INDUSTRY INSIGHT: Digital Textile Printing is Changing Fast: Here's what Epson's Duncan Ferguson had to say at FESPA 2026
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.“
Sportswear held relatively firm throughout the downturn, and customised apparel is now showing renewed momentum. Duncan noted a significant rise in interest around direct-to-film (DTF) technology - while direct-to-fabric printing is also regaining traction.
Image Credit: Premier Digital Textiles
The textile printing industry is at an inflection point. Regulation is tightening, sustainability expectations are rising, and the technology capable of meeting both has never been more advanced. At a busy Epson booth in Barcelona, we sat down with Duncan Ferguson, Vice President of Commercial and Industrial Printing at Epson Europe, to get his read on where the market is heading - and what it means for businesses investing in digital print today.
Here's what we took away from that conversation.
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.”
Sportswear held relatively firm throughout the downturn, and customised apparel is now showing renewed momentum. Brands are increasingly rethinking how logos and graphics are applied - Duncan noted a significant rise in interest around direct-to-film (DTF) technology - while direct-to-fabric printing is also regaining traction.
That renewed interest in direct-to-fabric is particularly meaningful for Epson. The Monna Lisa ML 13,000, which combines pre- and post-treatment in a single all-in-one solution, has now completed its first installations in Europe following its launch last year. "People are realising that there are still opportunities to innovate in Europe," Duncan said, "coupled with the advances in technology we're seeing from companies like Epson."
Why Digital Product Passports are Reshaping the Industry
One of the most significant forces driving change in textile printing right now is the incoming Digital Product Passport (DPP) - an EU regulation that will require brands and manufacturers to provide detailed, traceable information about how products are made, including the materials, processes, and environmental impact involved.
The timeline is phased, with key milestones expected between 2027 and 2033, but Duncan's message was clear: businesses cannot afford to sleepwalk into this.
"The requirement for more transparency about where our clothing comes from and the practices used to make them - it's overdue, to be honest," he said. "But in order to deliver that information, you have to have digital technology. You can't do it without it."
This is a pivotal shift in how digital print technology is framed. The conversation is no longer just about design flexibility or production speed. Digital technology is becoming a compliance infrastructure - the backbone that makes DPP achievable at scale.
Epson Cloud Solution PORT: Building the Data Pipeline
To support this transition, Epson has been developing Epson Cloud Solution PORT - a platform that enables seamless data exchange between Epson, its customers, and ultimately the wider supply chain.
Duncan explained the logic clearly: "By creating the connection and being able to manage information seamlessly between a supplier and a printer, and then between the printer and the retailer - that's the next step. That's what is required."
The platform is still evolving, but the direction of travel is deliberate. As DPP requirements become enforceable, the ability to pass accurate, real-time production data down the supply chain will be essential. Epson Cloud Solution PORT is being built to make that possible - and to reduce the complexity for customers navigating an uncertain regulatory landscape.
Alongside this, Epson's acquisition of Fiery and InEdit software reinforces its ambition to provide an integrated design-to-production ecosystem, giving customers the confidence that their technology investment is future-safe.
Introducing the SureColor F20000: Built for Production at Scale
On the hardware side, one of the highlights at the Barcelona show was the SureColor F20000 - Epson's most productive sublimation printer to date, and the centrepiece of its focus on the customised and personalised apparel market.
The SC-F20000 builds on the established SC-F11000 platform, doubling the number of print heads and adding a jumbo roll as standard. The result is a machine that Duncan describes as "a true, highly reliable production printer" - one designed explicitly for industrial-scale output.
But what makes the SC-F20000 strategically significant isn't just the raw throughput. It sits within the same Epson print head ecosystem as the rest of the product range. That means consistent colour quality, easier calibration, and reliable printer-to-printer matching across an entire fleet - critical for businesses managing multiple machines or scaling operations over time.
"We have the same print head technology all the way through," Duncan explained. "The ability to match between printers is relatively easy with the RIP, with the colour management solution... it means you can manage multiple different printers from Epson in a fleet and deliver the same image, the same quality."
For businesses growing from a few entry-level machines towards full industrial production, that continuity is a genuine advantage.
Key Takeaways for Textile Print Businesses
The conversation with Duncan pointed to several clear priorities for anyone operating in or investing in the digital textile printing space:
Treat DPP as a deadline, not a distant concern. The regulatory timeline is real, and businesses that start building compliant data infrastructure now will be far better positioned when enforcement begins.
Choose technology that grows with you. The Epson ecosystem approach: consistent print heads, cloud connectivity, and integrated software is designed to scale from entry-level to industrial without disruption.
Customisation and personalisation are the growth engine. From sportswear to branded apparel, demand for personalised product is recovering strongly and is expected to accelerate further.
Partnerships matter. Whether it's Epson's acquisition of Fiery or InEdit, the ecosystem around your print technology is as important as the hardware itself.
A sincere thank you to Duncan Ferguson for taking the time to speak with us during what was clearly a busy show. His openness about the market challenges, and his clarity about where the opportunities lie, made for a genuinely insightful conversation. We look forward to seeing the Monna Lisa and the wider Epson textile portfolio continue to develop.
