The textile industry is being transformed by digital printing. Innovations in pigment inks, single-step processing, and AI are driving explosive growth. This shift enables more sustainable, efficient, and localised production, addressing key challenges like waste and supply chain disruption while meeting the demand for personalised products.
Transforming Textiles: What began as a digital transformation driven by consumer demands for personalisation and shorter lead times has evolved into a fundamental restructuring of how printed textiles are conceived, designed, and manufactured. As we advance towards 2026, roll-to-roll digital textile printing has emerged as the cornerstone of a new manufacturing paradigm that prioritises sustainability, efficiency, and technological integration.
The sector that once relied heavily on conventional screen printing and analogue processes now finds itself at the forefront of Industry 5.0, where artificial intelligence, advanced materials science, and environmental consciousness converge to create unprecedented opportunities for innovation and growth.
The Acceleration of Market Adoption
Recent market analysis reveals that the digital textile printing sector has experienced remarkable growth, with the global market projected to exceed $8.8 billion by 2034 at a CAGR of approximately 12.1% (Future Market Insights). However, the most significant development lies not in the overall market expansion, but in the dramatic shift towards specific printing technologies that address contemporary manufacturing challenges.
Pigment printing, which historically represented only 11% of digital textile ink usage, has witnessed explosive growth driven by technological breakthroughs in printhead design and ink chemistry. The introduction of high-speed, high-solids printheads such as the Epson PrecisionCore technology has eliminated many of the technical barriers that previously limited pigment printing adoption, enabling manufacturers to capitalise on its unique advantages across mixed-fibre compositions.
This technological evolution has been further accelerated by substantial industry investments. Major players including MS, Epson, Kornit Digital, Fujifilm, and EFI Reggiani have committed millions to expanding pigment ink manufacturing capacity, signalling their confidence in this technology’s long-term viability. These investments reflect a broader industry recognition that pigment printing’s ability to process polyester-cotton blends—a market segment valued at £57 billion—represents an enormous untapped opportunity.
Emerging Technologies Transforming the Landscape
AI-Driven Design and Production Optimisation
Artificial intelligence has moved beyond experimental applications to become an integral component of modern textile printing workflows. Leading companies like Early.Vision are pioneering AI-driven design and workflow systems that can analyse market trends, predict consumer preferences, and automatically generate pattern variations and products optimised for specific demographics and seasonal demands.
The integration of AI extends throughout the production pipeline, from colour matching and quality control to predictive maintenance of printing equipment. Advanced spectral analysis systems now enable precise colour reproduction across different substrates and printing conditions, addressing one of the industry’s most persistent challenges.
Single-Step Processing Revolution
One of the most significant technological advances in roll-to-roll printing has been the development of single-step processing systems that eliminate the traditional requirement for fabric pre-coating. Companies like Setema, Kornit Digital and Zimmer have introduced in-line coating functionality that applies pre-treatment simultaneously, in preparation for the printing process, dramatically reducing production complexity and energy consumption.
This innovation addresses multiple industry pain points: it reduces inventory requirements for pre-coated fabrics, eliminates degradation issues associated with stored treated materials, and significantly reduces the overall environmental footprint of the printing process. The technology represents a fundamental shift towards more sustainable manufacturing practices while improving operational efficiency.
Advanced Ink Chemistry and Sustainable Materials
The development of next-generation pigment inks has been crucial to the industry’s evolution. Recent launches including Farbenpunkte’s Peractojet system, Epson’s Genesta PG-Revo range, and EFI Reggiani’s Terra Digital Pigment inks demonstrate the industry’s commitment to improving both performance and sustainability.
These advanced formulations deliver exceptional colour gamut, improved light fastness, and superior wash durability while maintaining compatibility with eco-friendly manufacturing processes. The emphasis on waterless printing technologies, exemplified by partnerships such as the collaboration between Yuima Nakazato and Epson, showcases the industry’s ability to achieve high-quality results while dramatically reducing environmental impact.
