be.tex Flash Light FR is a fine knitted textile with a special light diffusion coating for light boxes and a colour boost coating specifically developed for dye sub printing. You can achieve very deep blacks and sharp prints with be.tex Flash Light FR and it is ideal for light boxes and displays.

e.tex Latfinity FR is a woven polyester backlit textile designed for latex printing. It is 100% recyclable and delivers a perfect black colour without shine through. 

If you would like further information, contact one of the Print Media experts today on 029735 3333 or sales@rickyrichards.com.au

The LittleRed X1D Dryer, designed to match the output of DTG printing systems, is now available with a 76 cm wide conveyor belt, offering greater flexibility to the small shop operator, it was announced by Mark Vasilantone, president.

Equipped with a 61 cm wide heater, this dryer can cure up to 29 garments per hour DTG-printed with digital white ink at 2 minutes dwell time, as well as screen-printed garments at rates to 65 per hour for water-based ink or discharge, and 150 per hour for plastisols.

By curing DTG-printed garments in an infrared conveyor dryer, the garments avoid the flattened, ironed-on appearance and halo associated with heat-pressing of printed images.

The dryer can also be employed to dry the pretreatment, relegating the heat press to flattening of raised fibres prior to printing with a one second 'touch' per garment.
As standard, it is equipped with features found on the company's larger DTG-capable dryers including adjustable belt-to-heater clearance to accommodate bulky items, a dual digital PID temperature controller accurate to ±1°C, and an X-Series conveyor belt roller tracking system with Teflon-coated fibreglass belt. A powered exhaust removes moisture and air contaminants at a rate of 5 CMM, while cooling the housing and controls.  

The heaters of all Vastex dryers carry an industry-leading 15-year warranty, and feature closely spaced coils that provide high-density, medium-wavelength infrared heat for maximum cure speed without cold spots or under curing associated with conventional units.

Fully expandable, the X1D-30 can accommodate additional heating chambers and belt extensions as business needs grow. 

The company also offers DTG-capable conveyor dryers in widths up to 198 cm with capacities of up to 185 DTG-printed garments per hour, up to 555 per hour screen printed with water-based ink and discharge, and up to 1080 per hour screen printed with plastisol ink.

Vastex also manufactures heavy-, medium- and light-duty presses, athletic numbering systems, flash cure units, screen coaters, screen exposing units, screen drying cabinets, pin registration systems, washout booths and complete equipment packages for entry-level to large commercial shops. 

For information contact Vastex International, Inc., +1 610 625 2702, www.vastex.com

AFI Branding, an Australian leader in fabric signage solutions, is launching a sustainability initiative, the first of its kind in the Australian signage industry.

On 1st August 2019, AFI Branding, in partnership with BlockTexx, will launch its ‘be sustainable’ initiative, a fabric takeback scheme where all fabric printed by AFI Branding can now be directly returned for recycling. Mimco, a long term partner of AFI Branding, is the first retailer to join the initiative. AFI Branding is inviting the return of printed fabrics to its headquarters in Carrum Downs, Victoria where it will be sorted and separated and provided to BlockTexx for repurposing, all within Australia. Through the program, AFI and Blocktexx aim to divert 100 tonnes of fabric from retail in the first year alone.





Glenn Watson, Managing Director at AFI Branding says: “At AFI Branding, we print over 15,000m2 of fabric per month. So we recognise that we have an important role to play in sustainability. After supplying the signage for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games last year, we were able to recycle many components but not all within Australia. We wanted to change this. We’ve spent a long time researching a 
solution and we are really excited to have created this initiative alongside BlockTexx.”

AFI Branding supply a range of industries within Australia including retail, events and exhibitions and Mimco, Best and Less, and Myer are amongst its client base. The company is confident the scheme will make a significant difference to their customers and to Australian landfill. With AFI’s client’s participation we estimate we can divert over 100 tonnes per year rising to 300 tonnes in year 3.

Mimco is the first retail partner to join the initiative and will commence returning fabric next month with the official launch. Brad Poett, VM Production Manager at Mimco says: “Mimco has proudly been using AFI’s ReFrame system for many years now. Working towards our goal of promoting a good business journey through sustainable processes, we are proud to have worked with AFI Branding through the formative stages of this program. We are so happy that the recycling process will now be available locally and to more clients of AFI.”

