DIGITAL TEXTILE PRINTING MARKET SIZE AND SHARE ANALYSIS - GROWTH TRENDS AND FORECASTS (2024-2031)

Market Size and Trends

Global digital textile printing market is estimated to be valued at USD 2.70 Bn in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 4.36 Bn by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1% from 2024 to 2031.

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Global digital textile printing market is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period due to rising demand for customized and personalized textile printing across various end-use industries. Growing adoption of digital printing over traditional screen and analog printing due to benefits such as reduced wastage, on-demand printing, versatility and shorter lead time is expected to boost demand for digital textile printing. Furthermore, expanding textile industry and rising demand for advanced textile from fashion and interior décor industry are expected to drive the digital textile printing market in the near future. However, high capital investment and operational costs associated with digital printers may hinder the growth of the market to some extent over the forecast period.

Market demand for Digital Textiles

The demand for digital textile has been steadily increasing over the years. With digital printing, short run and on-demand printing of textiles has now become possible, allowing for greater personalization and customization of textile products. This has opened up new opportunities for low volume printing which was previously not feasible through traditional textile printing methods. Consumers now want clothing and home furnishing products that reflect their individual tastes and personality. Digital textile printing helps to meet this need by enabling on-demand printing of different designs, in small batches if required. Apparel manufacturers and textile retailers have been quick to recognize the potential of digital printing to meet this demand. These manufacturers have started offering a wide variety of fashion products printed digitally, featuring unique, eye-catching patterns and graphics. This has captured consumers' interest and driven their preferences towards digitally printed textiles. The appeal of bespoke, exclusive textile products tailored to individual tastes and interests is a major factor boosting demand for digital textile printing technology.

Market Concentration and Competitive Landscape

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Rising prominence of online retail and e-commerce is expected to drive the market growth. For instance, according to Pew Research Organization, online sales accounted for approximately 16.3% of total retail sales in the fourth quarter of 2022, a substantial increase from the 16.1% observed in 2021. In the digital era, online retail channels have proliferated across industries including textiles and apparel. The consumers are increasingly turning to e-commerce sites and brands' own websites to shop for their fashion and home ware needs. For manufacturers and retailers catering to this lucrative online retail market, digital printing offers a highly advantageous production method. It enables on-demand printing of variable designs in-house, without long setup times or high minimum order quantities associated with traditional textile printing methods. This makes it simpler for e-commerce businesses to offer a wide variety and constant replenishment of unique printed textile products on their websites and keep up with fast changing consumer demands and trends. Digital textile printing is highly suitable for producing small batches of clothing, furnishings and other items with personalized or limited edition prints to maintain customer interest on e-stores. The synergies between digital textile printing and online retail channels are compelling the rapid adoption of this technology for serving the evolving needs of digital commerce.

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Global digital textile printing market faces several challenges. Established textile manufacturers had invested in traditional printing capabilities and may be reluctant to adopt new digital technologies. Digital printers are capital intensive, requiring large upfront expenditures. Digital printing is still developing and has limitations in the types of fabrics it can print on as compared to traditional methods. There are also challenges around print quality and replication which can impact customer acceptance.

 Market Opportunities: Growing Demand from both Businesses and Consumers

On-demand printing allows for lower minimum runs and more design flexibility. This ability to personalize and customize textiles efficiently meets growing demand from both businesses and consumers. As the technologies advance, digital printing will be capable of replicating more complex designs and patterns on a wider range of fabrics. It also offers benefits around reducing textile waste and being more environmentally sustainable compared to traditional methods.

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In terms of ink type, sublimation segment contributes the 41.0% share of the market in 2024 owing to the versatility of sublimation dyes. Sublimation inks allow for vibrant colors and high color saturation due to the properties of sublimation dyes. These dyes can be heated to change from solid to gas without passing through the liquid phase, which embeds the colors deeply in the fabric fibers. This ensures colors remain fast over time, and are resistant to washing and rubbing. The wide range of sublimation dyes available also provide printers with greater scope for creativity and customization as compared to other ink types. New developments in dye chemistry are further expanding color gamuts. Sublimation inks are also ideal for printing on polyester and poly-blend fabrics most commonly used in apparel, as the dyes bond well with these materials.

Insights, By Substrate: Natural affinity drives cotton printing

In terms of substrate, cotton segment contributes the 41.2% share of the market due to its natural affinity with various printing technologies. Being a natural fiber, cotton has an inherent porosity that makes it absorbent to inks and dyes. This facilitates greater color yield and impact. Advances in ink and pretreatment formulations have optimized printing outcomes on cotton. Its breathability and skin-friendly qualities have also cemented cotton's popularity in apparel. A large portion of the apparel market still relies on cotton due to consumer preferences for the material's comfort. As such, cotton enables high-quality, vibrant printing and remains a worthy substrate.

