all – The consumer also wants to be part of the design process. Image manipulation and validation using 2D and 3D visualisation is now an inherent part of the process. Transferring all of this information electronically is the only viable solution.
The future of digital printing technology must therefore also offer its stakeholders a seamless suite of software that can control and or connect to 3rd party applications – the data within each and every transaction holds the intrinsic value of the sale – and is critical to successful print on demand.
Simplifying the workflow enables scaleable ecommerce alongside profitable customised production and fulfilment.
Kornit Digital have carved a strong leadership in the DTG marketplace with a suite of digital print technologies that serve both small and large-scale production onto both natural and synthetic textiles. Primed for the future of sustainable textile production all offerings use eco-friendly ink technology and offer a clean, energy efficient and importantly - future safe print solutions.
Offering print technology as we have discussed is only part of the challenge – the manufacturing industry needs an end to end solution.
The recent Kornit acquisition of the UK based software company Custom Gateway further enhances the Kornit portfolio and their commitment to deliver a seamless printing solution.
Ronen Samuel, Kornit CEO commented:
“They say fortune favours the bold, and we’ve long promised our customers and investors Kornit would do what was necessary to stay on the cutting edge of innovation in on-demand production. By acquiring Custom Gateway, we double down on our commitment to creating efficiencies, scalability, sustainability, and new opportunity for fulfillers and brands in the e-commerce age. Expanding our model of eliminating waste to the complete end-to-end production process, this brings us one step closer to our mutual vision of digital transformation in fashion and other decorated textiles.”
Custom Gateway seamlessly transfers the sale and the products DNA in a digital format for onward production and distribution.
Andrew Talbot, Founder of Custom Gateway commented: “We’re excited about bringing these two creative cultures together and know from experience Kornit and Custom Gateway are built upon a common vision. Together, we will provide global brands optimal control of their business, ensuring swift, socially responsible fulfilment, and in a profitable model that produces and ships orders in real time, without excess inventory or labour.’
The ongoing shift in consumer behaviour and the demand for sustainable production will continue to accelerate the growth of ecommerce. Manufacturing technologies, software and collaborative innovations are transforming the retail space, online and offline at pace.
The digital printing sector is pushing ahead and whilst disrupting established markets, it is also generating new entrepreneurial opportunities. Leveraging technology to enable sustainable manufacturing alongside accelerated market growth.
As the next decade advances (after a challenging start) we can look forward to an exciting next chapter in the ongoing digitisation of the apparel industry and the retail supply chain.
The story of what happens when young designers access digital technology is still being written.
What once was a theoretical sustainability goal seems to have shifted into an active regulatory reality.
Is the Textile Market Finally Recovering?
After a difficult few years, there are genuine reasons for optimism. Duncan was candid about the challenges: "The market for textiles has been very difficult over the last three years. I'm not going to hide the truth there. But the tide is turning.“
A profound shift is currently reshaping the sector
Changing consumer expectations demand greater design diversity, faster turnaround times, and sustainable manufacturing practices.
To thrive, interior brands must adapt their supply chains, bringing production closer to the end consumer and moving away from bulk manufacturing.
Digital textile printing offers a definitive solution to these operational bottlenecks.
Digital transformation doesn't announce itself.
It accumulates - one innovation at a time - until an entire industry looks back and realises the ground has shifted beneath its feet. That's precisely where textiles stands today.
The conversations happening now about AI, automation, sustainability, and digital product passports are not theoretical. They are shaping decisions being made on factory floors and in boardrooms right now.
“By leveraging advanced digital textile printing, Marylene Madou has successfully merged traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology. Her approach offers a blueprint for how independent designers can scale their brands globally while maintaining a minimal environmental footprint.”
From Helsinki's printing mill to Paris's Le Marais, discover how Marimekko is scaling a design-led brand with purpose, craft, and bold innovation.
But what makes Marimekko's story compelling is not just its aesthetic legacy?
The textile industry is undergoing a vital transformation. As the insights from Techtextil and Texprocess reveal, the path forward relies on a combination of sustainable hardware, intelligent chemistry, and seamless digital workflows.
From Zimmer's industrial-scale energy reductions and Stratasys's on-demand 3D embellishments, to Kornit's single-step technical printing and the unified digital ecosystems of NedGraphics and Optitex, the tools for change are here. To stay competitive, brands and manufacturers must adopt these innovations, moving away from fragmented, wasteful processes towards a truly connected, circular economy.
Friedmans stands as a testament to the power of combining traditional textile knowledge with forward-thinking innovation.
“Operating from their UK headquarters, Friedmans now serves a diverse array of sectors, including swimwear, dance, entertainment, sportswear, interior decor, prosthetics, and even pet apparel. With a strategic supply chain that reliably serves clients worldwide”
The apparel decoration industry is decisively moving away from isolated, analogue production tools toward connected digital manufacturing environments.
"Kornit’s unwavering commitment to transformative technology continues to disrupt the status quo. For business leaders and innovators ready to capture the future of apparel manufacturing, the path forward is clear”
The Urgent Need for Sustainability at Scale
The transformation at Coats provides a vital blueprint for the wider textile and apparel sector. True sustainability cannot be achieved in silos. As Dearing emphasised:
“Cross-industry collaboration is the engine of meaningful change. Brands, machinery suppliers, chemical providers, and fibre producers must act as an interconnected ecosystem”
Today’s customers demand superior product quality, real-time data visibility, and lightning-fast turnaround times.