Market Dynamics and Global Shifts
Supply Chain Resilience and Localisation
The global textile industry’s experience with supply chain disruptions has accelerated the adoption of digital printing technologies that enable more localised production. Roll-to-roll digital printing’s ability to produce smaller batches economically has made it an attractive option for brands seeking to reduce their dependence on distant manufacturing centres.
The flexibility offered by digital printing technologies aligns perfectly with the growing demand for shorter supply chains and reduced transportation-related emissions.
Regulatory Compliance and Transparency
Increasing regulatory pressure around chemical usage, waste management, and supply chain transparency has created new opportunities for digital printing technologies. The ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) Roadmap to Zero programme and similar initiatives are driving adoption of printing processes that offer better traceability and reduced environmental impact.
Digital printing’s inherent advantages in chemical management—including precise ink application, reduced water usage, and elimination of many traditional finishing chemicals—position it favourably within this evolving regulatory landscape.
Industry Applications and Market Segments
Fashion and Apparel Innovation
The fashion industry’s embrace of digital printing extends far beyond simple pattern application. Innovative designers are leveraging the technology’s capabilities for complex textile manipulation, creating fabrics with varying textures, embedded functionality, and responsive properties.
Direct-to-garment (DTG) and direct-to-film (DTF) technologies have matured significantly. Key industrial models include the Kornit Apollo and Atlas MAX, Brother GTXpro, Epson SC-F3000, and Ricoh RI2000/RI4000 that can handle industrial-scale personalisation while maintaining the quality standards required for premium fashion applications.
Interior Design and Architectural Textiles
The home décor and architectural textiles sector has emerged as a major growth driver for roll-to-roll printing. The ability to produce custom wallcoverings, upholstery fabrics, and decorative textiles on-demand has revolutionised how interior designers approach space customisation.
Advanced printing systems from Canon, Dimense, and other manufacturers now offer texture printing capabilities that create tactile surface effects for textile wallcoverings, expanding the creative possibilities for interior applications while maintaining the durability required for commercial environments.
Sustainability at the Forefront
Environmental considerations have moved from being a secondary concern to a primary driver of technology adoption. The textile industry’s acknowledgement of its environmental impact has accelerated the development and adoption of more sustainable printing processes.
Digital printing’s inherent advantages—reduced water consumption, minimised chemical usage, and elimination of traditional screen preparation processes—align with the industry’s sustainability objectives. The technology’s ability to produce exact quantities needed also addresses the growing concern about textile waste.
Companies like Prinfab and Standfast and Barracks are setting new standards for environmental responsibility in print-on-demand operations, for small and large volumes respectively, demonstrating that commercial success and environmental stewardship can be mutually reinforcing objectives.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Roll-to-Roll Printing
As we look towards the remainder of 2025 and beyond, several trends are likely to shape the continued evolution of roll-to-roll textile printing:
Integration of Additive Manufacturing Principles: The convergence of textile printing with additive manufacturing concepts will enable the production of fabrics with embedded functionality, creating new product categories that blur the boundaries between textiles and technology.
Circular Economy Implementation: Advanced recycling technologies and closed-loop production systems will become integral to printing operations, with systems designed to capture and reprocess waste materials directly within the production workflow.
Autonomous Production Systems: The integration of AI, robotics, and advanced sensors will enable fully automated printing operations that can adapt to changing requirements without human intervention, dramatically improving efficiency and consistency.
Molecular-Level Customisation: Developments in nanotechnology and molecular engineering will enable the creation of fabrics with properties that can be modified at the molecular level during the printing process, opening new possibilities for functional textiles.
The roll-to-roll digital textile printing industry stands poised to address some of the most pressing challenges facing global manufacturing: the need for more sustainable production methods, the demand for greater customisation and personalisation, and the requirement for more resilient and responsive supply chains.
As technological capabilities continue to expand and environmental pressures intensify, the sector’s ability to deliver both commercial value and positive environmental impact positions it as a critical component of the future manufacturing landscape.
The convergence of digital innovation, sustainable practices, and market demand creates an unprecedented opportunity for industry transformation—one that forward-thinking manufacturers are already beginning to realise.