The global market for digital textile printing was valued at US$ 1,546.8 Mn in 2017 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 16.3% during the forecast period (2018-2028)

In terms ofapplication, technical textile is expected to be the most attractive segment in the digital textile printing market across the globe representing the highest CAGR in application segment of digital textile printing market. The demand for packaging converters and consumer brands to tailor their marketing communications has led to growing opportunities for the global digital textile printing technology in the packaging market. Digital textile printing technology is making improvements in terms of quality of print and lithographic & flexography printing technology providers are slowly shifting to digital printing.

Digital textile printers are seeking more accurate ways of determining the equipment type and run lengths for printing. It has been observed that print service providers are mainly focusing on automating their printing technology to digital textile printing. Globally, polyester segment by substrate type of digital textile printing market to register a CAGR of 22.2%. The most commonly used digital textile printing are Direct to Fabric (DTF) and Direct to Garment (DTG) segment by printing process accounting more than 80% of market share of digital textile printing market.

Millennials are considered to be one of the key drivers of digital textile printing market as they are increasingly preferring high graphic printed and creatively designed apparels and textiles made through digital textile printing. T-shirt printing is expected to be the key end use application for digital textile printing. Celebrities are setting the trend of printed textiles and apparels and hence the market for digital textile printing rising the digital textile printing market. Change in buying patterns of millennials has led to Increase in popularity of the latest and most innovative textile designs, both online and offline, by retailers. This is expected to boost growth of the global digital textile printing market. Heat transfer printing is driving textile and apparels sales, which in turn, accelerates market growth for digital textile printing. Sublimation is the most commonly used type of ink used for digital textile printing, accounting for largest market share of digital textile printing market, in terms of volume. The driving factor for sublimation ink segment in digital textile printing is the absence of hazardous components as found in other ink type.

As digital textile printing incurs high per unit costs of large volumes, secondary packaging are preferably printed using conventional printing technologies. This is one of the prominent factors which is hindering the growth of the global digital textile printing market. While comparing digital textile printing and conventional printing for long run production, conventional printing is still considered to be more prominent and trusted over digital textile printing. Conventional printing technology is used over digital textile printing for reprinting as it ensures consistency while printing and maintaining quality over large volumes. Digital textile printing is still unable to match the volume handling capabilities as that of conventional printing technology, such as flexographic printing.

Key developments in the global digital textile printing market

- In February, Durst launched a new printing platform- the P5 series. The P5 series is targeted towards the high printing volume which is used for the industrial production as well as to provide good offset quality.  

- In June 2016, Xerox launched the Xerox Production Press for Plastic Films & Substrates which can be used for printing on clamshells, lids, blister packs before thermoforming.

- Packaging and Printing solution provider DCS, supplies compact, cutting-edge Direct Jet UV LED inkjet printers that can print directly text on tablet covers and cell phone cases.

Market taxonomy of the global digital textile printing market

The global market for digital textile printing is segmented by printing process, ink type, substrate, application and region. On the basis of printing process, the global digital textile printing market is segmented into Direct to Garment (DTG), Dye-Sublimation and Direct to Fabric (DTF).

On the basis of ink type, the global digital textile printing market is segmented into sublimation, reactive, acid, direct disperse and printing.

On the basis of substrate, the global digital textile printing market is segmented into cotton, silk, polyester and others.

On the basis of application, the global digital textile printing market is segmented into clothing, household, display and technical textiles. Furthermore, on the basis of region, the global the digital textile printing market is segmented as North America, Latin America, Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific excluding Japan and Middle East & Africa.

Companies operating in the digital textile printing market

Key players for the global digital textile printing market are Electronics For Imaging Inc., Durst Group (Durst Phototechnik AG), Konica Minolta Inc., Roq International, Kornit Digital Ltd., Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd., Sawgrass Technologies Inc, Seiko Epson Corpoation,  The M&R Companies? Spgprints B.V.