For large-scale garment decorators, managing these expectations while balancing seasonal demand fluctuations - such as the massive surges seen during Black Friday - presents a monumental challenge.
"Relying on transactional vendor relationships and outdated legacy equipment is no longer sufficient to secure long-term stability and growth.”
Printing method is never a secondary detail. It shapes the entire life cycle of a product, from concept to customer. In today’s fashion industry, where margins are tighter and speed matters more than ever, technical knowledge has become a competitive advantage.
“The future of textile design belongs to professionals who can combine creativity with execution, aesthetics with practicality, and vision with production reality”.
Are we witnessing the reinvention of Merch driven by adaptive, digital technologies?
The commercial opportunity presented by printed, personalised merchandise is already a lucrative revenue stream; it is the core driver of growth in a multi-billion-pound industry. And the mandate for print businesses is clear: automate, adapt, and offer undeniable added value, or choose to gradually lose market share.
Powderless DTF is an important area of innovation. It deserves research, investment, and thoughtful development.
“But at its current stage, it often feels like the industry is attempting to commercialize the concept ahead of the underlying chemistry and system readiness”.
All Apparel Manufacturers face an Urgent Mandate: “Automate or be Left Behind”.
Industry leaders like Super Nova Sports and Ryozo International were struggling with severe pre-press bottlenecks and unsustainable fabric waste. By integrating AI Sublimation Software into their workflows, these forward-thinking businesses eliminated manual variable data entry, boosted fabric efficiency to over 80%, and reduced delivery times by more than half, establishing a highly profitable, agile, and environmentally responsible production model.
The Future of Manufacturing belongs to those who Embrace Connected Digital Ecosystems
“Whether you produce garments, car interiors, or home furnishings, the transition from creative concept to production-ready product often remains fragmented. Design teams work tirelessly to develop compelling materials, yet technical teams struggle to interpret these visions without losing data along the way.”
The European digital wallcovering marketplace is expanding at an impressive rate.
“For print professionals and interior designers, this transition presents a distinct set of challenges. Achieving flawless colour consistency, managing complex substrates, and meeting stringent environmental standards are no longer optional extras; they are fundamental requirements for commercial success.”
If you're looking to optimize your website for AI search, hang onto your cowboy hat. It's the Wild West out there. Former (and current) SEO companies see the handwriting on the wall as more search moves from traditional SEO to AEO (answer engine optimisation). Opportunists are popping out of the woodwork.
(There are good options out there, but vet them carefully.)
A swimsuit might start life as a sketch. By the time it reaches the shop floor, dozens of hands have touched it - designers, dye houses, printers, trim manufacturers, quality controllers. Each one interprets colour in their own way, under their own conditions, with their own tools. The result is often a product that looks nothing like the original vision.
Durst develops and markets advanced solutions for digital production, automation, and intelligent manufacturing across industrial applications worldwide.
Roland inkjet printers and printer/cutters are widely used in a variety of visual communication fields, including signage and interior decoration.
Complexity slows production. Precision restores flow. For over 50 years, Summa has delivered digital cutting solutions that remove friction and keep ideas moving.
The leading manufacturer of digital and screen-printing machinery, coating, steaming and drying systems for textile and carpet processing
EFI Reggiani has become the trusted partner for integrated, scalable solutions for the entire textile process – from yarn treatment to fabric printing and finishing.
Epson industrial digital workflow for textile printing, from technology to inks, from pre- to post-treatment and learn about Epson Textile Solution Center.
Resolute isn't just a DTF printer and supply company, they are innovators in the field, shaping the future of textile decoration with innovative DTF solutions.
As the exclusive UK & Ireland distributor for Mimaki Engineering; its industry-leading product range that comprises solvent, LED UV, 3D, dye sublimation and textile inkjet printers, cutters, inks, software.
At Agfa, we believe in print as an essential and powerful medium of communication. Our mission is to enable printing businesses to achieve profitable growth.
Brother has a comprehensive range of solutions in the areas of direct-to-garment printing - from mass production to smaller printers for customisation.
VeriVide are the light and colour experts. UK based but global specialist in the design, development and manufacture of standardised lighting cabinets & digital imaging systems (DigiEye).
Since 1986, our aim has always been the same, to add value beyond print - to create cutting-edge laminating and print finishing equipment of the highest quality.
Kornit’s innovative printing technology enables businesses to succeed in web-to-print, on-demand and mass customization concepts.
Imagine a production process where 2D sewing and cutting happen in one seamless, automated operation - no manual handling required.
Award winning supplier wide range of Printers, Finishing Equipment, Inks & Media, RIP & Colour Management Solutions and Warranty & Service Support.
Soyang Hardware offers leading edge wide and superwide format print production hardware solutions from many of the industry’s biggest and best-known printer brands..
Klieverik is a leading manufacturer of rotary thermo-processing equipment, specialising in advanced textile applications.
With Barbieri, digital textile printers achieve professional ICC profiling, calibration, and quality control - leading to enhanced color consistency and confidence across all materials.
At China Print Supplies Ltd, we are more than just a distributor - we are your strategic partner in print solutions. With a commitment to excellence and a passion for innovation
A key supplier of dye-sublimation printing equipment, consumables, and support services to a diverse range of customers across the United Kingdom.