‘be sustainable’ – how the initiative works

- Client returns fabric to AFI Branding in Carrum downs, Victoria
- Fabric is sorted and separated and stored at AFI Branding
- Naked fabric transported to BlockTexx textile waste recycling centre from January 2020 onwards
- BlockTexx S.O.F.T.™ process: from fabric separation, BlockTexx creates two high quality recycled materials - 
          - rPET for use in textiles, packaging, food containers, bottles and building products.
          - Powdered Cellulose for use in textiles, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food products.

BlockTexx Co-Founder Adrian Jones welcomed the partnership and said textile waste in Australia is beginning to gain the recognition it needs from government, industry bodies and forward-thinking companies like AFI Branding.

“Stakeholder collaboration is key to achieving commercial scale impact and making a real difference in diverting textile waste from landfill,” Mr Jones said.

“We will begin processing in January 2020, and it is our goal to divert 35,000 tonnes of textile waste from landfill each year. This partnership is a big step towards achieving this goal.”





For more information on the scheme visit www.afibranding.com.au or to sign up contact AFI Branding on 1300 652 514.

Longina Phillips Designs was established in 1988 and is now Australia’s leading creative print design studio. Recently the company made a major investment in a new printing solution and the choice they made was to use Epson SureColor printers to print all of their designs.
 
To see Epson printers in use at Longina Phillips Designs go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goJ_VOtUMVs&feature=youtu.be





Lola Phillips, founder and managing director of Longina Phillips Designs explained, “Our talented design team creates new trend directions with consistently forward-thinking, boundary-pushing collections of textile designs.
Longina Phillips Designs consists of a full-service studio offering three mainline collections. In addition to our collections, we share decades of experience in fashion and design by offering tailored trend reports, custom print work, a gifts section for limited edition art prints, and our very own print school. In other words, the printers we use are essential to the success of our business and for those, we chose Epson SureColor.”
 
Epson SureColor printers now play a key role in bringing the unique Longina Phillips Designs to the global fashion industry.

Phillips continued, “As a design practice we have always sought the best colour output, the best product and the best support. Our relationship with Epson started early around 1995 with desktop printers. Colour has always been the first consideration for us and our first models were Epson desktop A4 and A3 printers, then we moved on and purchased an A2 printer. Our first wide-format Epson stylus had water-based inks and was our favourite printer as it gave a much greater colour gamut. We now have all our Epson wide format printers calibrated to give the best colour.”
 
It’s clear that colour and quality feature heavily on Lola Phillips’ and Longina Phillips Designs’ list of key requirements.
 
Phillips added, “Colour is absolutely paramount and the flexibility of printing different sizes of paper is also very important to us too. We now use Epson wide format SureColor printers to print all our design work with. We love the SureColor as the colour of our printed designs is outstanding. Our clients always comment on the colour of our designs and ask us what printer and inks we use. The printing and the quality of colour can be always relied on with Epson.”



In the fashion world, what you see is not just what you get but what you sell so the imagery and prints Epson help Longina Phillips Designs achieve go a long way within the company.
 
Lola Phillips concluded, “There are several key benefits for Longina Phillips Design in using Epson SureColor printers moving forward. Critically it’s the reliability and quality of their printers combined with Epson’s first-class support, knowhow and knowledge. When all is said and done that’s an unbeatable combination for us.”
 

For more on Epson SureColor printers go to: https://www.epson.com.au/Prographics

Vastex International has introduced the world's smallest conveyor dryer matched to the output of Anajet®, Brother®, Epson®, Polyprint® and other DuPont®-based DTG printing systems, depending on model size and image saturation, it was announced by Mark Vasilantone, president.
 
Dubbed "LittleRed X1D," the compact dryer measures 46 x 122 cm (dimensions of its conveyor belt) and is the first dryer with a heater that spans the entire belt width.
 
