Digital printing for the fashion industry will be a feature of Grafitalia, which runs 24 - 28 March in Milan. Visitors will be able to get an overview of how new technology is opening new print applications to the world of fashion and other textile-based sectors.
Show organisers say the 'digital tissue' is becoming a springboard for the Italian textile industry, a trend that will be well represented by the exhibits and events at Grafitalia. The event will showcase high-performance inkjet printing systems, designed or modified to print on tissue. This application has been successfully employed in furnishing, interior design and store decoration, and it now offers the fashion industry a wide range of possibilities.
Digital technology, in addition to creating bespoke, bright-coloured high-quality clothing, also allows companies to produce small quantities at economic price, attracting textile printing companies working in the fashion industry. An example is Elio Fiorucci's experience for the Canon Love Fashion during last season's Milan fashion week: clothing items were designed, printed, produced and worn on the spot thanks to Canon inkjet technology.
Other inkjet suppliers are getting in on the act. Epson, for example, is working with Robustelli to develop a textile-specific printer called Monnalisa, while Mimaki, Roland, Euroscreen, Memo and Montplast are developing solutions that can find applications in the fashion industry.
If you have yet to register for Grafitalia this is your chance to do so for free. As an Image Reports reader you can save the 45 Euro entrance fee by logging on to the 'visitors' area at www.grafitalia.biz and entering the exclusive magazine registration code: 7368000042. You will then receive a personal entrance card, valid for the full five days of the exhibition. This card also provides access to Converflex and Ipack-IMA, the two co-located exhibitions.