Industry Insights & Opinion
BUILDING AN INDEPENDENT DESIGNER FASHION BRAND - WE EXPLORE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES?
The Designer brand exists in many forms across the apparel landscape (online and off) from couture garments to streetwear, sportswear and accessories. Print on Demand using digital ink jet technologies has unlocked the fashion sector to facilitate small scale personalised manufacturing. The availability of printed fabric, customised to meet your garment specifications – pattern, print and fabric type now enables independent fashion brands to flourish, online and off.”
INVESTING IN HP TECHNOLOGY TO DISRUPT THE WIDE FORMAT PRINT INDUSTRY - WE INTERVIEW ANDY WILSON
Specialist areas are a focus, and the business has grown to support a diverse portfolio: Retail, Signage, Events, Construction, Corporate Infrastructure, Fleet Livery, Luxury brands and the Advertising industry across a wide spread of market sectors and products. The business and the team have onboarded a deep knowledge of each of these sectors and the compliance and product specifications required. Whilst constantly keeping an eye on new technologies, materials and their potential applications.
NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY INVEST IN HP STITCH TECHNOLOGY TO OFFER STATE OF THE ART TEXTILE PRINTING
“The department is well staffed with experienced technicians on hand to help creatives explore new printing processes and discover new materials and applications. Creativity is encouraged and design boundaries pushed as the student’s experiment using multiple applications. They are developing two new print hubs which will be open to all creatives within the university: Fashion, Interiors, Textiles, Theatre, Graphics and Embroidery and knitting, Fine Art, nobody is refused access”.
THE WALLCOVERINGS INDUSTRY IS SET FOR DISRUPTION - JOHN MARK LTD ARE LEADING THE FIELD
““We've got seven machines and we're doing generally around about 120, 10m rolls of wallpaper per day on each one. We print six days a week, it’s around about 5000 rolls. We are the world's largest digital printer for wallcoverings. And we use more ink than anybody else in the world. But you’ve got to remember that wallcovering print is full coverage, that's where the ink volume comes through. We now operate using 7 HP Latex 1500 digital printing machines, running dual rolls.” John-Mark Founder - John Mark Ltd
WHY ARE LIVE WORKSHOPS SO POWERFUL? WE INTERVIEW JASON BURROUGHS OF PERFECT COLOURS TO FIND OUT MORE
“During the pandemic our customers had to pivot and were busy in particular areas like floor-graphics but I believe the industry is still recovering and looking to plan ahead. I also believe a lot of our customers are looking at new business revenues and look to digital technologies for growth.” Jason Burroughs - Perfect Colours
SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICAL EXPERTISE? WE INTERVIEW BRUCE VAN GREUNEN OF HP AT THE PERFECT COLOURS WORKSHOP
““The ability to use HP latex white ink print onto coloured or clear media give you an opportunity to try different applications and effects with the media. In the décor sector we have seen a move to more natural surfaces in textiles and wallpapers which are not always white. If you do not have the option of white ink, colours may not turn out as expected, or they may seem desaturated.
White ink gives the option to emphasise parts of a design. Printing with white ink onto acrylics or glass for kitchen splash backs or room dividers with 3- or 5-layer printing by example.”
BRITISH DESIGNER BRAND GILLIAN ARNOLD CONTINUES TO EXPAND WITH HP TO BRING WALLPAPER PRODUCTION IN-HOUSE
“As a creative team, Gillian Arnold realised early on in their business plan, that managing production in-house would give them absolute control of their supply chain. A decision that has served them well and continues to unlock new product opportunities and to expand their business organically into new market sectors.”
IMAGECO PARTNER WITH HP TECHNOLOGY TO DELIVER SUSTAINABLE PRINTED PRODUCTION FOR RETAIL GRAPHICS AND POS
“When we saw the quality coming off the HP Latex 800W, and once we had evaluated the positive impact the machinery would deliver for our factory’s environmental workflow, we knew that it was the right technology for us. We were also impressed by HP’s recycling programs. Being able to recycle our HP Ink cartridges with HP Planet Partners, ensures that our waste products don’t become new products and don’t end up in oceans or landfills.”
DISCOVER HOW WHITE INK TECHNOLOGY FROM HP IS PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF INTERIOR DECOR TO CREATE NEW APPLICATIONS FOR PRINT
“A number of industry practitioners from across Europe joined the webinar to share their inspiring case studies and their knowledge and practical experiences. Representing a huge variety of high value applications for public spaces, like offices, hotels, retail food environments and other décor applications.”
CARDIFF SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN INVEST IN THE HP STITCH S300 TO EXPAND THEIR TEXTILE DEPARTMENT
“The HP Stitch technology offers a high-quality finish with a straightforward user interface, allowing students to use it independently. The machines capacity to perform a lot of its own maintenance means that in a busy workshop with many processes, the HP Stitch could be added as a new machine, without compromising the running of the rest of the equipment” - Katherine Wibmer | Cardiff University
ENTREPRENEURIAL STARTUP "THE AFRICAN PRINT COMPANY" INVESTS IN HP STITCH TECHNOLOGY TO BUILD A LUXURY HOME FURNISHING AND LIFESTYLE BRAND
“Choosing to purchase their own machinery and not to outsource the manufacture of their products will give them absolute control of their supply chain, removing the requirement for stock. And importantly, giving them the freedom to listen to their consumers and create the designs and products that their loyal customers love.” The African Print Company
NEW TECHNOLOGY FROM HP ENSURES THAT MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ARE EQUIPPED FOR COMMERCIAL SUCCESS
“The fashion industry offers graduates an exciting career path in a market sector that is becoming increasingly digitised as the industry switches to meet market demands. To ensure that graduates are educated in the application of new technologies MMU has invested in a HP Stitch S300. The purchase ensures that the digital textile printing department offers the latest technology, and that graduates are equipped with the skills the industry desperately needs to adapt to a digital future”.
DID YOU MISS THE HP - TURN HEADS WITH EASY SOFT SIGNAGE WEBINAR? HERE'S A RECAP: THE DYE SUBLIMATION WORKFLOW EXPLAINED
“Much has changed during the cause of the pandemic. We have all had to adapt to a virtual world - there have been many challenges, but with those forced events, unexpected benefits have emerged – a tsunami of virtual knowledge”. HP
DOING MORE WITH DECOR - OPPORTUNITIES INNOVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS FOR INTERIOR SURFACES
“The creative freedom offered by inkjet technology has spawned a new generation of creatives and technicians and together they have unlocked the sector” - HP X PAPERGRAPHICS
BUILDING A PRINTED DESIGN BUSINESS WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY - ARTIST GILLIAN ARNOLD AND THE HP STITCH S300
“Orders for their designs increased during the pandemic…the company recognised that they needed to re-equip..” Gillian Arnold | HP STITCH S300