 Insights, By Operation: Direct printing streamlines operations

In terms of operation, direct to garment segment contributes the 41.23% share of the market owing to the operational efficiencies it offers. Direct to garment printing eliminates intermediate steps between fabric printing and garment manufacturing. It allows printing customized designs directly onto readymade or semi-finished garments. This integrated process is faster and reduces costs compared to traditional transfer printing methods. It enables on-demand printing and minimum fabric wastage. Better colorfastness is also achieved through direct contact between ink and fabric. The advent of multi-needle inkjet printers capable of printing on complex garment contours has boosted the popularity of direct to garment printing.

Regional Insights

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North America has established itself as the dominant region in the global digital textile printing market with 41.6% share in 2024. The presence of leading manufacturers and technology providers in the U.S. and Canada has allowed the region to develop strong expertise in the field. Major brands have their production and R&D facilities based in North America in order to gain early access to the latest innovations. As a result, textile printers developed for the North American market tend to be the most advanced globally with highest level of features and capabilities.

The Asia Pacific region has emerged as the fastest growing market for digital textile printing worldwide. Having the largest textile manufacturing base globally means the region stands to gain immensely from the technology's benefits. Countries like India and China are aggressively pushing for adoption of digital printing to enhance productivity and turnaround times of their export-oriented industries. Local governments provide subsidies and incentives to encourage printers' upgrades as well as establishment of new printing facilities. The growing exports of ready-made garments, furnishing fabrics and technical textiles from Asia have propelled regional market growth. Increased foreign investments in special economic zones have also introduced international brands to the potential of Asia's manufacturing capabilities coupled with digital textile printing. Many leading global apparel brands are partnering with local manufacturers and gradually shifting their bulk production to Asia. The abundance of raw materials, low production costs and strategic focus on exports makes Asia Pacific the fastest maturing market for digital textile printing globally.

Market Report Scope

Key Developments

• In May 2022, Seiko Epson launched the Monna Lisa 8000 printer, a direct-to-fabric printer specifically targeted at North America. The acquisition of For.Tex and F.lli Robustelli has allowed Epson to take care of the entire textile printing process, from start to finish, and strengthen its position in North America.
• In April 2022, Agfa Graphics announced the launch of the Avinci CX3200 printer, a dye-sublimation roll-to-roll printer that is designed for soft signage printing applications. The Avinci CX3200 can print directly onto textiles or transfer paper, offering high productivity and vibrant print quality on a variety of polyester-based fabrics. It enables sign printing companies to create textile prints up to 3.2 meters wide at speeds of up to 270 m²/h.
• In September 2020, Amazon Inc. collaborated with digital textile printer manufacturer named Kornit as part of a joint venture named Print on Demand services. Under this collaboration, Amazon Inc. planned to invest US$ 400 million in the products and services offered by Kornit Digital. This collaboration is aimed to enhance Amazon's print-on-demand capabilities and expand its offerings in the customized merchandise market
• In August 2022, Roland DG Corporation, a manufacturer and distributor of advertising and signage inkjet printers and 3D manufacturing tools, announced the expansion of its services by constructing a new building at its Thailand factory managed by Roland Digital Group Thailand Ltd in Samutsakhon, Thailand. This expansion is aimed to increase the production capacity of inkjet printers to meet the growing demand for their products.

*Definition: The digital textile printing market involves the production of textile goods like fabrics, garments, home furnishings and others using digital printing technologies. These technologies allow printing designs, images, patterns, graphics and text directly onto the textile substrates without the need of screens. Digital printing offers benefits like quicker turnaround times, lower setup costs, unlimited design flexibility and small volume production runs which is driving the demand for digital textile printing solutions in apparel, home and technical textiles industries globally.

Market Segmentation

• Ink Type Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • Reactive
  • Acid
  • Direct Dispense
  • Sublimation
  • Pigments
  • Others
•  Substrate Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • Cotton
  • Polyester
  • Nylon
  • Wool
  • Others (Silk, linen, rayon, etc.)
•  Printing Process Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • Direct to Fabric
  • Direct to Garment
•  Operation Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • Single Pass
  • Multi-Pass
•  Application Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • Clothing/Apparel
  • Home Décor
  • Soft Signage
  • Others (Automotive textiles, healthcare textiles, etc.)
• Regional Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • North America
    • U.S.
    • Canada
  • Latin America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Mexico
    • Rest of Latin America
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • U.K.
    • Spain
    • France
    • Italy
    • Russia
    • Rest of Europe
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • Japan
    • Australia
    • South Korea
    • ASEAN
    • Rest of Asia Pacific
  • Middle East & Africa
    • GCC
    • Israel
    • Rest of Middle East & Africa
• Key Players Insights
  • Seiko Epson
  • Mimaki Engineering
  • Kornit Digital
  • D.Gen
  • RolandDG Corporation
  • Dover Corporation
  • Konica Minolta
  • Brother Industries
  • Colorjet
  • Jakob Müller Group
  • Epson
  • Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd.
  • SPGPrints
  • Optimum Digital Planet
  • Grafix