DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT WITH AMELIA GRAHAM AND HER LATEST INTERIOR COLLAB WITH SUNBURY DESIGN
There’s no question that the advancement of digital technologies has empowered a new generation of entrepreneurial design. But, to survive in commercial life you have to be both talented and have a good mind for business. Amelia Graham has both in volume!
Her brand has grown from strength to strength in the years since she graduated from Chelsea college of Art. We caught up with her to discuss her Creative Journey, the importance of Design and Product Diversity and her latest collection for Contract Interiors with Sunbury Design:
What or who inspired you to choose a creative career?
Both my parents had a keen interest in Art and Design, my mother was a brilliant seamstress and my father is an architect, so drawing and making things seemed second nature….
Tell us about your creative journey back at Chelsea College of Art
The staff at Chelsea are amazing. Chelsea was really about learning the process of creating, and exploring that through techniques, while I was there I did an exchange in Sweden, and that speeded up my CAD skills which was really helpful- CAD was quite fledging in those days and the vast majority of the time was spent in the Print Room Screen printing.
I went back recently to do some guest lecturing on the MA course and it was SO good to be back.
What drives your creativity?
I suppose fundamentally its just an urge to create stuff, that pure joy in playing with shape and form and colour, or solving a brief for someone else, that pleasure in delivering something beautiful for someones brand or fashion line, or the challenge of a new situation for a print, how can this work here. Design is a lot about problem solving and I actually find that immensely satisfying. I love sitting down and thinking, “Oh, so how are we going to do this?”
When did you found your studio and own brand and why?
I started being approached for private commissions about the same time I made my first foray into my own product. I fell pregnant and I suddenly had this crazy impetus to get stuff done. That would be about 7 years ago now. I really wanted to carve out my own place, working for Studios was very creatively free, just pure design work essentially but I missed the interaction with the client, and the whole dialogue that goes with that, ultimately also I wanted to come out from the shadows of working anonymously with no credit, and put my name to my work.
What was the biggest challenge in sourcing products back then and how has the industry changed since you began?
Hmmmm… interesting. I’ve actually used the same printer since my Chelsea days so not a lot in that sense. There seems a lot of print on demand surfaces for various products these days which is good from an ecological point of view I guess.
Your Designer brand offers a wide selection of products, do you print and manufacture on demand?
I keep some stock, like scarves but everything else is made to order. A lot of my clients want some sort of customisation, a slight change in colour or scale, a different word on an art print. POD allows me to offer a bespoke service! I print a lot of fabric by the metre for clients, and often people want to customise the colour to match an existing scheme.
Tell us about you most recent Interior Collection for Sunbury Design
There are 3 designs, in 20 colourways, Riley, Gego and Diez, taking their names from prominent artists in the Op Art movement, which was my initial reference.
These are contract furnishing- so it’s designed for the hospitality market, the textiles are hardworking, and designed specifically for a lot of traffic.
What’s next for Amelia Graham?
I’ve got two exciting things which will hopefully drop next year which I cannot say anything about- sorry that makes for boring reading! I’d love to continue to work with other brands and designers, I am actively looking all the time, so do get in touch people!
Finally; How can the academic sector and the Textile Industry do more to support the next generation?
I think the main focus should be on sustainability as the Textile Industry is one of the worst in terms of the environmental damage it wreaks, so the industry and academic sector need to focus on new ways of working, while the general populace need to change their patterns of buying/using etc. My ex tutor at Chelsea Prof. Rebecca Early has just written her inaugural paper on it.
Becky’s lecture looks through the archive of twenty years of remaking second hand polyester shirts, bringing them back to life to discover the new stories we need to write for the industry and a circular society. I recommend a read here!
The story of what happens when young designers access digital technology is still being written.
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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.
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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.
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Microplastics are an increasing global concern, with growing evidence of their presence in water systems.
The researchers say the ability to remove micro‑ and nano‑plastics under practical conditions sets this work apart.
Winterthur – Switzerland - July, 2026 – Recycling Powerhouse Ltd. was established in July 2026 to industrialize, standardize and scale textile recycling.
Based in Switzerland, the venture will operate a franchise-driven business model that enables the production of high-quality, certified recycled yarns.
The project is supported by the following partners: Rieter Group, the world’s leading system supplier for natural and man-made fibers, Säntis Textiles, a Swiss textile engineering company, and Valvan, a Belgian sorting technology company.
Singapore, July 2026 – DyStar, a leading specialty chemicals company with more than a century of expertise in product development and innovation, today announced the release of its FY2025 Sustainability Report, marking a significant milestone in its sustainability journey and reinforcing its commitment to long-term value creation
Germany, France and the Netherlands are advocating coordinated European action against ultra-fast fashion.
The three Member States raised the topic at today’s EU Environment Council in Luxembourg, and called on the European Commission to make existing and planned EU provisions more effective against short-lived, low quality textiles.
Their call was supported by other Member States, including Slovenia and Denmark.
LONDON, June 11: Textile Exchange has published its new polyester Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study, providing robust, accurate, and credible data to strengthen the fashion, textile, and apparel industry’s understanding of the impacts of different types of polyester production.
The study is the second in a series of LCA studies led by Textile Exchange and addresses key gaps and limitations in the LCA data currently available for polyester.
Widnes, Cheshire - 5 June 2026 – On World Environment Day, Roberts Group International has announced a pioneering partnership with St Helens Council, Seamster & Shepherd, and Hope Academy.
The initiative, titled Hope for the Earth: From Reclaimed Textiles to Sustainable Student Fashion Show, empowers students to transform reclaimed textiles into original fashion pieces ahead of a summer showcase event in July.
The collaborative project addresses the urgent need for circularity in the fashion industry by bringing the sustainability message directly into the classroom.
Shenzhen, June 2026 – To address the urgent need for sustainable practices and digital transformation within the global fashion industry, the Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and Yarn Expo Shenzhen will return from 9 to 11 June 2026.
Held at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, the event will host over 600 international exhibitors across 45,000 square metres.
The innovative washing process SMART WASH represents a modern, high-performance, and environmentally conscious approach to textile care.
The targeted combination of the products BEIPLEX GREEN, BEICLEAN ECO, BEIPUR ANP, BEIBLEACH WP 35, and BEIACID CIT creates a holistic, sustainable washing and bleaching concept.
Stuttgart, Germany – May 2026 - Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification continued to grow in 2025, with nearly 18,000 certified facilities worldwide, despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and rapidly evolving regulatory requirements across global textile supply chains.
New figures released today in the 2025 Annual Report for Global Standard, the nonprofit that owns and operates GOTS, show that uptake of robust, independently governed sustainability standards remains a priority for companies seeking to manage risk, substantiate claims and meet rising expectations on transparency and due diligence.
Kyocera Document Solutions has highlighted its FOREARTH, a pioneering water-free textile production concept designed to drastically reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
By addressing the critical need for sustainable manufacturing, this innovation sets a new standard for the textile industry, minimising environmental impact while streamlining the entire printing process.