Mr. Howard Debney from Leapfrog Machinery (Australian Distributors for Vastex) says “this is an exciting development for the Australian DTG Market. The LittleRed X1D offers an extremely dense machine; engineered to meet the space, budget and performance needs of DTG shops.”
 
Compatible with the most popular inkets on the market, the LittleRed X1D can cure up to 27 garments per hour DTG-printed with digital white ink, as well as screen-printed garments at rates to 81 per hour for water-based ink or discharge, and 162 per hour for plastisols.
 
As standard, it is equipped with features found on the company's larger DTG-capable dryers including adjustable belt-to-heater clearance to accommodate bulky items, a dual digital PID temperature controller accurate to ±1°, and an X-Series conveyor belt roller tracking system with Teflon-coated fibreglass belt. A powered exhaust removes moisture and air contaminants, while cooling the housing and controls. 
 
The heaters of all Vastex dryers carry an industry-leading 15-year warranty, and feature closely spaced coils that provide high-density, medium-wavelength infrared heat for maximum cure speed without cold spots or under curing associated with conventional units.
 
With many Australian printers moving towards the DTG market, Mr. Debney says “The LittleRed X1D will play an important role for small businesses, enabling them to compete in the DTG Market.”
 
Vastex, through Leapfrog Machinery, offer the Australian market a range of quality screen printing equipment for entry level to large commercial shops. 
 
For further information or to see this compact DTG dryer in action, contact Leapfrog Machinery on (02) 9482 4999 www.leapfrogmachinery.com.au

Kornit Digital, a global market leader in digital textile printing innovation, has announced the introduction of the new Kornit Presto, the only industrial single-step solution for direct-to-fabric printing. The Kornit Presto solution eliminates the need for pre and post treatment of fabric and allows for high-quality printing on an extraordinarily broad variety of fabric types and applications. The Kornit Presto does not consume water in the printing process, making it the most environmentally friendly solution available for direct-to-fabric textile printing today.

The new Kornit Presto comes with the ground-breaking NeoPigment Robusto, the best Pigment-based ink available in the Industry. Implemented into the renowned Kornit NeoPigmentTM process, the Robusto provides above industry standard wash and rub results and exceptional color fastness across a wide fabric and application range. The Robusto enjoys faster physical and chemical bonding characteristics, enabling a significantly shorter curing time, while providing industry-leading quality and a wide color gamut. The NeoPigment Robusto ink was developed with sustainability priorities and is ECO PASSPORT and GOTS V5 approved.

The Kornit Presto solution suits a wide range of business and application needs in a variety of industry segments, including fast growing segments within the on-demand fashion and home décor markets. It is a highly productive solution, available in multiple configurations and able to print 450 square meters per hour.

Gart Davis, CEO at Spoonflower, the world’s first web-based service for custom, on-demand fabric and design creation and a long-time Kornit customer, commented, “We were thrilled to be able to test the new system and found the Presto to be in a class by itself; it prints beautifully on all kinds of fabrics, in a single-step, with an environmentally friendly dry process, and now at a multiple of productivity.  Our partnership with Kornit continues to be fundamental to our mission to make custom fabric accessible to designers, creative individuals and small businesses all over the world. We can’t wait to get going.”

Kerry King, Senior Vice President of R&D at Spoonflower, added, “The unique integration of the pre-treatment step into the printing process enables a level of efficiency that’s key to our web-to-print business.”

Omer Kulka, Kornit’s VP of Marketing and Product Strategy, also commented, “Kornit is on a mission to reinvent the textile printing industry with game-changing sustainable technologies for growing market segments.  We continue to see demand growth for on-demand production in fashion and home décor. This revolutionary technology is further proof of Kornit’s commitment to address the textile industry’s most urgent needs.”

Kornit Digital launches the Atlas, the super-industrial, next-generation direct-to-garment printing platform

Kornit Digital, a global market leader in digital textile printing innovation, has announced the introduction of the Kornit Atlas. Following the success of Kornit’s Storm HD6 and Avalanche HD6 / HDK, the Atlas is the first instance of the company’s next-generation direct-to-garment printing platform, providing garment decorators and screen printers a unique tool for mastering the current and future challenges of the textile supply chain.

