As the world’s leading trade fair for printing technologies (to be held from 16 to 26 June 2020), Drupa is providing this forum to reflect the rising significance of digital textile printing and to underline its importance as a driver of innovation and growth in new fields of business for the printing industry. The special show is an indicator of how Drupa is gaining ground in new markets, which apart from textile printing, include packaging, large-format printing, industrial and functional printing. All of these segments are going through the same transformation processes, offering tremendous potential for growth.

Touchpoint textile is backed by two main partners, the German Institutes for Textile and Fibre Research (DITF) as Europe’s largest textile research centre, and the non-profit European Specialist Printing Manufacturers Association (ESMA). Together with cross-industry partners, DITF is setting up a digital textile micro-factory at Drupa, a fully networked, integrated production chain from customer specifications and design to fabric finishing.

Demonstrating new possibilities for digitalisation and direct customer interaction, such as 3D garment simulations with direct data transfer to virtual and augmented reality applications, the micro-factory will show how digital textile printing, cutting and colour management can be integrated in a fully connected production environment. A variety of products, such as flags, t-shirts and bags, will be fabricated ‘hot off the press’ each day. Networked production chains of this kind, fuelled by a combination of agility, creativity, flexibility and productivity, empower the textile industry to respond ever more promptly and specifically to customer demands and trends, even in small quantities.

ESMA will also host a conference programme, inviting speakers from research, development and industry to discuss printing and finishing technologies, workflows, market developments and sustainability. “Textile printing is expanding rapidly thanks to innovations in printing processes. Both digital and conventional technologies can contribute to this change”, said Peter Buttiens, general manager, ESMA. “We’re looking forward to demonstrating our expertise and knowhow in textile applications to visitors at Drupa’s touchpoint textile.”

“Continued digitalisation and cross-sectional technologies are accelerating innovation,” Sabine Geldermann, director of Drupa and global head of print technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, said. “Drupa’s role is to be a source of momentum for our industry, fostering and shaping change. We’re committed to identifying all relevant issues and integrating them in our forums. The growth potential in textile printing is phenomenal. It’s against this backdrop that we’re dedicating a special platform to these applications.”