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The World’s Best Metal DouthittHalide sells the Lamps SignTronic StencilMasters for high quality direct screen imaging and exposing up to any size and can set up for automated in-line production. The Evolving Soft Signage Market, Part 2: Taking the Fear Out of Printing on Digital Textile Fabrics

A little more than a decade ago, the aspects involved. For example, material phrase “fabric printing” was largely handling, finishing techniques and color synonymous with the apparel and management can each create unique upholstery markets. But in recent years, operational challenges. This can quickly textile-based soft signage has emerged as take even the most confident operator out a popular new way to produce stunning of his or her comfort zone. Despite the display graphics. In a market previously minor learning curves that accompany dominated by expensive dye-sublimation this, these common issues can be easily Model DMAX Model DMZ equipment, advancements in ink and overcome by selecting industry partners Model DMAX Model DMZ coating technologies have created a who have a strong technical understanding Model Sahara Screen Dryer Douthitt’s self contained screen exposure systems provide the best broader range of print compatibility with of the new printers, inks, substrates and Model•Uniform Sahara Air andScreen Heat toDryer Insure Fast Douthitt’svacuum contact self contained and the best screen registration. exposure Combinedsystems provide with our the popular ink platforms, such as solvent, processes involved. UV and latex. • Uniform and Complete Air and Drying Heat toof InsureScreens Fast bestfocused vacuum reflector contact metal and halide the printingbest registration. lamps, our Combined units offer withthe and•Digital Complete Temperature Drying Control of Screens our focused reflector metal halide printing lamps, our units Now, even small sign and banner Taking the Leap sharpest resolution, best unifomity, shorter exposures and completely shops that were previously focused on As noted in Part 1 of this series in the • Digital•Any SizeTemperature Available Control offer the sharpest resolution, best unifomity, shorter exposures andhardened completely emulsion. hardened emulsion. outdoor signage and vehicle graphics November/December issue of the 2015 • Any Size Available can easily compete in this arena, and SGIA Journal, one fact that can’t be Olec Olite & Theimer Violux Lamps & Parts in Stock! often without the need to add, replace or ignored is that soft signage is here to stay. Olec Olite & Theimer Violux Lamps & Parts in Stock! upgrade existing equipment. The growing appeal and the wide array of Contact us for more information on Douthitt’s complete line of Exposure Units, Vacuum Frames, CTS Imagers, For many print shops, the transition products that can now be produced using ContactDryers, us Inspection for more Tables,information High onWattage Douthitt’s UV Printingcomplete Lamps, line of IntegratorsCTS Imagers, and Exposure Blankets Units,for any Vacuum vacuum Frames, frame. from traditional print media vinyl or rigid specialized fabrics has opened a myriad of Dryers, Inspection Tables, High WattageVisit UV us Printing at www.douthittcorp.com Lamps, Integrators and Blankets for any vacuum frame. substrates — in particular, to fabrics — new market opportunities for those willing Visit us at www.douthittcorp.com can seem expensive and intimidating. to take the leap. Shop owners or machine operators may However, many print shop owners lack the product knowledge or training and managers still remain hesitant to Once you’ve seen it you’ll never be satisfied until you own it Once you’ve seen it you’ll never be satisfied until you own it necessary to make this transition. Others incorporate these products into their THE DOUTHITT CORPORATION may be apprehensive of the technical portfolios, even though talented designers THE CallDOUTHITT Toll Free 1-800-DOUTHIT(T) CORPORATION • www.douthittcorp.com By Christian Smith, Wide Format Print Media Account Manager — Call Toll Free 1-800-DOUTHIT(T) • www.douthittcorp.com South Central Region, Aurora Specialty Textiles Group, Inc. PhonePhone 313-259-1565313-259-1565 FaxFax 313-259-6806313-259-6806 E-Mail [email protected]@douthittcorp.com Visit SGIA at SGIA.org SGIA Journal ■ January/February 2016 | 5