The Kornit Atlas is a heavy-duty system created for super-industrial garment decoration businesses. It was designed to deliver a typical annual production capacity of up to 350,000 impressions, optimising production efficiency and cost of ownership. The Kornit Atlas is aimed at highly productive garment decorators, mid to large size screen printers and innovative businesses looking to combine state-of-the art technology with lowest cost of ownership. The system is equipped with new recirculating print heads and comes with a newly developed ink, NeoPigment Eco-Rapid. The Kornit Atlas is equipped with a unique printing engine, featuring an enhanced version of Kornit’s HD technology, complemented by a professional RIP (raster image processing) software solution, and produces prints that meet the highest standards of retail quality and durability. The all-new Atlas comes ready for Kornit’s future releases of its cloud-based business intelligence, productivity analytics and optimisation software platforms, scheduled to be released in the second half of 2019. It will allow for easy future network connectivity required to support fleet management and optimisation of global multi-systems and multi-site enterprises.

Omer Kulka, Kornit’s VP of Marketing and Product Strategy, comments, “This is a huge leap forward, not only for Kornit, but also for the direct-to-garment industry as a whole. We have delivered the Atlas on the collective feedback of thousands of Kornit systems’ operators and on the experience collected from hundreds of millions of printed garments – simply put, the Atlas is the best and most cost-efficient direct-to-garment printing technology for high-quantity and high-quality production requirements. On top of that, the Atlas has been designed in a modular and future-ready way, driving quick and easy implementation of new developments in the future. At Kornit, we remain focused on constantly introducing technology that allows the industry's leading brands to better connect with their customers and to adapt to the rapid changes in consumer preferences, impacting the fashion and apparel industry and is driven by the talent in our global research and development division.”

The new NeoPigment Eco-Rapid ink is a main driver of the Atlas’ retail quality prints. It provides an industry-leading white ink opacity, matched to those of conventional screen inks, and meets highest durability standards on multiple fabric types. Its increased colour gamut and saturation allow for deep full tones and precise spot colour matching. The new ink has been developed with sustainability in mind, carries the Oeko-Tex Eco-Passport certification and is GOTS pre-approved. The new Eco-Rapid ink will be integrated with new Storm HD6 and Avalanche HD6/HDK systems and will also be retrofitted to existing Kornit HD systems. Kornit intends to switch all existing HD customers to NeoPigment Eco-Rapid during the year 2019.

The launch of the Atlas completes an extensive period of beta testing, with extremely positive feedback from early adopters. Deborah H. Merrill, President of the Delta Group, parent company of DTG2Go, comments, “Many of the Kornit Atlas’ innovative capabilities, including the wrinkle detection and pallet ergonomics, present clear productivity benefits. The new Eco-Rapid ink provides impressive brilliance and colour gamut, meeting all wash test standards with no discernible scent. We are glad we had the opportunity to beta-test the Kornit Atlas and are certain it will become a key component within DTG2Go’s production line.”

Jon Lunt, Co-Founder and Director at T Shirt & Sons, adds, “Using the Atlas, T Shirt and Sons achieved a significant boost in garment decoration production through the peak holiday season. In several weeks of rigorous testing in a high-volume production environment, the Kornit Atlas – with its new Eco-Rapid ink set – was a revelation, doubling our output with very high-quality prints and the reliability this high-pressure season demanded.”

Roland DG Announces First Direct-To-Garment Printer for On-Demand Personalisation

Roland DG Corporation, a leading manufacturer of wide format inkjet printers and 3D devices worldwide, today announced the launch of the VersaSTUDIO BT-12 desktop direct-to-garment printer for printing directly on cotton-based products. Built for on-demand personalisation, the BT-12 is ideal for businesses looking for new revenue opportunities by offering an engaging in-store experience for their customers.
 
According to Etsuo Harada, Division President of COTO Business Division for Roland DG, since the introduction of VersaCAMM SP-300 in 2003, Roland DG inkjet printers have increasingly been used in the production of custom apparel and fabric goods. “More recently,” Harada said, “in-store personalisation services for printing customer designs have grown rapidly. To meet this demand, the COTO Business Division developed the new DTG printer.”

