Hi BJ, I don’t know. Anyone?

We are small design studio in Brazil looking to expand our operations into interior products and are looking for a vendor in US or elsewhere, that can provide us with high quality printing on good quality cottons. I have just contacted first2print and others, but would be grateful for any recommendations.

Thank you in advance

Karen

CAT has been around for a similar length of time so I’m sure we are both facing the same daily challenges of operating a digital print bureau. Whilst the equipment and inks are certainly improving in performance and reliability, much of the software is still geared towards an out-dated industrial model. I am actually working on a software platform that addresses many of these issues – we should talk (you too Stephen!)

I also feel that designers (and educators) have yet to grasp the creative opportunities of the medium in the sense that digital tools have simply been used to mimic anolog techniques. Rather than using a Wacom tablet to paint a pretty picture in Photoshop, how many textile designers are actually building their own tools to create truly innovative prints using generative / interactive design methods? Just google Jared Tarbell, Erik Natzke, Joshua Davis or Robert Hodgin to get a sense of the possibilities. For what it’s worth, I recently collaborated with Timorous Beasties and Natasha Marshall on a couple of small research projects that explore some of these themes (you can check out videos here: https://vimeo.com/techstylelab/videos).

If you consider how other digital fabrication technologies (3D printing in particular) are being explored, at both the platform level (Ponoko, Shapeways, i.Materialise, etc) and the practitioner level (http://www.labcraft.org.uk has many great examples), I would suggest that innovation in the textile industry is being held back by the inertia of its industrial legacy. In my view, unless ‘textile designers’ learn how to write code, they will once again find themselves relying on intermediaries to translate their designs – just as they did with screen printing.

OK, rant over for now! Once again, I think it would be good to talk so feel free to contact me andy@techstylelab.com if you want to discuss things further.

Cheers… Andy

PS: Hi Lindsay! Hope you are doing well.

Thank you for the mention of First2print. We have been around for over 12 years and have experienced all sorts of questions, problem solving and solutions in the world of digital fabric printing, surface and digital design. I do have to mention, that managing a digital fabric printing business to be profitable is a bit challenging when it comes to trying to R&D materials, inks and equipments within a budget.

For the most part, for the digital fabric printing experience to be successful for anyone, effective communication about limitations is a necessity. Just because it is feasible doesn’t mean that a company has to offer it.

I believe education and industry suppliers and in some cases, even competition, should be open to discussion in finding ways that digital fabric printing is embraced as a tool for creative expression for printing fabric to make effective product.

peace
Danielle Locastro
Director of Operations
First2print

The problem you describe is characteristic of pigment inks whereby the print does literally sit on the surface of the fabric. The advantages are that pigments can be used to print synthetic and natural fibres and the process does not require any finishing.

Here in Glasgow, we use reactive inks which actually absorb into the fibres therefore the handle of the fabric is almost identical to its unprinted state. These inks can only be used on natural fibres and must be steamed and washed in order to fix the print.

First2Print use reactive inks as well as acid (silks and nylons) and disperse (polyesters) so if the feel of the fabric is important then I would give them a try. I also know that Kent State University will be launching their own print service similar to CAT.

Cheers…

Andy McDonald
PhD Student / Research Assistant
Centre for Advanced Textiles
Glasgow School of Art

I still haven’t seen another sample that matches the Timorous Beasties one produced at the Centre for Advanced Textiles. Most digital printing seems to sit on the surface of the fabric in a rubbery way, sort of like an iron-on t-shirt. I haven’t seen a sample from First2Print yet – has anyone?

Andy,
Thank you – that’s really useful and informative. As a craftsperson and designer, I obviously agree we need a shift toward craft, quality and production on demand rather than production of surpluses of material in the hope that stock will move. Current mass-production of fashion and household goods is over-homogenized, wasteful, environmentally destructive, and does nothing for local design and craft traditions which are in turn an important part of local cultures and economies. Among many other things. Anyway, you said it all much more succinctly than I have, but in short, these more flexible, responsive technologies do have the potential to alter the terrain for the better. And I’m not usually a technological optimist.
Thanks again for taking the time to explain everything and thanks again for the Timorous Beasties sample! I’m making a pillow out of it.
Lindsay