Phil McMullin, pro graphics sales manager, Epson (UK), highlights some of the positive experiences fashion design students at De Montfort University, Leicester, have enjoyed following their collaboration with Epson.
We challenged them to bring their imaginations to life on T-shirts using an Epson SureColour F2100 direct-to-garment printer, complete with heat-press, pre-treatment peripherals and t-shirts supplied by value-added textile print reseller Xpres.
To help wield textile printing into the University’s fashion curriculum, we created a t-shirt competition whereby Fashion students were tasked with bringing their designs to life using direct-to-garment and direct-to-film printing.
The competition requires students to base their designs around heritage, culture and activism, printed onto both new a new t-shirt and a used/second-hand t-shirt in order to demonstrate a more circular economy in fashion production.
To celebrate their designs and the sustainable, onsite production process behind it, the students are uploading examples of their work onto Instagram under the hashtag #DMUgetcreative.
The flexibility offered by DTG and DTF printing has encouraged them to experiment with different text and typography as well as unique and personal imagery.
Karen Deacon, Senior Lecturer, Fashion Design, De Montfort University, underpinned the importance of this responsible approach and described the students as agents for change.
That change has been enabled through learning about different ways to transform textiles.
The project is ongoing but initial responses to the versatility of digital print range from “a great way to express yourself artistically” to “it makes it a lot more personal to have your own print on a design”.
One student also commented, “it allows me to explore more and integrate ideas that wouldn’t come across as much if we only had plain fabric” and “especially in this time, making statements through print, whether it be political or environmental, is very important. You can use it on so many fabrics. It is so diverse”.
It is exciting to see how a greater understanding of print technology, and the capabilities it delivers, is enabling aspiring designers to explore new possibilities.