The BT-12 is an easy-to-use A4 size printer that allows printing directly on cotton* substrates. You can print full colour graphics including photos, logos and text on a variety of products, such as t-shirts, tote bags and interior decoration items. Its compact size and affordable pricing allow businesses to offer personalisation services with a low initial investment and in locations where space is limited, including shopping malls, kiosks, apparel stores, hotel gift shops and tourist destinations, or even at events.
* Fabric must be 50~100% cotton.
 
When combined with cotodesign, an optional design and print management software that can be purchased separately, the BT-12 can become a complete design, order and print management solution to open new business opportunities and increase foot traffic at retail locations. cotodesign also supports* additional Roland DG devices, allowing businesses to use it for a wide variety of applications and events.
* cotodesign supports VersaSTUDIO BN-20, VersaUV LEF Series and LD-80 Laser Foil Decorator.     
 
Harada said that the BT-12 is affordably priced, allowing businesses to explore new opportunities with very low initial investment. Capable of producing a product from start to finish in as little as 10 minutes, the BT-12 is designed for ultimate ease of use and can be operated by virtually anyone with minimal training. Cassettes are used for holding the items for printing and finishing, ensuring the safety of operators and customers.
 
With dimensions of 399mm (W) ×760mm (D), the printer unit requires very little space. The optional finishing equipment has been designed to be stacked with the printer unit. This dramatically reduces the installation space that is typically required for a traditional direct-to-garment printer and finishing unit combination so that businesses can install the BT-12 in small spaces at retail locations and event venues.
 
The BT-12 is bundled with easy-to-use Roland Design Software. With an intuitive user interface, anyone can create unique designs with minimal training. In addition to the BT-12, the optional cotodesign software also supports the VersaSTUDIO BN-20 Printer Cutter, the VersaUV LEF Series Printers, that are widely popular for the production of promotional and one-off personalised products, and the LD-80 Laser Foil Decorator. These solutions not only help to add value to merchandise, but also provide customers with a rewarding new shopping experience, that can help build store traffic as well as become a popular topic of conversation on social media.
 
“Consumer behaviour has been shifting from consumption to experience due to the diversification of consumer values,” Harada said. “As a result, businesses have an opportunity to offer high-value merchandise such as personalised products to meet customer needs and desires.”
 
“Our goal,” Harada continued, “is to provide our users with tools that help deliver a unique experience and quality time for their customers and to transform their imagination into reality.”

www.rolanddg.com.au/products/printers/versastudio-bt-12-direct-to-garment-printer

Lola Phillips, founder and managing director of Longina Phillips Designs, discusses the part that Epson SureColor printers play in bringing their unique designs to the global fashion industry. Learn more about Epson SureColor for graphics here: http://bit.ly/2xmmF3C and for fabric here: http://bit.ly/2GXGcqr

EFI Raises the Bar in Soft Signage with New, In-line VUTEk FabriVU Print and Sublimation Product


EFI has unveiled its new fabric soft signage printer with in-line sublimation, the EFI™ VUTEk® FabriVU® 340i. This advanced, aqueous dispersed dye-sublimation printer features a new platen and extraction system that enables in-line heat press sublimation directly from the printer.
 
EFI customers gain greater convenience and value with this new offering, as it is available at a price that is less than the cost of a comparable printer and heat press purchased separately. Plus, the combined printer/heat press system uses less floor space than would be required with separate printing and sublimation stations.
 
The new offering continues a track record of innovation and customer success worldwide with VUTEk FabriVU aqueous dye-sub printers – a best-in-class technology based on EFI Reggiani’s 70+ years of innovation in textile printing.
 
“We are excited by the continued advances of our soft-signage portfolio,” said Ken Hanulec, vice president of marketing, EFI Inkjet. “Our new in-line innovation for this product line creates direct-to-fabric prints that are immediately ready for finishing or shipping. By combining two major production steps into one continuous process our customers can drive greater throughput and take full advantage of the rapidly growing soft signage and fabric printing market.”
 
