SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION AND NURTURING SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT DESIGN WITH GREEN GRADS
Following on from its immediate success last year, the GREEN GRADS story continues to build momentum as the team work diligently to deliver an evolving platform for innovative, sustainable product design.
“The platform is the brainchild of Barbara Chandler, a renown journalist and lifelong champion of the creative community. For many decades she has supported, encouraged and nurtured design talent.” - Debbie McKeegan FESPA Textile Ambassador
WRITTEN BY FESPA TEXTILE AMBASSADOR DEBBIE MCKEEGAN
Founded in 2021, GREEN GRADS is a not-for-profit initiative targeted at the next generation.
Following on from its immediate success last year, the GREEN GRADS story continues to build momentum as the team work diligently to deliver an evolving platform for innovative, sustainable product design. The platform is the brainchild of Barbara Chandler, a renown journalist and lifelong champion of the creative community. For many decades she has supported, encouraged and nurtured design talent.
Barbara is respected and adored by the design industry, and rightly so. I met Barbara in 2005 when she spotted my work in Birmingham, giving our company the RIBA “Best New Product” Award for our Andy Warhol fabric collection. Its worthy of note that this was the first digitally printed fabric collection to be manufactured using digital printing technology in the UK. Over the years we have worked on many projects together and it was an honour to be asked to help with the GREEN GRADS – ECO STORIES category for this year’s GG events.
Barbara explained “I set up GREEN GRADS initially in response to COVID and the cancellation of degree shows, in particular New Designers, the group show in Islington (running now for 37 years), which was cancelled two years in a row: 2020 and 2021.
My work as specialist design writer/editor had taken me to New Designers regularly over many years, and it seemed so cruel to me that two batches of graduates were being in effect marginalised. During mid-summer of 2021 lockdown had been lifted, I had been double jabbed and felt pretty confident about travelling.
So, I decided to go out and see the graduates on their home territory. The project rapidly gathered steam and I visited Plymouth, Manchester, Loughborough, Leicester, Stoke, Kingston, Brighton, and numerous shows around London, many put on by the graduates themselves.
The work was stunning – innovative, inspirational, professional and in many cases ready to go, so I decided to use my long-standing contacts to try and organise a national platform.
My original theme was #greatgrads and then I met Deborah Spencer, co-founder and director of Planted, a new design show for sustainability. She was enthusiastic, and during brainstorming, we realised the value of switching the focus to GREEN GRADS to reflect the values of her show. Like all the best ideas, once you have it, it seems obvious. I call it the double-whammy – we’re platforming new talent and supporting the environment at the same time.
The project has snowballed.
We did our initial show at the Samsung Experience Space in King’s Cross in September 2021, as part of Planted and the London Design Festival. We featured around 30 graduates On the back of that we were invited to fill a 15 metre run of stand over nine days during Grand Designs Live at ExCel in May, and then to take a film profiling our project to the Milan Furniture Fair in June. Then we did Samsung again in September this year (50 graduates), and hard on the back of that we installed a giant “bricks” mobile at GRAND DESIGNS LIVE in Birmingham made from carpet waste salvaged from the May show. Then more of less immediately we took a contingent of 20 GREEN GRADS to the Great Northern Design Fair in Manchester a few weeks ago. We’ve set up a website, and a YouTube channel.
We have a team so skeletal you can see the bones, as so far professionals involved in GREEN GRADS are taking no fees, only expenses – and to tell the truth often we don’t get even those. We are motivated by ideals, commitment, and the desire to do things in the very best way we can.
Michael Czerzinski, my co-director from the outset, does all the heavy lifting, organising the shows and seeing they run with exemplary clockwork. He has brilliant “previous,” pioneering pop-ups for designer makers, and then working for many years for The Design Museum. He is co-founder of the Illustrators Fair. He has an unlimited input of ideas and we’re a pretty powerful partnership.
It was Michael's initiative to push the GREEN GRADS to make films to fill the huge screen we have at the Samsung venue - and this venture truly lifts us into a different league from other design shows.
