Digital fabric printing is a relatively new way to print on fabric.  It's just like when you print a photo to your ink jet printer at home.  

In simple terms, digital printing is an inkjet printer for fabric.  The printer feeds a roll of fabric through a large-format ink jet printer and the design is printed directly onto the fabric.

These are samples of our Deckchair Stripe being printed  

Digital printing technology started to appear in the 1990's. At first it involved printing onto transfer paper which was then heat set onto the fabric (dye-sublimation).  The technology has evolved, whereby now we can sometimes print directly onto the fabric.

Digital Printing Reduces Waste

One of the biggest advantages of digital printing is the reduction in waste compared to some other methods of printing.

With traditional printing, designers would have to print hundreds or thousands of metres at a time to be economical.  This is because screen printing requires a unique screen to be produced for every colour in the design.

Whatever they could not use or sell would end up as waste.  With digital printing, designers can print fabric on demand one metre at a time.  This means a lot less fabric and ink waste.  

Produce what you sell, not sell what you produce.

Traditional screen printing uses large amounts of ink, energy and water.  Digital printing saves energy and water as there is no need to wash the screens in order to apply new colours as is the case with traditional screen printing.

We can print just the right amount of Spotty Day

Digital Printing Uses Water Based Dyes

Water based inks are environmentally friendly.  There are no hazardous chemicals involved.  Whilst some screen printers use water based inks, many use Plastisol which is a hazardous waste and must be disposed of accordingly.

Digital Printing is Concise and Consistent

Incredible printing detail.  Digital printers spray very fine drops of ink in a targeted area meaning you get great clarity in printing.  The print resolution is greater giving the design clear, sharp edges.  With traditional screen printing you can get bleeding of ink under the screen and misprints.  Each batch is slightly different.

Digital fabric printing enables precise reproduction of very fine lines, with strong colour consistency.  So a metre printed six months later will look exactly the same as a metre printed today.

So it was for all these reasons that we chose digital printing as our preferred method of fabric printing.

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