“EFI has just sold our very first VUTEk 340i printer,” Hanulec added, “and it has taken us to a significant milestone, as it is the 100th VUTEk FabriVU aqueous soft-signage printer sold worldwide.”
 
A milestone achievement at CoverUp Ltd
 
Dublin, Ireland-based CoverUp Ltd is the first company to purchase the 340i model printer. The company chose the 133-inch (340-cm) wide device to take its soft signage capabilities to the next level of quality and productivity.
 
“We were looking to increase our soft signage printing capacity with a reliable printer with inline fixation,” said CoverUp Operations Director Anthony Byrne. “We flew to EFI Reggiani in Italy to see one of the very first VUTEk FabriVU 340i demos, and found the printer to be a significant upgrade in terms of image quality, productivity and reliability compared to our existing fabric printers. The addition of this latest technology from EFI is going to give us a significant competitive advantage in our marketplace.”
 
The new printer provides the high quality of EFI VUTEk FabriVU aqueous dispersed dye-sub printing with sublimation completed in-line at fast production speeds. Customers who occasionally need to print to transfer paper and then sublimate offline can utilize a special direct-to-paper mode on the 340i model for printing only.
 
In addition to the new VUTEk FabriVU printer, EFI’s exhibit at FESPA, in hall 2.2, stand B30 of Messe Berlin, will include technologies from the company’s leading portfolio of VUTEk LED inkjet and Reggiani industrial textile digital printers – all driven by the latest EFI Fiery® digital front end systems. The exhibit also will feature EFI Optitex®, a leading integrated 2D/3D software platform for apparel and soft goods applications; the EFI Midmarket Print Suite for end-to-end signage and graphics business and production management; and MarketDirect, EFI’s new customer communication platform software.
 
For more information about EFI products, visit www.efi.com.

LexJet has announced two new product launches for printers in the wide-format market.

LexJet FlexTek PVC-free is a new multi-functional material that performs for a variety of uses, from canvas to banners and beyond. The new, non-woven technical fabric works for a wide range of both indoor and outdoor applications.

Available in both 200g SUV and 170g aqueous versions, FlexTek is finished with a slight texture that looks and feels like traditional fabric. With great tear strength, it can go from grommeted banners to stretched canvas wraps to pole pockets for multiple signage possibilities, including outdoor use (short-term outdoor with 170g aqueous). Plus, with no plasticizers, you get consistent results that you can rely on.

Product Highlights:

• PVC-free (no plasticizers) and recyclable with a wide range of post-use options
• Multi-functional material so you can carry less inventory
• Comparable to canvas, fabric and other banner materials
• Cuts clean with no fraying like a fabric
• Grommetable, stretchable, stitchable
• Images look great from a distance or up-close

LexJet’s new option for industrial-level HP Latex print operators, LexJet Satin Poster Paper has been released, as well.

For latex print operators running high-volume jobs, this all new poster paper offers a cost-effective, quality option, particularly for HP Latex 3000 and 3500 machines. It’s also compatible with solvent, eco-solvent and UV-curable inkjet printers.

This new paper is an ideal PVC-free alternative to expensive photo papers that can be used for long jobs or smaller customized projects that need an economical option with excellent color production that’s also friendly to the environment.

With a 200 gsm paper base and a satin finish, the new LexJet Satin Poster Paper provides a photo-finish and sheen that provides a appealing coating to the finished print while meeting cost and performance targets.

The durable, high-strength cellulose paper base and proprietary water-resistant ink receptive coating is ideal for photo, poster and POS signage applications. LexJet Satin Poster Paper is compatible with most over laminates and protective coatings for more durable indoor and short-term outdoor applications.

www.lexjet.com/

See how Epson print technology is changing fashion.

Epson is launching a new direct to garment (DTG) printer, the Epson SureColor F2100, to replace the existing SC-F2000 model with a number of enhancements and new features.

Epson says the new printer has improved speed and reliability, lower targeted TCO (total cost of ownership) and the ability to create print designs using Epson’s Garment Creator software.

The SC-F2100 is being aimed at anyone who wants to add direct-to-garment printing to their services, including production t-shirt printers, online t-shirt retailers, high and low-volume print companies, as well as corporates who want to produce their own branded workwear or promotional items.