Which bring me to the third member of our team. We invited Debbie McKeegan to join us specifically to head up a project of mine called ECO STORIES. This evolved from a couple of textile collections we featured in GREEN GRADS 2021 where the designers were inspired by eco issues – the one by the “rewilding” of the Knepp Estate in West Sussex, and the other by the plight of endangered species.
We extended this idea and set final-year students throughout the UK the GREEN GRADS TEXTILE CHALLENGE:
To create a pattern on cloth expressing an individual concern about/commitment to the environment, whether simply to foster nature, or to promote, say, energy saving. The project has been an outstanding success and I’ll hand over to Debbie to fill in the details. Sufficient to say that she grew the idea into a marvellous maturity using her extensive experience in the textile industry, and in particular digital printing, underpinned by a passionate commitment to expanding sustainability within the textile industry. Debbie is now a treasured member of the team.
I must say a word about our sponsors, as they are fundamental to the exercise.
We were well into organising our first show when I realised (naively late) that we needed some money, not least for the Awards we wanted to build into the whole exercise. I tentatively approached some brands I’d known for decades and asked for £500 to £1,000 to back GREEN GRADS. I said that for years the UK design industry had fed off emerging talent and wasn’t it time to put something back.
I got mostly immediately responsive with many of Britain’s best loved furnishing labels now backing us for the second time one plus several more. We are spending this money not only on the Awards, but also on the running costs of our shows, buying in help, materials, transport and so on, and also providing small bursaries to graduates not yet in work.
We are not saying that all the projects and ideas we show will be commercially viable, or indeed possible right now in the ‘real world’ but they are seeds to nurture and grow, the results of in-depth research and dedicated hours in studios and workshops. Their inventors are the talent we so sorely need to help solve our eco-crises”.
GREEN GRADS is unique:
“Once a GG always a GREENGRAD”. Every designer participating is a GG forever, it’s a badge of honour, in recognition of their creative talent and passion for sustainable design. It has been a great pleasure to support this powerful project in my capacity as the FESPA textile Ambassador alongside the GREEN GRADS team. The story continues and new pop-up events and collaborations are planned for the near future.
This year’s ECO STORIES Award winners were:
Eco Stories GOLD AWARD for The Bateman Collection.
Sarah Thorley
University of Bolton
Inspired by the National Trust Victorian treasure Biddulph Grange Gardens (1840), Sarah’s richly-detailed designs exude her passion for nature, conservation, restoration, and history.
@colours_by_sarah
Sarah commented: “I’ve painted with watercolours and drawn with fine liners on recycled papers for artwork, then printed onto linen and re-upholstered vintage chairs from charity shop. My collection highlights nature and the fantastic conservation work of the National Trust.”
Eco Stories SILVER AWARD for Silken Bloom.
Rhiannon Weaver
De Montfort University
Rhiannon looked to the 1970’s hippie movement and found early eco-fashion in hemp and bamboo. Fast forward and she is using hemp linen and bamboo silk. These alternative fibres enable luxury and couture, with sustainability and zero waste at the core of her embellishments.
@rhiannoneleanortextiles
Rhiannon added: “I hope that my collection emphasises that couture and luxury textiles can still be produced, by carefully considering and researching alternative fibres and materials. This Eco Story has allowed me to experiment with new techniques, challenge my knowledge of sustainability issues, and push myself to create a collection that showcases my versatility as a textile designer”.
Eco Stories BRONZE AWARD for Home Grown.
Rebekah Longland
Birmingham City University
Starting as collaged motifs, these vibrant vegetable designs were digitally printed using eco-friendly colours and inks. They ask you to consider where your food comes from and how it is grown. Produce from gardens and allotments contrasts with industrialised production and food miles.
@rebekah.longland
Rebekah explained: “Homegrown vegetables and our connection to the planet
This is a project inspired by vegetable gardens and the idea of self-sufficiency. Expressing the pride of growing your own food and embracing nature. This collection of designs for interiors shows the vibrant, colourful, and intriguing inspiration vegetables have to offer. I created my samples using digital and sublimation printing which minimises the amount of waste produced to create my samples and the number of prosses needed to create them. Another way that this process could be made more sustainable is by using recycled polyester and mixed materials as due to this process of using sublimation polyester is the type of material need to achieve the best results”.
