Digital Textile Printing Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Printing Process (Direct To Fabric, Direct To Garment), By Operation, By Textile Material, By Ink Type, By Application, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030

Report Overview

The global digital textile printing market size was valued at USD 2,669.9 million in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.4% from 2023 to 2030. The precision provided by digital textile printing is driving the demand. It requires advanced machinery and there is an acute shortage of skilled manpower to operate these machines. It is utilized with various types of textiles such as clothing, bedsheets, banners, sports apparel, flags, vehicle wrapping, and interior textile. The growth of the industry can also be attributed to rapidly changing fashion trends and the need for manufacturers to quickly adopt those trends to stay relevant.

To obtain a competitive edge and increase their market share, providers of digital technology are making significant investments in their R&D and engaging in M&A activities. For Instance, Seiko Epson completed the acquisition of For.Tex Srl, a distributor of digital printing materials and chemicals such as adhesives, dyes, and other specialties. Even though digital printing is still in a nascent stage as compared to traditional methods, many application sectors are rapidly transitioning to digital. The trend started in Europe and now the shift to digital trend is being observed in other regions as well.

Due to the rise in demand for printed textiles, the industry is predicted to grow significantly. Presently, digital technology holds less than 10% of the share in the textile printing industry. However, the adoption of digitization is growing significantly and digital textile printing is expected to hold at least a fourth of the textile printing industry in a decade or so. The market is expected to grow owing to the rise in per capita disposable income in emerging countries and the rapid adoption of digitally printed design trends.

In addition to this, the increased use of printed textiles in car interior décor and vehicle wrapping is expected to contribute to the expansion of the target market. However, with fluctuating cost of raw materials such as ink, and print heads, the harmful effects of inks, and the high cost of digital textile printers are anticipated to restrain market expansion to a certain extent. However, technological advancements like additive manufacturing for textile applications are expected to open up new opportunities for the market in the future.

Manufacturers can speed up turnaround times and boost output with the aid of digitization. As a result, they can guarantee quicker delivery, meet customers' requests, and accept more projects. Fast-fashion businesses are willing to spend more for faster outputs of delivery-ready garments and are hence turning towards digital technology for faster turnaround.

COVID -19 Impact Analysis

Wide-ranging repercussions of COVID-19 were felt globally. The pandemic affected almost all businesses and industries. The COVID-19 pandemic had severe repercussions on the textile industry as well. The pandemic resulted in the cancelation of orders owing to the decline in demand for clothing. The restrictions on the movement of goods severely impacted the supply chains, thereby affecting the supply of orders in the textile sector. The labor-intensive nature of the sector further affected production. A few European firms relocated the production orders that were previously intended for China to nations including Turkey, Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.

The demand for digital textile printers was negatively impacted during the pandemic. The major hubs of textile products such as China, Italy, and India were among the worst affected by the pandemic. The printing facilities and textile production units were completely shut down in the initial months of 2020. As the economy opened in the latter half of 2020, the printing facilitates were permitted to function only with a limited labor presence. The capital crunch in the economy overall resulted in lesser demand for the comparatively expensive digital printing technology.

Printing Process Insights

The Direct to Fabric (DTF) printing method held the largest market share of more than 67% in the year 2022. In this method, designs and patterns are printed directly on a big roll of fabric. Once the fabric roll is printed, the fabric is cut out and sewed into a wide range of apparel and home décor items such as curtains, wallpapers, etc. DTF printing can be carried out by using a wide range of inks such as pigment inks, reactive dyes, dye-sublimation inks, and acid dyes. Players are providing both types of printers as the demand for each type is growing significantly.

The global digital textile printing market is segmented into Direct to Fabric (Roll to roll) and Direct to Garment (DTG) based on the printing process. Direct to-garment technique prints the design directly onto the garment. The rise of on-demand printing on garments and the growing demand for custom printing on t-shirts, and shirts are propelling the demand for direct-to-garment printers. The demand for custom-made garments is mainly from sports clubs and schools for uniforms, and corporate gifting among others. Digital printing is increasingly being used in custom garments as it allows printing of any design on the substrate. Direct-to garment is the fastest growing category in the printing process segment.

Textile Material Insights

The global market is dominated by the cotton segment as it held more than 52% of the global market share in 2022. Due to its excellent moisture absorption and extended durability, cotton is the most widely used textile material in fashion and sportswear. Cotton is highly durable, and has excellent printability which makes it an ideal choice for garments especially fashion wears. Cotton is also the first choice for several home décor items such as bed sheets, curtains, cushion covers, and table covers owing to the softness, easy washability, and attractiveness of the cotton material. These factors are aiding the demand for printed cotton fabrics and garments.

The polyester material is expected to be the fastest growing textile material with a CAGR of 15.2% during the forecast period. Sublimation ink is primarily used on a polyester fabric substrate. Over the past few years, polyester has gained popularity as a fabric in the fashion sector owing to its properties such as resistance to wrinkles, abrasion, and low cost, among others. Silk is also in demand for clothing purposes, and home décor items. The demand for silk textiles is majorly in Gulf countries and Japan. However, the cost of silk is high which limits its usage and demand.

