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The ITMA show returned to Milan, Italy (June 8-14) and welcomed thousands of visitors and exhibitors to the first major post-pandemic textile trade fair. The quadrennial event focused on “Transforming the World of Textiles” with sustainable innovations and digital advancements that spanned 200,000 sqm of the Fiera Milano Rho venue and featured 20 product sectors. The top five sectors in terms of exhibitor participation were finishing (27%), spinning (13%), printing (12%), knitting (10%), and weaving (10%). Showcasing their advancements in digital printing, inkjet technology, and sustainable printing practices, the products on display showed the transformative power of print in the textile industry.
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| Visitors awaiting entrance to the ITMA floor |
Innovation Spotlight
EFI Reggiani showed the latest ecoTERRA digital textile printer, an all-in-one solution for water-based pigment printing that requires no ancillary equipment for pre- and post-treatment. According to the company, the newest lineup “significantly reduces water, energy, and chemicals consumption in the overall process”—resulting in a sustainable, direct-to-fabric printing solution.
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| The EcoTERRA |
The company also showed their HYPER printing system, the fastest scan digital textile printer in the market. Available in 1.8 m, 2.4 m, or 3.4 m-wide models, the EFI Reggiani HYPER printer promises to deliver outstanding print quality with unmatched productivity. Equipped with 72 printheads and ink recirculation up to the nozzle plate, it can print two-pass, production quality at speeds up to 13 linear meters per minute on a 1.5 m-wide roll. Using the dual-roll capability on the 3.4 m model, users can achieve throughput speeds up to 20 meters per minute (which is comparable to some single-pass machines).
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| The EFI Reggiani HYPER |
Epson announced the revolutionary Monna Lisa ML-16000/Hy that can digitally print any type of special effect on fabric, including gold, silver, and glossy tints. The ML-16000/Hy uses an 8-color ink set, 16 PrecisionCore printheads, and 64 additional nozzles to jet its Genesta water-based inks and special pastes. Epson also showed the Monna Lisa ML-8000 (8 head), ML-24000 (24 head), and ML-32000 (32 head) pigment printers along with the SC-F10000H 6-color dye sublimation printer that can be configured with genuine fluorescent or light inks.
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| The Monna Lisa ML-16000/Hy from Epson |
Konica Minolta announced its first dye sublimation printer, the AccurioTex 700. The printer uses 16 Konica Minolta variable drop size printheads and CMYK inks to offer print speeds of up to 190 m2/hr in draft mode (360 x 360 dpi), 130 m2/hr in Standard 1 mode (360 x 540 dpi), 100 m2/hr in Standard 2 mode, and 50 m2/hr in the top quality (720 x 720 dpi) mode. The AccurioTex 700 is suitable for producing polyester-based applications including fashion fabrics, furnishings, sportswear, outdoor and technical fabrics, soft signage, flags, and banners. The official launch is set for later in 2023.
Additionally, Konica Minolta announced its ViROBE pigment ink that eliminates washing and wastewater processing, thereby reducing labor and equipment costs. The ink works on untreated fabrics, including cotton, polyester, poly/cotton blends, and nylon for applications like fashion, apparel, and furnishings.
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| The AccurioTex 700, Konica Minolta’s first dye sublimation transfer printer |
Kornit Digital unveiled the long-awaited Apollo direct-to-garment (DTG) system for the first time. The fully inline integrated system uses advanced automation that permits a single operator to produce over 400 garments per hour with a cycle time of just nine seconds per garment. Apollo brings mass production into the mainstream and allows customers to be more agile, drive revenue opportunities, shift to localized production, and make complex workflow processes easier to follow. Built on the field-proven Kornit MAX technology, Apollo is an advanced single-step solution that incorporates automated loading and unloading, integrated smart curing, and inline garment type adjustment. According to the company, the Apollo is currently in beta testing at a few customer sites in the US and Mexico.
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| The Kornit Apollo caught the eye of many high-volume apparel decorators |
Kyocera unveiled the FOREARTH for the first time outside of Japan at ITMA 2023. The all-in-one printing system uses new proprietary pigment ink, pre-treatment liquid, and finishing agent that are constantly discharged in the same sequence from the inkjet heads. FOREARTH aims to solve the typical problems of pigment printing and, according to the company, eliminate the pre- and post-processes required for conventional dye printing as well as reduce water consumption of textile printing by 99%. The new printer can be fitted with up to 18 Kyocera printheads that support up to 8 colors (CMYK plus four special) with ink tank capacities of 10L. The maximum roll width of 1,850 mm can be printed at 600 x 600 dpi at rates of up to 250 m2/hr. Pre-sale of the FOREARTH is scheduled for autumn 2023.
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| The Kyocera booth, which prominently displayed their new FOREARTH printer |
Mimaki showed the new Tiger 600-1800TS dye sublimation printer with a top speed of 550 m2/h which, the company claims, is 143% faster than its predecessor. The printer’s speed is due to a renovated high-speed printhead and Mimaki’s proprietary image quality enhancement technologies. The size has also been halved compared to the previous model, with the paper mounting and winding system located on the back of the machine.
Mimaki also debuted its unique Neo-Chromato Process, which has the potential to revolutionize the reuse of colored polyester textiles. The increasing awareness of sustainability led the company to develop a solution that will reduce polyester textile waste, which accounts for 60% of the 92 million tons of all textile waste worldwide (only 15% of polyester textiles are recycled). While certainly still in its early stages, the Neo-Chromato process works by applying a clear solution to the polyester fabric. An absorbent pad is then placed on top of the treated fabric and positioned in a heat press for 3-5 minutes. The result is a near perfect white polyester fabric that can be colored again using sublimation.
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| Demonstration of Mimaki’s Neo-Chromato Process |
MS Printing showed a completely re-engineered JP7 designed to print pigment that radically reduces water and energy consumption thanks to new, integrated innovative tech solutions. The new dryer for this system is capable of drying and polymerizing on the fly; achieving ideal conditions to reduce CO2 emissions during the entire process. Digistar Pigment 4K, from JK Group, is a patent pending ink that doesn’t require pre- and post-treatment. The complete JP7 solution reduces the digital printing process steps by 50%, water consumption by 100%, and generally reduces energy consumption.
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| The re-engineered JP7 from MS Printing |
Keypoint Intelligence Opinion
The ITMA show unveiled remarkable advancements in textile printing technology with just some of the highlights included here. The breadth of technologies on display demonstrated the transformative potential of digital printing, sustainable practices, and inkjet technology. The event truly served as a catalyst for shaping a vibrant future and dynamic landscape for the entire textile industry.
The next ITMA quadrennial event will be held in Hannover, Germany (September 16-22, 2027). ITMA Asia is scheduled for November 19-23, 2023, in Shanghai. ITMA Asia + CITME announced they are extending their collaboration to organize a combined textile machinery exhibition in a second Asian iteration to be held at the Singapore Expo from October 28-31, 2025.
Log in to the InfoCenter to view the upcoming full recap of ITMA 2023 and other show reviews in addition to research from our Textile & Apparel Printing Advisory Service. If you’re not a subscriber, just send us an email at sales@keypointintelligence.com for more info.