GREEN GRADS also supports Designers of Note and this year invited:
Daniel Embleton, Natasha Seaward and Elena Branch to join GREEN GRADS in London and Manchester to exhibit their flourishing designer brands.
GREEN GRADS wouldn’t be possible without our sponsors.
I’d like to personally thank: FESPA, EPSON, Prinfab and ImageCo for their kind efforts and generous contributions.
GREEN GRADS is collaborative not-for-profit platform for new UK graduates with ideas to heal the planet.
We do shows, films, events, social media and salons. We nurture our GREEN GRADS and help them grow. We could not happen without the willing and unstinting sponsorship of our industry partners.
Thank you to the generous brands who step up to make GREEN GRADS happen.
No arm-twisting needed.
Headline sponsor: Design Centre Chelsea Harbour @designcentrech
Amara @amaraliving
Anglepoise @anglepoise
Benchmark @madebybenchmark
Epson @epsonUK sponsoring ECO STORIES
Ercol @ercol_uk
FESPA @fespagram
Heal’s @heals_furniture
Imageco @imagecoprint
Little Red Rooster PR partner @littleredroosterhq
LSA International @lsainternational
Neptune @neptunehomeofficial
Nick Munro @nickmunrodesigner
PriestmanGoode @priestmangoode
SCP @scpltd
Thank you Prinfab for textile digital printing @prinfab
Thank you to Sabine Zetteler and Melissa Byrne for altruistic PR support
@_zetteler_ @byrnecomms
Colour Is Too Important to Leave to Chance
Print will always be the part of the garment people see first.
But the sum of all parts — the fabric, the trims, the fasteners, the finish — is what determines whether a design actually delivers on its promise. Brands that continue to treat colour as a single creative decision, rather than a coordinated technical discipline spanning their entire supply chain, will keep paying for it in re-dips, delays, and disappointed design teams.
A Century of Textiles, and an Ever-changing World
Few companies can trace their roots back more than a century and still count themselves among their industry's innovators. Texia, headquartered in Monistrol de Montserrat, Spain, is one of them.
But the story of Texia is not simply one of longevity.
It is a story of continual reinvention. As the textile industry has grown more global and competitive, Texia has repeatedly reshaped its business, investing in technology, developing its own brands, and placing sustainability at the centre of its mission. In doing so, it offers a compelling example of how a heritage manufacturer can lead rather than follow through a period of profound industry change. Image Credit: Texia
What are we craving Ultimately?
The instinct to slow down while simultaneously optimising every measurable aspect of life isn't a passing curiosity. It's a structural response to a world that feels increasingly unstable, and it's reshaping what people expect from their homes, hotels, workplaces and healthcare environments alike.
For the design and manufacturing sectors, this means rethinking both product and process.
The Structual Shift is Real and its Already Here
Volumes are moving east, where digital production is accelerating rapidly. Consumer behaviour has shifted.
Demand is now driven by personalisation, shorter buying cycles, and an expectation of near-instant responsiveness. Regulatory pressure is intensifying, with supply chain transparency now a legal and commercial fact in many markets. And margins? They are under sustained, structural pressure.
This is not a temporary disruption. It is a fundamental reordering of how textile manufacturing must operate.
The Challenge: Standing Firm as the Industry Shifts
The wallpaper landscape has changed dramatically. Digital printing has lowered the barrier to entry, spawning countless direct-to-consumer brands and pushing much of the market towards faster, cheaper production.
At the same time, manufacturing in the UK has grown steadily harder - rising minimum wage, national insurance, energy and substrate costs all bear down on margins. Surface Print have embraced all of these challenges - and stand resolutely prepared for the future.
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 word "toxic" carries weight. It conjures danger, harm, and things best avoided.
“Yet in the textile industry - Where between 3,000 and 10,000 chemicals move through the supply chain, a reflexive fear of the term is one of our biggest obstacles to progress.”
This article distils the key takeaways and what buyers, designers, and brands should be asking right now.
What Is the Digital Product Passport?
At its core, a Digital Product Passport is a digital record attached to a physical product - For a printed textile product, this means the DPP would capture data on the substrate, inks and dyes used, the printing process and technology, chemical compliance, environmental impact (including water and energy use), supply chain traceability, and end-of-life instructions.
