FESPA 2026 in Barcelona: A Gateway to the World for Textiles and Custom Printing

Gabriel Virto, a member of the FESPA Spain board, discusses the value of the trade show and trends in the textile industry.

For Gabriel Virto, a member of the FESPA Spain board and founder of Iruña Custom Print, the holding of FESPA Global Print Expo 2026 in Barcelona represents an exceptional opportunity for the Spanish printing industry and, in particular, for companies in the textile and customization sectors. “FESPA is a gateway to the world,” he sums up.

Virto knows the association well from the inside. He has been involved with FESPA Spain for many years; he served as president for six years and continues to play an active role on the board today. “When I joined the board, everyone else was a very large, wide-format company, and we were just making T-shirts in a small screen-printing shop,” he recalls. “But I was clear about my desire to be part of something, to share, and to work together to bring about change in the industry.”

FESPA at Home: Visibility and Opportunity

For Virto, the fact that FESPA Global Print Expo is being held in Spain has strategic value. “It’s very important that FESPA Global makes local associations feel like they’re the hosts when the event is held in their country,” he explains. “It gives us visibility and strengthens our role relative to other associations or organizations in the industry.”

Following the cancellation of the 2020 edition due to the pandemic, the mood is now clearly positive. “We’re very hopeful,” he says. “There have been meetings at all levels and significant groundwork to prepare Spain’s participation, from the booth to the speakers.”

The goal is twofold: to support FESPA International and, at the same time, to strengthen FESPA Spain, promote the association’s growth, and attract new members.

An industry that has changed and grown stronger

With nearly 30 years of experience in the industry, Virto has witnessed its transformation firsthand through his company, Iruña Custom Print. “We started out as a traditional screen-printing shop and have evolved significantly, both on our own initiative and due to the pressure from very demanding customers who pushed us to improve,” he explains.

The 2008 crisis and the pandemic marked a turning point. “They served as a major filter,” he notes. “Those who have remained have done so with greater stability, greater professionalism, and stronger business capabilities.” Even so, he points out that the sector is still made up mostly of small businesses, many of them with fewer than five employees.

In the textile industry, this reality is even more evident. “Within the vast world of screen printing, textiles have traditionally been the poor relation,” he says. “It’s making progress, but at a slower pace than other segments.” Technologies such as DTG and DTF have driven change, although the evolution remains gradual.

FESPA as a Gateway to Global Knowledge

In this context, Virto strongly advocates for the role of associations and FESPA as a platform for knowledge. “Sharing ideas and collaborating—even with competitors—is key,” he says.

For many Spanish companies, having FESPA in Barcelona breaks down barriers. “Not everyone can travel to international trade shows, but here you have it right at home,” he notes. “You get to see and try out machines, learn about technologies in action, and access global information.”

“When a company that has only attended domestic trade shows comes to FESPA, it realizes that its understanding of the industry was very limited,” he adds. “You leave with ideas, inspiration, and a much clearer vision of the future.”

Iruña Custom Print: Evolution and Customization

That mindset of constant evolution is reflected in Iruña Custom Print, a company that began as Iruña Serigrafía and now focuses on customization, merchandising, and promotional marketing. For the past 17 years, the company has been a supplier to Nike, a partnership that has fueled its growth. “The high standards pushed us to do things we never could have achieved on our own,” he says.

Looking ahead to 2026, his message is clear: “FESPA Barcelona is an opportunity not to be missed. Anyone who attends will come away feeling that it was truly worth it.”