Douthitt_Ad_012615.indd 1 1/26/15 8:44 AM are taking advantage of the unique features but many machine manufacturers have and characteristics of fabrics to design either improved or integrated tension beautifully dynamic signs and displays. This bars that simplify this issue. Others are is a stark contrast to the simple, uninspired incorporating belt drive systems coated signage that is quickly becoming outdated. with a lightweight adhesive, in which Advertisers and marketing executives are the fabric is pressed onto the belt with a drawn to the sophisticated and elegant look pressure roller. and feel of fabric products and, as a result, Regardless of the material chosen, the industry has seen a significant shift stretch qualities and feed issues vary widely away from vinyl and rigid materials. Given from one product to another. Likewise, the many unique features and advantages nearly every machine is designed to address that accompany fabric printing, why are feed and take-up issues in different ways. so many printers reluctant to move into Therefore, it is important to work closely this vibrant, lucrative market? To better with manufacturers or with a skilled understand this, we must drill down into technician to learn how to set or adjust the the common issues that accompany fabric correct tension for the fabric you choose. printing and explain how these issues can This issue, while certainly frustrating, can be better understood or overcome. be overcome with proper training and a While it’s true that the apparel While it’s true that the apparel market little practice. More important, it is an issue is and will continue to be dominated by that is only present with a small number of market is and will continue to be dye sublimation for the foreseeable future, fabric products or printer designs. dominated by dye sublimation the same is not necessarily true for soft For many products, the difficulty signage. Ink and coating technologies have associated with feed and take-up simply for the foreseeable future, the improved significantly in recent years, does not apply. For example, adhesive- same is not necessarily true for creating many new opportunities for shops backed fabrics used in wall graphic using solvent, UV and latex machines. applications require a paper or synthetic soft signage. Today, it is no longer necessary to be a large liner for the same reasons as the adhesive- print house with multiple printers or ink backed vinyl products currently being used technologies, nor is it necessary to invest in in most solvent, UV and latex printers. large, expensive printer and heat-transfer Other products, such as ultra-light flag equipment in order to produce soft signage. stock, are often mounted similarly using The hesitation to enter the world of a lightweight adhesive. In both cases, the soft signage is often tied to both real and addition of a print liner gives the material a perceived difficulties associated with the sturdiness that allows the fabric to feed just use of fabric substrates. Soft fabrics can be as easily through a machine as traditional difficult to handle and sometimes cause vinyl or banner products and without feed and take-up issues, which can frustrate the need for additional mesh kits or ink machine operators. Color accuracy can also collection systems. be more difficult to control consistently due Further, products such as artist canvas to the variety of textures and white points are already rigid enough without this inherent in fabric products. type of lining and can be fed through a In addition, finishing requirements machine with little or no difficulty. This is are often assumed to be too tedious or particularly useful on machines that do not costly, and outdoor durability is often incorporate robust tension options on the brought into question. Combined, these feed or take-up units. This is the case for potential challenges may seem daunting. most small-volume printers common to the Break them down and examine them typical sign and banner shop, where much individually, though, and these challenges of the growth in soft signage is being seen. can be easily overcome. These three segments alone — canvas, wall graphics and flags — combine to Challenges and Concerns create a significant foundation for entry One common reason printers shy away into the lucrative soft signage market. from fabric products is that the “soft Another concern common to the digital hand” (flexibility) makes these substrates fabric world involves the equipment and difficult to run through their machines. labor costs required for properly finishing Another related concern is that the stretch fabric products. This may simply be a qualities inherent in some textiles can cause matter of perspective, and the decision difficulties with feed consistency and take- to move in this direction may be more up mounting. influenced by the size of the opportunity Stretch fabrics and other soft-hand presented. After all, no investment is too products can present difficulties due large or too risky as long as profits remain to unique construction characteristics, rewarding and consistent.