The Market Gap that Changed Everything
Future Fashion was founded in 2019, timed deliberately to coincide with a pivotal moment in global textile technology: the commercial launch of the EFI Reggiani BOLT Single-Pass digital printing system.
The founders recognised that single-pass architecture had fundamentally changed what was industrially possible - and that Pakistan's domestic market had yet to catch up.
Print is no longer defined by the inefficiencies that once characterised it…as advances in production processes and technology have significantly improved its environmental performance.
Taran Rai, Corporate Sustainability Manager at Epson explains why?
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.”
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”.
London – UK – September 2026 – ARTS THREAD has announced the call for applications for the Designers in Residence Pforzheim 2027 programme, a fully funded three-month residency hosted at EMMA Creative Center Pforzheim.
The residency will run from 1 April to 30 June 2027, offering emerging designers a rare opportunity to develop their practice within a dedicated creative environment.
Applications close on 2 November 2026 at 23:59 CET.
Oberthausen – Germany – September 2026 – KARL MAYER has announced the launch of a new, highly productive model of its HKS 3-M EL, engineered to meet the escalating demands of the sporting goods market.
The extra-wide tricot machine combines a working width of 330", expandable by a further 10", with production speeds of up to 2,800 min⁻¹, setting a new performance benchmark for manufacturers of modern sporting goods.
Crewe – Cheshire - UK – 18 September 2026 – Hybrid Services Ltd, the official Mimaki distributor for the UK and Ireland, today highlighted how Mimaki's advanced white ink technology is setting a new standard for Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing, addressing a critical challenge facing garment decorators across the industry.
Tonbridge – UK – September 2026 Compass Business Finance will return to The Print Show this year, inviting visitors to explore their game plans for growth and the strategic decisions that can help drive long-term success in an increasingly fast-moving market.
Located on Stand P580, Compass will deliver an immersive experience designed to explore the challenges, opportunities and key business decisions facing print companies today.
Rather than offering generic advice, the stand will encourage visitors to think differently about their ambitions, investment priorities, and the practical steps required to move their businesses forward with confidence
Anglesey – September 2026 – Nova Chrome UK has today announced the launch of the Filmjet Mini, a new series of all-in-one direct-to-film (DTF) printers designed to eliminate the complexity of running separate printing, powder application, and curing units.
Built by PolyPrint, a garment printer manufacturer since 2006, the Filmjet Mini brings together everything a business needs to start DTF production within a single, compact machine.
China Print Supplies has expanded its textile offering with nine Gongzheng Apsaras printers, covering dye sublimation, direct-to-fabric pigment printing and hybrid working.
The full range is available now, and adds textile to a Gongzheng line-up the company already sells across UV and eco-solvent.
You can learn more about these printers by talking to China Print Supplies at The Print Show later this month (stands S220 and S420).
Dorking – UK – September 2026 – FESPA has announced a new instalment of its FESPA Insights webinar series, focusing on one of the garment decoration industry's fastest-growing opportunities: personalised apparel.
The session, titled "Scaling Your Personalised Apparel Business", will take place on 29 September 2026 at 14:00 BST.
Burscough, UK, September 14, 2026: Quality Print Services (QPS) has announced it will showcase six printers from across the ColorJet and Roland DG ranges, alongside Nazdar's alternative digital inks, on its stand (150) at The Sign Show 2026.
Taking place in hall 1 of the NEC in Birmingham from 29 September to 1 October, The Sign Show, co-located with The Print Show, gives visitors access to both events with a single registration.
September 2026 - Epson today announces the SureColor SC-F300, a new A3 dye-sublimation printer designed to help small businesses and growing personalisation providers produce professional-quality output with a compact, user-friendly workflow.
The SC-F300 is positioned to help users broaden their product offering – supporting expansion from A4 into
Mortsel – Belgium – September 2026– Agfa has today announced the launch of the Jeti Tauro H3300 HS, a new hybrid UV LED inkjet press that extends its award-winning Tauro family.
Built on technology and insights gathered across the entire Tauro range, the new press is designed to meet the productivity demands of today's print service providers while offering a clear path for future growth.
