How to Transform to Digital While Maximizing Screen Printing Profit - by Brendan Mangan of Kornit Digital

BLOG

25 Apr

Written By Debbie Mckeegan

**The Power of the Hybrid Model**
“The smartest screen printers aren’t abandoning what they know—they’re evolving with a hybrid approach.
By blending digital and screen printing, you get the best of both worlds: the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of screen for high-volume runs, and the flexibility and responsiveness of digital for everything else.
**A hybrid workflow optimizes production capacity, reduces waste, and allows you to say “yes” to more opportunities—whether it’s a 10-piece custom order or a 10,000-piece campaign”.** - Brendan Mangan, Business Director DTG EMEA at Kornit Digital

Written By Brendan Mangan, Business Director DTG EMEA at Kornit Digital

The textile printing industry is evolving rapidly, driven by changing consumer habits, technological advancement, and a growing demand for sustainability. Traditional screen printing, once the bedrock of apparel decoration, is now facing headwinds from every direction. Rising labor costs, shrinking profit margins, increasing environmental scrutiny, and the explosion of e-commerce are reshaping what it means to be competitive.

In this new reality, screen printers are no longer simply choosing whether to adopt digital—they’re determining how quickly they can do so without disrupting their core business. For those who want to stay relevant, profitable, and future-ready, integrating digital printing is no longer optional. It’s a strategic upgrade.

Understanding the Pressures on Traditional Screen Printing

Before exploring how digital can unlock new value, it’s important to understand the growing limitations of screen printing as a standalone process. These challenges aren’t just operational—they’re existential.

1. Labor Shortages and Growing Operational Costs

The printing industry has long depended on skilled operators to manage presses, prepare screens, and fine-tune outputs. But those professionals are becoming harder to find and more expensive to retain. Training new talent takes time, and the learning curve for screen printing is steep.

Moreover, materials, energy, and equipment costs are rising, eating into profit margins. In many shops, manual processes are no longer viable or scalable. What once worked well for high-volume, repetitive jobs is now a bottleneck in a world that demands speed and flexibility.

2. Demand for Customization and On-Demand Production

The explosion of online retail, influencer merchandise, and microbrands has flipped the production model. Gone are the days of 1,000-piece orders with long lead times. Today’s buyers want small batch orders, unique designs, fast turnarounds, and personalized options. Unfortunately, traditional screen printing isn’t built for this.

The setup time and labor required for screen printing make low-volume orders cost-prohibitive. Meanwhile, digital-native competitors are thriving by offering short-run and on-demand services at competitive prices.

3. Sustainability and Compliance Challenges

Environmental concerns are no longer niche. Brands, retailers, and consumers expect their supply chains to be green. Screen printing’s reliance on water, chemicals, and wasteful consumables creates a sustainability burden that’s increasingly out of step with the market.

In addition, regulators are tightening environmental standards globally. Screen printers who don’t proactively invest in cleaner processes may find themselves losing contracts or falling behind more eco-conscious competitors.

4. Global Competition and Price Erosion

Online platforms have democratized access to print services, but they’ve also commoditized them. Competing purely on price is a dangerous game—it leads to razor-thin margins and a race to the bottom. The most successful printers today differentiate not just on cost, but on quality, speed, flexibility, and environmental performance.

Why Digital Printing is the Smart Evolution

Digital textile printing offers a compelling response to these challenges—not by replacing screen printing, but by enhancing it. Think of digital not as a rival, but as a complementary powerhouse that fills the gaps screen can’t.

1. Increased Agility and Versatility

With digital, printers can easily handle variable data, custom designs, and short runs. There’s no need to burn screens or manage complex separations. Digital allows for just-in-time production, ideal for online businesses, pop culture trends, and personalized products.

This flexibility opens new markets: influencers, creators, online retailers, and niche brands. By accommodating more types of customers and order volumes, you increase your revenue streams without major overhead increases.

2. Reduced Dependence on Skilled Labor

Digital systems are highly automated, often requiring just a few operators to manage multiple jobs. User-friendly software and intuitive interfaces reduce training time and streamline workflows. This is particularly critical in a tight labor market.

By shifting some production to digital, screen printers can reallocate skilled staff to higher-value work, reduce errors, and improve overall efficiency.

3. Eco-Friendly Production Capabilities

Digital printing can dramatically reduce your environmental footprint. Waterless systems, eco-certified inks, and minimal waste make compliance easier and sustainability more achievable. Some solutions require little to no post-treatment, further lowering resource consumption.

For environmentally conscious clients, this is a powerful selling point. Sustainability isn’t just about meeting mandates—it’s a lever for winning business.

4. Scalable, Predictable Profit Margins

Traditional screen printing carries high setup costs, making small orders less profitable. In contrast, digital’s costs are more linear and predictable. Every print costs roughly the same, whether it’s one shirt or a hundred.

Pay-per-print pricing models and cloud-based workflow tools further reduce financial risk, offering consistent margins and easier budgeting for growing businesses.

5. High-Quality Output

Modern digital printers are capable of astonishing print quality—sharp detail, vibrant colors, and excellent wash durability. For fashion brands, licensors, or retail-ready products, digital delivers results that rival or surpass screen, especially for complex or photorealistic designs.

This quality boost can help printers move upmarket, charging premium prices for premium products.

The Power of the Hybrid Model

The smartest screen printers aren’t abandoning what they know—they’re evolving with a hybrid approach. By blending digital and screen printing, you get the best of both worlds: the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of screen for high-volume runs, and the flexibility and responsiveness of digital for everything else.

A hybrid workflow optimizes production capacity, reduces waste, and allows you to say “yes” to more opportunities—whether it’s a 10-piece custom order or a 10,000-piece campaign.

It also builds operational resilience. If screen staff are unavailable or supply chains are disrupted, digital can step in. When customer expectations shift, hybrid shops can pivot fast. In a volatile market, that adaptability is priceless.

Real-World Innovation: The Kornit Apollo in Action

Perhaps no example illustrates this digital shift better than the Kornit Apollo—a high-throughput, direct-to-garment (DTG) system built for serious production floors. Combining speed, automation, and sustainability, the Apollo is redefining what digital can do.

Volker Rehdanz, owner of Print Palace Textildruck in Dortmund, Germany, is the first European printer to adopt the Apollo:

“In recent years, we’ve seen more jobs in the 100–500 piece range, all demanding high quality, vibrant colors, and creative freedom. That created major delays in our screen production. The Kornit Apollo has been a breakthrough—it’s the best digital solution we’ve seen for medium runs.”

Volker’s story reflects a broader trend: screen printers embracing digital not out of fear, but out of ambition—to grow, innovate, and lead.

Conclusion: Reimagine What’s Possible

Screen printers today stand at a pivotal crossroads. The pressures facing traditional workflows will only intensify—but within those pressures lies a huge opportunity. By integrating digital printing, shops can regain control of their margins, expand their customer base, and future-proof their operations.

This is not about abandoning screen—it’s about empowering it. By combining traditional strengths with digital flexibility, forward-thinking printers can build a business that’s faster, smarter, and more profitable than ever.