JAPANTEX 2018 was held over three days, November 20 – 22, at the Tokyo Big Sight International Exhibition Center. The event, which is currently in its 37th year, serves as an annual exhibition of interior fabrics. Around 8,700 visitors, as well as exhibitors from 277 companies, attended the event, which this year focused on a combination theme of Japanese style and interior beauty, mixed with all the professionalism one can expect at this type of event.
JAPANTEX 2018 Entrance
Keypoint Intelligence – InfoTrends (InfoTrends) was on hand for the show. Below are our highlights from JAPANTEX 2018:
The Mimaki booth had several products on display. First and foremost was the company’s newest product – the TS 55-1800, a sublimation transfer inkjet printer designed for apparel and textile creation. Additional products present at the booth included the UCJV 300-160 and Monti Antonio heat press. All items were actively demonstrated, and textile print samples were exhibited.
TS55-1800 print samples at Mimaki booth
NSK is an agency in Japan that specializes in working with computer aided design (CAD) software. The company frequently works with partners such as Durst, FOTOBA, and Kongsberg. At JAPANTEX, NSK showed off DIMENSE, a 3D wallpaper printing solution from Veika, UK. This solution pairs with the Dimensor, a latex printer that works with PVC free textured wallpaper. A reactive ink, DIMENSE needs to be heated to roughly 200° C before it can create complete variable embossed effects. The price of the Dimensor S model will be cut down to 10 million yen (89,000 USD).
DIMENSE at NSK Booth
The Ricoh booth had applications by two additional partner companies on display. Each used a Ricoh latex printer to provide service.
The first, ABLE Reform, is one of the groups of ABLE in the real estate industry that specializes in renovation and other home repair options. The company offers a service called Prikabe. Prikabe allows for the printing of illustrations and photographs on wallpaper – using a Ricoh latex printer – with a construction service that uses stock photography. Professional baseball team and animated characters (Hanshin Tigers or Evangelion) are prepared as an optional choice. According to the company, there have been more than 1,300 Prikabe clients since the start of service in May 2017.
The second company on display, f. Delight, offers a service called Primado. The Primado service prints pictures and signs with a Ricoh latex printer on the inner glass of a double pane window and its blinds. This solution is touted as having benefits for organizations operating within the retail, office, or residential spaces.
Prikabe at the Ricoh Booth
Uenoyama Kiko is a dealer that sells conventional screen-printing machines and digital printing machines to the textile industry. They work with Brother, Kornit, Mimaki, and Mutoh, as well as with Shima Seiki’s digital textile printer and digital garment printer. The company exhibited a digital textile printer with pigment ink, Dia-Jet II. Dia-Jet II is a product that combines Mutoh’s print engine with Uenoyama’s belt conveying device. A demonstration of the print was given and exhibits of printed samples were made. The texture of the printed samples was surprisingly soft. The release timing of the Dia-Jet II is undecided, and the price is scheduled to be 13,800,000 yen (roughly $122,500 USD).
Dia-Jet II at Uenoyama Kiko Booth