Summa announces the expansion of its F Series Vantage platform into large-format production environments with the introduction of the F1832, F3220 and F3232.
Designed for high-volume signage, packaging, textile, and industrial applications, the new models extend the philosophy behind the F Series Vantage: delivering productivity gains across the entire workflow.
Alongside the new large-format models, Summa also introduces the F1625CF, a dedicated configuration optimised for dry carbon fibre cutting
United Kingdom – September 2026 – Inkloft, a new specialist digital printing business founded by Gary Weyman and Andy Hancock, has announced its entry into the direct-to-film (DTF) market.
The company has been appointed as a distributor of DuPont™ Artistri® DTF products, including P1600 inks and Artistri Jettable Adhesive JA1100, both now available to purchase online through inkloft.co.uk.
Tokyo, Japan – September 2026 – Seiko Epson Corporation today announced the launch of CONTOURJET, a new brand for its Direct-to-Shape Printing System, combining Epson's proprietary inkjet and robotics technologies to meet the growing global demand for decorating complex three-dimensional objects.
Under the CONTOURJET brand, Epson will deliver a total solution encompassing enhanced system performance, inks, related software, implementation support, and maintenance services.
The offering is designed to help customers improve efficiency in decoration processes, reduce environmental impact, and unlock a wider range of creative designs.
LAS VEGAS, NV. September 15, 2026 – Fiery, LLC, the print industry’s leading innovator of digital front ends (DFEs) and workflow software, today announced it is showcasing an end-to-end portfolio of solutions that power all corners of the digital print room at PRINTING United 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Fiery’s award-winning products power printing’s broadest range of applications, including commercial print, large format, industrial inkjet, direct-to-film, direct-to-garment, and more.
Franklin, TN – September 2026: Vanguard Digital Printing Systems, a Durst Group Company, returns to the PRINTING United Expo with a lineup that reflects the fast moving, boundary pushing, revolutionary company it has become.
In booth C1514, visitors will experience Vanguard’s proven technology, continued innovation and an all-new solution that will change the way print formed service providers think about production.
Birmingham, UK – September 2026 – Perfect Colours has announced its participation in The Print Show 2026, taking place at the NEC Birmingham from 29th September to 1st October.
The company will be offering bespoke, hands-on demonstrations of the Canon UK Colorado M5W, giving visitors the opportunity to witness the technology firsthand and explore how it can transform their production capabilities.
Leicester – UK = September 2026– Vivid Laminating Technologies Ltd, a leading innovator in finishing technology, has announced that its award-winning Veloblade Nexus has been selected by 5 Studio UK, a specialist in large-format print and exhibition stand production, to support the creation of high-quality exhibition stands.
The Veloblade Nexus was chosen for its precision etching and engraving capabilities, which allow 5 Studio UK to deliver premium wood-finished displays for clients across the UK, Europe, and beyond.
Telford, UK – September 2026 – China Print Supplies UK Ltd will unveil the Gongzheng ThunderJet AQ1602S at The Sign Show, offering visitors a hands-on demonstration of its latest entry-level eco-solvent printer at stand S220 + S240.
The ThunderJet AQ1602S is a professional 1.6m eco-solvent printer engineered for high-quality signage, graphics, and display production
Reading, UK – 15 September 2026 – HP has announced it will showcase four machines from its HP Latex portfolio, alongside the HP DesignJet Z9+ and HP PrintOS Production Hub, at The Print Show and The Sign Show 2026.
Taking place from 29 September to 1 October in Hall 1 of the NEC Birmingham, the event will feature live demonstrations and application examples highlighting opportunities across sign-making and wide-format print.
Paris - France – September 15th 2026 – Optitex, a global leader in fashion technology, has today announced the release of O/26.1, the latest evolution of its industry-leading software suite.
The update strengthens the tools that fashion and apparel businesses rely on daily, introducing enhanced pattern design capabilities, more flexible cut planning, and a smoother, more connected cloud experience through OPTINEDCloud, formerly known as O/Cloud.
Clay Cross – September 2026 – Resolute DTF has confirmed it will unveil its latest range of digital cutting solutions at The Print Show 2026, held at the NEC Birmingham from 29 September to 1 October.