6 | SGIA Journal ■ January/February 2016 Visit SGIA at SGIA.org Finish the Work based products are designed specifically Special finishing requirements are for outdoor usage. Tent and awning important to consider in the fabric world. material, flag stock and products made For example, printers producing artist from synthetic fibers perform extremely reproductions on canvas may opt to use well outside. Since solvent, UV and latex a liquid laminate to protect finished inks were designed for long-term, outdoor products or improve the product’s applications, it is easy to understand how longevity. Synthetic fabrics, including proper material selection, combined with some soft knit materials, are produced the appropriate ink technologies, can from base fabrics such as polyester or nylon quickly alleviate any concerns related to and can be cut with a hot knife and then the durability of fabric products in outdoor heat-welded, taped or stitched to finish. environments. In some cases, reinforcement of the fabric may also be necessary for grommeting and Managing Your Color other mounting requirements. This leaves us with what is perhaps the Sewing can also be a vexing issue for single most talked about subject — and inexperienced shop owners who want to arguably the most neglected in practice — expand into the digital fabric market. in the print industry: color management. Many sign and banner shops already own Even on traditional print media with sewing equipment suitable for use with smooth surfaces and consistent white fabric products and are familiar with the points, the ability to produce vibrant colors techniques involved. For instance, sewing across a wide color gamut can be extremely vinyl banners has been commonplace challenging. But taking control of your in the sign industry for many years and color output — regardless of the material remains the preferred finishing method for you choose to print on — is no longer as most banner products. difficult as it has been in the past. Software For print shops that are not currently and equipment manufacturers understand sewing, it may require not only the both the importance and the difficulties purchase of an industrial sewing machine, involved in color management and invest a but also the addition of a trained employee great deal of time and money finding ways to operate it. In this case, the cost of the to improve and simplify this process. equipment is not the only concern — the Many of the leading RIP software additional payroll requirement to support are now incorporating automation into this must be considered as well. However, the process of building ICC profiles. In the volume potential presented with the addition, many machines are now being increased demand for fabric printing is designed with built-in color measurement often more than enough to compel even devices. Material manufacturers also the most reluctant shop owner to make this continue to explore new ways to create investment. Properly printed and finished products with better and more consistent fabric products have an appealing look white points. Additionally, more online and feel that attracts potential customers documentation and training material in a way that few other substrates can. exists today than at any other time. This is especially true in both retail and For fabric printers, the wide assortment décor applications where soft signage is of surface textures and white points can becoming extremely popular. seem more challenging than traditional print media, and perhaps rightfully so. Take it Outside Yet it is important to understand that the Retail POP, display signage and interior process and knowledge required is largely décor products clearly represent important the same, and once you’ve mastered the and growing new markets for printers. process, the rest is simply a matter of In contrast, there are many print and practice and repetition. sign shops that continue to operate Print shop owners and managers almost exclusively in outdoor markets, seeking to separate their operations from and as a result, may not be working the competition should take the time to with textile media. While the outdoor explore all of the options available in the durability of printed textiles has long been realm of color management. Those who questioned, the belief that fabric products choose to take control of their own color are exclusively for indoor applications is output will find that the gap between greatly inaccurate. In fact, many textile- themselves and their competition could

Visit SGIA at SGIA.org SGIA Journal ■ January/February 2016 | 7 grow exponentially as their own level of considering it. Overcoming challenges knowledge increases, and that critical is about finding the right team to help knowledge is easier to obtain now than educate and guide you as you choose the ever before. best path for your company. Regardless of the path you choose, color Stay tuned for Part 3 of this series in management should not be undervalued or the March/April issue of the 2016 SGIA overlooked. This is the one variable that Journal, which will take a close look at the separates your business the most from your role of R&D in the evolving digital textile competition, and creating quality color is printing market. the single most important thing you do as a print shop. Christian Smith is a Wide Format Print Media Sales Account Manager with Aurora Find the Right People Specialty Textiles Group, Inc. In this position As the fabric world continues to expand he manages the wide and grand format print rapidly — and the print industry markets in the South Central U.S. experiences its greatest shift in the last decade — don’t be left behind by fear or Christian is factory-trained and certified apprehension. Instead, identify industry on many of the industry’s most popular wide- DREAM BIGGER partners who can help guide you along the format printers. He has extensive experience way or educate you in the most difficult in technical sales and service, as well as aspects of fabric printing. machine installation and product training, The decision to expand your business for a variety of wide format digital printing by incorporating fabric products into equipment, including HP, Mimaki, Seiko your portfolio might seem difficult. But and Reggiani Macchine SPA. He has worked many shop owners — including your globally with key accounts to help customers competition — have already made redesign operation processes to increase that choice, and those who haven’t are productivity and maximize machine uptime.

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