At Silana, the company co-founded by Michael Mayr, they have taken on an ambitious mission to revolutionise garment production with advanced robotics.

Their goal is both bold and necessary—to reimagine the way clothes are made while tackling long-standing challenges that have plagued the industry for decades. In our interview Michael shares his knowledge and insider insights (his family own one on the largest apparel retailers in Europe).

Michael is determined to change the landscape of sewn manufacture, and with a degree in engineering and fashion in his DNA - he's perfectly placed to enable change by automating sewn production.

“The transition to a circular fashion and textile industry is no longer optional – it is a necessity to secure the future of both our environment and our economy. The Circular Manufacturing Report highlights a major shift towards circularity in the textile and apparel industry”

• Limited Editions & Collaborations: Exclusive product launches and collaborations amplify demand while fostering brand loyalty.

• Event-Specific Apparel: Merchandise for conferences, sports events, and festivals continues to see steady growth.

• Global Markets Expansion: Regions like Asia-Pacific and Latin America represent significant opportunities for growth due to increased online shopping adoption.

• Social Media-Driven Sales: TikTok and Instagram are critical platforms for marketing custom apparel, especially with their ability to showcase unique designs through visual storytelling….

“The global printing industry is at a pivotal moment of transformation, with digital technology, sustainability, and new generations of talent reshaping the landscape…”

To explore these exciting changes, we spoke with Duncan Ferguson, Vice President of Commercial and Industrial Printing at Epson, during a live Texintel interview.

Duncan shared invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities the industry faces, as well as the role Epson is playing in this evolution.

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

*GREEN GRADS is a platform celebrating new graduates with ideas to heal the planet.

“Each of our Green Grads – and we now have 200 listed on our website – has their unique suggested way of dealing with the environmental challenges the world faces today. “Research by the British Retail Consortium shows that consumers/clients now put sustainability right at the top of their buying criteria.” Barbara Chandler

“On Earth Day, we reflect not only on the environmental challenges we face but also on the innovative ways the textile industry is rising to meet them. The textile sector, historically associated with high levels of resource consumption and waste, is undergoing a digital transformation. At the heart of this change? Digital textile printing, automation, and agile manufacturing practices. But how is the intersection of technology and sustainability shaping the future of the textile industry? We asked our peers and industry collaborators for their insights” Debbie McKeegan | CEO | Texintel

In the last couple of years, new pigment inks formulations have been introduced by major ink manufacturers, and this time it looks like the pigment application is here to stay!

“Supported by the sustainability push from major fashion and home textile brands, pigment ink improvements followed each other quickly and meanwhile the major drawbacks have been reduced to a level that commercial production printing with pigment inks has become feasible”. Jos Notermans, The Note Consultancy B.V.

The consumer desire for personalisation is more than just a trend; it’s a seismic shift in shopping behaviour. A survey by Deloitte revealed that up to 50% of consumers are interested in purchasing personalised products or services.

For ecommerce brands, this represents an enormous opportunity to not only meet demand but to create premium offerings that justify higher price points and strengthen customer loyalty.

The Changing Landscape of Fashion Design and Manufacturing: For decades, the apparel industry has relied on rigid supply chains and high-volume manufacturing to meet consumer demand. While this model delivered affordable fast-fashion, it came at a cost—overproduction, significant textile waste, and a lack of personalisation in what customers wear.

On-demand customisation offers a radically different approach. By leveraging digital design and printing technologies, brands can now create apparel tailored to individual tastes, produced only when needed.

Supporting the Next Generation of Designers is Key to a Sustainable Print Industry:

The textile industry is undergoing rapid transformation, a transformation that is currently out pacing the transfer of knowledge. Sustainability, innovation, and digital proficiency have become non-negotiable for commercial success for all professionals in this space. A space in which the next generation of designers are uniquely positioned to drive change - making it essential to support and nurture their potential if we are to build a sustainable and thriving future for the print industry.

“Traditional visual checks have become archaic in an industry that demands precision and replicability. By utilising technologies such as spectrophotometers, we can shine a light, quite literally, on printed materials and collect spectral data to achieve exact colour measurement”. Viktor Lazzeri | Barbieri Electronic

On-demand capabilities focus on the ability to produce items quickly and efficiently in smaller batches…

“Personalised fashion goes a step further, requiring not only on-demand efficiency but also advanced technologies to support the design and manufacture of infinite product and print variables.

This distinction highlights that while on-demand production is a backbone of modern manufacturing agility, personalisation adds an additional layer of complexity and innovation.” Guy Alroy | Early.Vision

As the global market evolves, textile companies like Eurojersey are at the forefront, embracing digital transformation and sustainability to foster growth and customer loyalty. “With digital technologies, Eurojersey can manage on-demand printing, enabling the company to produce smaller batches based on specific customer requirements or changing market trends. This reduces the need for large inventory storage and allows for rapid response to customer orders or changes.” Alessio Zocchi

“With creativity at the forefront, the efficiency and precision of digital printing have redefined what is possible for interior design in this decade and beyond - democratising the marketplace.

To thrive in this intuitive, technology-driven environment, leaders must adapt, innovate, and seize new market opportunities as they present themselves”.

“London College of Fashion’s ground-breaking work has demonstrated how teaching AI prompting can imbue designers with enhanced control while keeping the creative process distinctly human. Matthew Drinkwater, Head of the London College of Fashion Innovation Agency: “AI will not replace designers; rather, it will elevate their creative potential, allowing them to achieve outcomes they could never have imagined before.” This statement underscores LCF’s commitment to integrating technology with creativity in a way that empowers the next generation of innovators.”

“Kathryn Sanders, the founder of Western Sensibility, based in Montana, USA - From crafting one-of-a-kind bespoke textiles to innovating sustainable printing techniques, her work embodies the marriage of “Art and Technology”. Her mission to create a world where design is not limited by traditional constraints that disrupts the Interior Industries status Quo – and in doing so moves to democratise design.” Debbie McKeegan | CEO | Texintel

“Microfiber pollution is one of the most urgent issues facing the textile industry. Synthetic fibers, which comprise a significant portion of modern fabrics, shed millions of microscopic particles during manufacturing and washing processes. According to recent studies, garment production and laundering are responsible for 35% of the microplastic pollution in our oceans. These microfibers not only impact marine ecosystems but also infiltrate human bodies, posing severe risks to health by accumulating in organs and disrupting critical systems.”

“We celebrate the women in the design industry who have shaped and continue to shape the world of creativity. From pioneering female designers to today’s women creative leaders, women have long been at the forefront of innovation—pushing boundaries, redefining aesthetics, and proving that design is as much about storytelling as it is about decoration”. Print Pattern Archive

“DTF will over the year ahead continue to force the printer, and the garment decoration industry to re-evaluate their production processes. For many manufacturers its emergence, ongoing innovation and eventual automation, will upend both DTG and Screen printing applications and business models....” Texintel Editorial Team