BEYOND THE SILK ROAD Book #03 THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN THE DIGITAL PRINTING ERA Digital printing and sustainability A PROJECT BY 000-TSC_Quaderno_003_EN-COVER.indd 1 15/11/17 11:02 BEYOND THE SILK ROAD BOOK #03 THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN THE DIGITAL PRINTING ERA Digital printing and sustainability November 2017 © Epson Italia – For.Tex – F.lli Robustelli All the content in this publication is the shared property of Epson Italia SpA, For.Tex Srl and F.lli Robustelli and is protected by the laws on the subject of intellectual and/or industrial property. The information, the data, the charts and the graphics in the document may be used only subject to written authorisation from Epson Italia, For.Tex and F.lli Robustelli, and the source must be clearly quoted. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Gianluca Brenna, Luigi Corti, Paolo Crespi, Michele Delle Fave, Dario Garnero, Michela Garnero, Angelo Marelli, Riccardo Robustelli, Valerio Robustelli, Pietro Roncoroni, Ugo Zaroli ENDORSMENT FESPA Italia Associazione Conception: Textile Solution Center Advisory Board Editorial project and release: Aurora Magni e Marco Ricchetti – Blumine srl Graphic design and layout: Studio Grafico Dante Cavallaro Translation: Elisabetta Gnecchi Ruscone The book “Digital printing and sustainability” is available on www.textilesolutioncenter.com 000-TSC_Quaderno_003_EN-COVER.indd 2 15/11/17 11:02 FOREWORD t is with true pleasure that I introduce the Third issue of the series ‘Beyond the silk I road’, which is devoted to a subject of great contemporary interest: the sustainability of digital printing. Everyone concurs in recognising inkjet printing’s great potential in speeding up and per- sonalising printing in the development of samples as well as providing answers to pro- ductions that are increasingly determined by personal taste, as required by the market. But how much does this technology contribute to reducing the environmental impact of textile productions? The water and energy savings, the reduced wastage, the reduction of contaminants in the refuse make digital printing an important resource in developing a productive and economic system that is more attentive to the environment. The issue ‘Digital printing and sustainability’ means to analyse these aspects in depth, starting from an analysis of the economic and cultural setting in which this technology is integrated, from its connections with the fashion system and with the dynamics of a market in constant evolution. The technological aspects of the printing processes are therefore analysed in function of the effects of technology on the environment and the trends of future developments are thus delineated. The results of this study are encouraging but certainly not conclusive. The culture of sustainability, intended as the ability of satisfying needs without prejudging current and future environmental equilibrium and as a constant improvement of the environ- mental performances of human activities, requires continuous commitment and in- vestments in technical and scientific research. In is in this spirit that in 2014 we created the Textile Solution Center and started the re- search and dissemination activities promoted by the Center. We therefore hope that this new publication will contribute to stimulate further efforts towards innovation in the textile industry and to diffuse the value of its culture. Pietro Roncoroni Chairman of the Advisory Board Textile Solution Center BOOK 03 – digitAL PRINTING AND SUSTAINABILITY 3 003-TSC_Quaderno_003_EN-Roncoroni.indd 3 15/11/17 09:42 THE COLLECTION The books of the collection “Beyond the Silk Road. The Textile Industry in the Digital Printing Era” MARKET SCENARIO: TRENDS AND KEY PLAYERS DRYING AFTER DIGITAL PRINTING DIGITAL PRINTING AND SUSTAINABILITY DIGI TAL PRINTING SYSTEMS FOR THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY EVALUTATION CRITERIA FOR TEXTILE PRINTING QUALITY PRE-TREATMENT IN DIGITAL PRINTING FABRIC WASHING PROCEDURES AFTER THE TEXTILE PRINTING The already issued books of the collection can be downloaded from the Textile Solution Center website: www.textilesolutioncenter.it 4 BEYOND THE SILK ROAD – The Textile Industry in the Digital Printing Era 004-TSC_Quaderno-003-EN-next-book.indd 4 15/11/17 09:43 BEYOND THE SILK ROAD BOOK #03 THE TEXTILE Industry IN THE DIGITAL PRINTING ERA Digital printing and sustainability Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER 1 THE FASHION BUSINESS AND THE SUSTAINABILITY REVOLUTION 1.1 – A paradigm shift, the new scenario for the fashion business .................................................................. 9 1.2 – Art, fashion and digital printing – Interview with Laura Strambi e Franco Gervasio ........... 13 CHAPTER 2 DIGITAL PRINTING: ECO-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY 2.1 – The “scenario” ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 3 FUTURE TRENDS IN DIGITAL PRINTING 3.1 – Efficiency, chemical safety, innovation ........................................................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 4 KEY PLAYERS’ OPINIONS 4.1 – The perimeter of innovation .................................................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER 5 CHEMISTRY AND SUSTAINABILITY IN TEXTILE PRINTING 5.1 – Evolution of the vision of chemical sustainability in textile processes ............................................ 33 CHAPTER 6 EPSON: THE CHOICE OF SUSTAINABILITY 6.1 – A primary objective .......................................................................................................................................................................... 40 GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42 TSC Advisory Board ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 49 BOOK 03 – digitAL PRINTING AND SUSTAINABILITY 5 005-006-TSC_Quaderno_003-EN-summary+bianca.indd 5 15/11/17 11:04 6 BEYOND THE SILK ROAD – The Textile Industry in the Digital Printing Era 005-006-TSC_Quaderno_003-EN-summary+bianca.indd 6 15/11/17 11:04 INTRODUCTION nkjet printing is the future of textile printing. In For these reasons: I fashion, a field that is particularly sensitive to a textile printed using inkjet printers contributes versatility, speed and customisation, an increasing to reducing the environmental cost of the finished share of printed textiles is produced using inkjet product, thus increasing its level of sustainability. technology. Born to reduce the time and costs necessary for producing textile samples, twenty The economic, organisational and ecologic ad- years later digital printing has undeniably taken vantages of inkjet printing are recognised in first on an invaluable role not only in the design, but instance by the printing companies, but also fash- also in the production of printed textiles. ion brands show interest for this technology, as it The reasons for its successes are several: has represented a kind of revolution in the way of 1. inkjet printing enhances the creativity of de- designing and producing fashion articles as well signers and printers allowing the reproduc- as products for the home, for sports, protection tion of complex and photographic designs, and furniture. It is not surprising that the trend it provides concrete answers to the need of inkjet printing machines’ diffusion is rapid- for product personalisation and uniqueness, ly expanding and that the digital machines have while at the same time guaranteeing their in- flanked,and in many cases substituted, traditional dustrial reproducibility and a high qualitative equipment. level; 2. it is economically advantageous especially In the third issue of the series ‘Beyond the silk for contained quantities where reduction of road” we describe inkjet printing as a produc- wastage and material are apparent; tive system that is particularly suited to satis- 3. it reduces design and production time; fying the need for creativity and sustainability. 4. the printer’s size is contained and requires lit- We will do so by tackling the issue from the tle space; point of view of the demand (the market and 5. compared to conventional printing inkjet print- brand strategies) and of the offer (available ing has several environmental advantages: technology and research trends) and by contex- • water and energy consumption are much tualising the role of chemical research. less than in traditional machinery, Different methodologies have been combined • working with smaller volumes permits in this work: from analysis of the literature on managing warehouses and logistics accord- the subject to interviews with opinion leaders. ing to a logic of organisational efficiency; The main terms recurring in the debate within • the greater speed in the execution of the the textile industry are commented in a glossary digital process ensures greater guarantees of easy consultation. for the design’s intellectual property; • inkjet printing requires smaller quantities