MIMAKI USA highlights textile printing innovations

Digital Textile Microfactory, organised recently by MIMAKI USA at the company’s Los Angeles, California-area technical center, provided those in attendance with an expansive view of digital textile printing as it stands today, and featured a strong roster of industry experts who are working to refine, strengthen, and simplify the process. Whether for apparel or soft signage, digital textile printing offers sharp colour. Timothy Mitchell, Senior Manager, Customer Experience with MIMAKI USA, provocatively shared that the word ‘digital’ should likely be removed from the name of the event, noting that, in his opinion, ‘digital is the default’ today. What should be pointed out at this point, he said, would be if the event focused on analogue processes. That concept, though delivered later in the day, encapsulated the event: textile printing has changed and digital is the future.

While the event featured opportunities to see the wide range of digital printing solutions MIMAKI USA currently offers the broader printing industry, it also featured tabletop exhibits from process providers throughout the digital textile printing process. The event featured two wide-ranging panel discussions, moderated by Victoria Harris, MIMAKI’s senior textile specialist. The panel explored high-volume dye-sublimation printing, and featured representatives of top transfer paper, fabric, process control and apparel pattern businesses.