The company says the printer is being released internationally from March. List price in Australia is not yet known but will likely be less than $30,000.

The SC-F2100 is said to offer speedier results than its predecessor, with additional fast print modes and improved ink circulation for quicker start-up, and incorporate improved screening for smoother reproduction of images and a wider gamut. Epson says the SC-F2100 also has an auto-maintenance mode with a separate cleaning cartridge to reduce scheduled maintenance, as well as a dust catcher to prevent fluff and dust on the printhead. The company says it comes with an optional fabric platen grip pad and platen grip tool to make garment placement easier.

Epson says its first direct-to-garment printer was a success, so following it up was always going to be a challenge. With the SC-F2100 it says it has managed to improve in every area – claiming faster, higher quality and more versatile, with software that makes it easy to create designs.

The company says the printer is capable of making high-quality full colour prints on various items including t-shirts, sweatshirts, polo shirts and tote bags.

The company says the new DTG printer provides a complete Epson solution including printer, printhead, ink, software and warranty, meaning the user can be assured that all parts have been designed and extensively tested to work optimally together.

Along with the printer, Epson is offering its Garment Creator utility, software allows users to add text and multiple images, create user presets for image adjustment, and provides a hot folder and CMYK image support.

Businesses looking to grow with digital industrial textile production for apparel and décor can advance their operations with the new EFI Fiery Textile Bundle – a set of design and production workflow innovations from Electronics For Imaging, Inc.

The bundle – used with EFI Reggiani digital inkjet printers – includes new Fiery DesignPro Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop plug-ins to create professional textile designs efficiently, and the newest Fiery proServer digital front end (DFE) for high quality textile production.

With the launch of Fiery DesignPro, EFI provides the ability to accurately match colours to the printed result, share colour palettes across the design team in real time, design professional repeat patterns and create multiple colourways from one design. The plug-ins work as part of designers’ familiar environment within Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, resulting in reduced learning curves and shorter design time.

The bundle also includes the new version 6.5 of the EFI Fiery proServer DFE, an advanced offering for wide- and superwide-format inkjet printers that brings superior EFI Fiery performance and colour technology to the EFI Reggiani family of industrial textile printers. Used by major textile brands for sampling, Fiery proServer provides colour consistency in the production workflow with colour profiles that can be used across the design and production process.

“The Fiery Textile Bundle brings valuable new tools to further automate and streamline the design and prep process for EFI Reggiani customers looking to stay on the leading edge of innovation,” said EFI Reggiani Vice President and General Manager Adele Genoni. “Now, with this bundle, including the newest Fiery proServer, Reggiani customers get the proven, high-end advantages Fiery technology offers so they can be more efficient, more productive and more profitable.”

Quality, productivity and usability

Version 6.5 of the Fiery proServer includes textile-specific capabilities such as support for multiple ink types and colour technology to ensure the highest print quality with saturated black, fine details and smooth gradients. Superior halftoning technology keeps pastels and light tones clean, and reduces graininess in highlights and large solid areas. The new version supports digital production operations in both direct-to-textile and transfer printing, plus it provides the production tools to handle step and repeat, changes in fabric dimensions during production, and brand colour accuracy.

The Fiery Textile Bundle was introduced at the recent ShanghaiTex tradeshow in China. The new products are part of a comprehensive EFI ecosystem that includes EFI Optitex 2D/3D design software, and EFI Reggiani digital printers such as the new Reggiani VOGUE direct-to-textile printer, which also made its debut at ShanghaiTex.

GJS today announced it has completed the first Australian install of the new Brother GTX garment printer with custom t-shirt printing business Das T-Shirt Automat. The Victorian-based business has three stores located in Melbourne and will integrate the Brother GTX garment printer into its existing workflow to increase production.

