Keypoint Intelligence recently released its annual Worldwide Digital Textile Forecast: 2020-2025. The forecast includes roll-to-roll print devices and covers the full range of available printers. Market research and analysis of appropriate technologies available from OEM manufacturers and distributors, as well as other sources, provide additional cross-checks to validate and ensure that the market size and projections are consistent with existing statistics.
The metrics tracked in the forecast include number of unit placements, hardware revenues, print volume, ink consumption and revenues, as well as print value from among four main geographic regions: Asia Pacific; Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA); North America; and South/Latin America (SLA). The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is calculated over five years (2020-2025) for the metrics reported.
There are a range of products and solutions in the marketplace aimed at textile printing that are suitable for use with a range of inks. The forecast is divided into two main categories and several sub-categories based on print speed:
- Low-volume environments
- Systems below 80 m2 per hour
- High-volume environments
- 80 to 320 m2 per hour
- 321 to 640 m2 per hour
- Over 640 m2 per hour
Categorization of products by speed is aligned with the typical production print speed achieved while in normal operation. Many products have a maximum rated print speed; however, to achieve acceptable quality output (e.g., resolution, ink penetration, color saturation), machines are often run at slower speeds or multiple passes in production environments. Typically, machines with scanning printheads will run at 50%-70% of the advertised rated speed to achieve the required print quality, which impacts the forecast by having more placements in lower speed categories to ensure that print volumes are not overstated. The number of placements in the forecast are accounted for by their predominant ink usage and this is maintained throughout the forecast data, such as the installed base, ink consumption, and print value. For each ink, we calculate its square meter coverage as well as price and application.
From a macro level, Keypoint Intelligence found that rising consumerism in developing countries, environmental regulations, consumer consciousness, increased labor costs, and geopolitical issues has forced some manufacturing away from high-volume producers to lower cost countries (e.g., from China to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Bangladesh). The increasing rise of social media and the changing demands of consumers has also increased the need for more sustainable, creative, and customized products…not to mention at a faster turnaround.
Supply chain disruptions and geopolitical situations are causing brands and retailers to rethink their supply chain and move as much as possible of their supply closer to their base of operations. This is all great news for digitally printed textiles and market sectors like home décor and fashion, as they are migrating to digital printing to combat supply chain disruption, over-forecasting volumes, geopolitical trade issues, and to meet sustainability demands from consumers.
As seen in the chart below, the expected growth rate for digital textile printing is favorable and reflects the result of these trends.
| 2020-2025 Digital Textile Print Volume by Region |
 |
Ultimately, the pandemic did not cause a steep drop in machines placed as we originally expected, but print volume and value fell closer to our predictions with recovery rates varying by segment and region.
The drop was partially offset by strong placements in narrow width sublimation units as well as wider reporting from China. While machine placements were less predictable, print volume forecasts remain similar to past forecasts going forward. We see digital textile print heading towards 15% of world total printed textiles in the coming years…so long as we don’t experience another global event.
Log in to the InfoCenter to view the pivot table and comprehensive slide deck for this forecast, along with other studies covered in our Functional & Industrial Printing Advisory Service. If you are not a subscriber, just send us an email at sales@keypointintelligence.com for more info.