The announcement reflects the company's continued commitment to advancing production efficiency across the DTF, vinyl, UV DTF transfer and label sectors.
Visitors to Stand P610 will be given a first-hand look at three cutting systems designed to address the industry's growing demand for accuracy, flexibility and streamlined workflows.
Hamamatsu, Japan – September, 2026 – Roland DG, a leading manufacturer of wide-format digital printing solutions, has announced the launch of the TrueVis MG2 Series, a next-generation UV printer/cutter range comprising the MG2-640 and MG2-300.
Designed to help print businesses increase profitability, the new series combines significantly higher productivity, exceptional print quality, advanced application capabilities and lower running costs in a single integrated UV Print & Cut solution.
September 2026 – Georg+Otto Friedrich GmbH, a fourth-generation German textile manufacturer, today announced its participation in PRINTING United Expo 2026, North America's largest gathering of the print industry.
The company will exhibit at Booth C1996 from 23–25 September 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The expo represents a pivotal opportunity for Georg+Otto Friedrich to demonstrate how warp-knitted polyester is reshaping the possibilities of digital printing.
Altrincham – Cheshire – Funki Fabrics has today released its Autumn/Winter 2026 fabric trend report, identifying four key directions set to define the season: warm neutrals, deep jewel tones, vampy cherry reds and dark, moody botanicals.
The report offers designers across dancewear, performance wear, costume and beyond a clear framework for translating seasonal colour and print movements into fabric choices.
According to Funki Fabrics, AW26 marks a decisive shift towards richer, more dramatic palettes.
Cool creams and pale beiges are giving way to toasted beige, camel and biscuit browns, offering warmth and versatility as either standalone tones or a base for bolder accents.
Colombo, Sri Lanka – September 2026 – Winterquilts (Pvt) Ltd., one of Sri Lanka's leading garment manufacturers and exporters, has invested in Coats Digital's award-winning GSDCost solution together with its newly launched AI-powered GSDQuest platform.
The move is designed to standardise garment costing, improve costing accuracy and accelerate Bill of Labour generation across the company's manufacturing operations.
London, UK – September 2026 – The Only Natural International Student Design Competition 2026, supported by Artsthread, has revealed its Category and People's Choice winners.
Selected from an exceptional field of entries from student designers across the globe, this year's winning projects span Fashion and Home, showcasing outstanding creativity, craftsmanship and innovation in the use of natural materials.
Bressanone – September 2026 – Durst Graphics today features its P5 350 CORE, a new 3.5-metre hybrid printing platform designed to serve as an accessible entry point into the wider Durst Ecosystem.
The system brings together proven technologies from across the P5 portfolio, offering print businesses a reliable and future-ready first step into industrial digital printing.
This machine reflects Durst's continued commitment to lowering the barrier to entry for print operators seeking dependable, scalable technology without compromising on quality or performance.
Peterborough -September 2026 – Snuggle, a leading trade fulfilment provider, has today announced it is the first company in Europe to install three Epson G9000 DTF systems, marking a significant expansion of its production capacity to meet surging demand from trade customers across the UK and Europe.
The graphic industry is changing at high speed. Automation, artificial intelligence, personalization, new materials and sustainability are transforming the way products are made while, at the same time, opening up new business opportunities for professionals in the sector.
Against this backdrop, C!Print Madrid 2027 will bring together manufacturers, distributors, printers and professionals from the printing and visual communication world at IFEMA MADRID from January 12 to 14, showcasing the technologies and trends driving this evolution.
This eleventh edition arrives with a strong market response: 90% of its more than 7,000 m² of exhibition space is already booked, with leading companies in the sector such as HP, Epson, Fujifilm, Roland DG, Mimaki, Digidelta and Konica Minolta, among others
Las Vegas – Nevada – September 2026 – BARBIERI electronics, a specialist in colour measurement technology, has announced its sponsorship of the G7+ Exchange, an industry gathering set to take place ahead of PRINTING United Expo 2026.
The event will bring together experts and professionals from across the printing sector to discuss advancements in colour management and print quality.
The G7+ Exchange will be held on 22 September 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N109, as part of the broader PRINTING United Expo.