“Our philosophy has always been to deliver an exceptional-quality printed product, no matter if our customers are ordering a single shirt at one of our storefronts, or having 200 designs created,” said Ed Redman, co-founder, Das T-Shirt Automat. “By investing in the latest direct-to-garment technology, not only can we continue to deliver on this philosophy, but we can also speed up production and increase our output,” Ed added.
The GTX features Brother’s next-generation printheads that deliver incredibly fast print speeds at a constant 1200×1200 dpi whilst maintaining one-pass printing for all print sizes and the new white ink circulation system and wet capping station both help to reduce both maintenance costs and time.
Brother’s newly developed Innobella Textile Inks deliver a 30 percent wider colour gamut than the GTX’s predecessor, delivering stronger purples, blues and pinks and with the inclusion of 800mb of onboard memory that allows the operator to store up to 100 designs in the printer itself, the GTX can be operated without a PC or USB if needed.

“We have never seen such interest and appetite for a new printer than what we have seen with the GTX,” said Greg Stone, managing director, GJS. “What this demonstrates is that the Australian market is at a level of education and maturity with direct-to-garment technology where it will continue to seek out and embrace newer technology, which at the end of the day is a win for end-users and consumers,” Greg added.

Pricing and availability:
The Brother GTX has an RRP of AUD$24,999 and is available at GJS via: gjs.co/gtx

HP Inc. announced a new range of durable textiles certified for HP Latex printers to produce soft signage and décor applications, combining durability and outstanding print quality with the benefits of water-based HP Latex technology.

The new textiles from selected media vendors1 expand possibilities for durable HP Latex printing for soft signage applications, including backlit and front-lit banners, block-outs, backdrops, and Point of Purchase displays, with higher durability. These textiles also enable new home décor applications, such as curtains and blinds, cushions, lampshades, and bags, on materials made from 100% cotton, cotton linen or polyester. Some of the new textiles can also achieve washability with a heating process after printing.

“We continue to expand on HP’s promise to deliver new possibilities for HP Latex printers. New durable textiles for soft signage and décor open new growth opportunities with HP Latex water-based technology,” said Joan Pérez Pericot, General Manager, HP Large Format Graphics Business, HP Inc. “Unlike solvent-based printers, HP Latex technology can print on traditional signage substrates such as banners and vinyls, in addition to textiles, including uncoated substrates.”

New textile applications for HP Latex

At SGIA in booths 1029 and 1045, HP is presenting a textile showcase and printing on HP Latex printers, including the HP Latex 3600 Printer, winner of the 2017 SGIA Product of the Year Award in the Roll-to-Roll Solvent/Latex (over 80 inch) category. The HP Latex 3600 delivers high-volume printing and high monthly duty cycles, designed for PSPs needing long-run, uninterrupted printing.

Textile printing is also supported on the HP Latex 1500 Printer, a robust, affordable printing solution, delivering fast turnarounds, HP Latex 560 and 570 Printers, designed for medium-to-large PSPs with increasing print volumes, and for smaller volumes, on the HP Latex 365 Printer.

The new HP Latex 300 Print and Cut Solution, launched earlier this year, is also in its first SGIA demonstration after release earlier this year at ISA. The entry-level HP Latex 115 Printer and HP Latex 115 Print and Cut Solution, announced September 25, are now starting market release.

The dual-device HP Latex Print and Cut Solution allows printing and cutting simultaneously, delivering production time savings up to 50% versus solvent-based print and cut solutions.2

HP PrintOS for sign and display production

HP PrintOS is expanding for sign and display. PrintOS enables print shops to simplify and automate production of, signage and decoration applications.

The powerful apps running on the PrintOS platform bring cloud advantages, with low start-up costs, easy setup, and unlimited capacity. HP PrintOS apps available for sign and display printing include:

• Applications Center, offering easy access to HP Signage Suite for easy web-based design and ordering jobs for signage and décor, and HP WallArt Suite for decorative applications. HP   WallArt Suite is updated to include cushions as a new application, in addition to wallcoverings, canvas, decoration, posters, and cushions.

• HP Media Solutions Locator, a fast and assured way to find certified media availability by region.

• HP Print Beat, providing visibility into press/printer performance for continuous improvement of print production operations

• HP Latex Mobile App, enabling unattended printing by getting printer alerts when you are not in front of the printer or even when you are out of the shop.

• HP PrintOS Box, a file exchange which simplifies print file receipt, content validation and routing to production.