Operation Insights

The single pass operation segment is projected to be the fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 14.6% during the forecast period. The operation segment is divided into two categories single pass and multi-pass. Single-pass printers have multiple printer heads that are distributed evenly across the fabric's breadth. The fabric passes through the printer at a steady speed and the entire image is printed in one pass on the textile. Thus, the single-pass method is faster compared to the multi-pass operation. The high production speed and sharpness are two significant advantages of single-pass printers. A single-pass printer can print up to 40 linear meters per minute.

The multi-pass operation segment dominated the global market as it held over 62% of the global market share in 2022. In multi-pass, the printer heads move across the width of the fiber. The designs are printed by moving the printer heads across the fiber multiple times. The multi-pass is cost-effective as it uses a fewer number of print heads. The benefit of multi-pass digital textile printing is that any errors that may occur during the first runs of the print heads are covered up by the subsequent pass. Multi-pass printers are also known as scanning printers.

Application Insights

Based on application the global digital textile printing market is segmented into clothing/apparel, home décor, soft signage, and industrial. The clothing/apparel segment held the highest market share of more than 53% in 2022. The dynamic nature of the fashion industry is the key contributor to the growth of the segment. Clothing/ apparel is also projected to be the fastest growing segment with a CAGR during the forecast period. Digital printing is being adopted in the fashion industry as it presents a huge number of design possibilities sustainably. Digital technology enables faster printing on all kinds of fabrics.

The adoption of digital textile printing is also growing home décor and soft signage applications. Digital printing is used for various home décors products such as bedsheets, pillow covers, wallpapers, and wood. The home décor is the second fastest growing segment with an anticipated CAGR of 14.6% during the forecast period. Digital textile printing has a wide range of applications in the soft signage industry such as banners for indoor and outdoor advertising, event frames, exhibition stands, flags, fabric roll-ups, displays, sound-absorbing panels and backgrounds, and wall coverings among others.

Ink Type Insights

Due to the rising demand for dye-sublimation in customized printing services, the sublimation segment held more than 52% of the market share in the global market in 2022. Sublimation inks are more durable than other ink types as they are absorbed into the fabric rather than just adding a layer of color to the fabric. The sublimation segment is also projected to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period. The sublimation inks are primarily used on synthetic fibers such as polyester. The sublimation method is environmentally friendly as compared to other ink types as it does not require washing of the textile after printing.

The reactive ink type is expected to be the second fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 14.4% during the forecast period. Reactive inks are primarily used for cotton. In addition, reactive inks can be utilized for printing on silk and fleece as well. Acid inks are mostly used on textile materials that do not easily retain printed colors such as wool and silk. Pigments and disperse inks are used most commonly the conventional textile printing. However, in digital textile printing, these ink types have the least usage.

Regional Insights

Asia-Pacific region is expected to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period due to the presence of a large number of textile hubs in the region. China and India are the two major contributors to the growth of the regional market. China is one of the largest exporters of garments and textiles and hence the demand for textile printers is significantly expanding in the country. Countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Japan have emerged as hubs for textile printing because of the growth of the textile industry in the region.

Europe held the largest share of more than 36% in the global market in 2022. Italy is the dominant market in the region owing to the growing need for printing from Italy's fashion industry. Additionally, the existence of numerous fashion enterprises and big brands in Milan, Rome, Venice, and Palermo is contributing to the increasing demand for specialized digital textile printing that offers a wide range of color schemes and fashion patterns. Germany and France are also among the key markets in the European region contributing significantly to the growth.  

Key Companies & Market Share Insight

Mimaki Engineering, Seiko Epson Corporation, Kornit Digital, and Konica Minolta are a few of the key players. Due to the shift in consumer preference toward environmentally friendly and high-quality products, the key players are focusing on new product launches with eco-solvent inks which are environmentally friendly options to conventional inks. To expand share in the target industry, market players are engaging in initiatives such as acquisitions, collaborations, and new product launches.

For instance, in May 2022, Seiko Epson launched the Monna Lisa 8000 printer which is a direct-to-fabric printer specifically targeted at North America. The acquisition will help Epson to strengthen its position in North America. In April 2022, Afga Graphics announced the launch of Avinci CX3200 printers which has applications in soft signage printing. Companies are also focusing on acquisitions of their competitors and companies catering across the value chain. For instance, Kornit Digital announced the acquisition of Tesoma. The acquisition will help Kornit to produce sustainable solutions with the help of automation. Some prominent players in the global digital textile printing market include:

• Seiko Epson

• Mimaki Engineering

• Kornit Digital

• D.Gen

• RolandDG Corporation

• Dover Corporation

• Konica Minolta

• Brother Industries

• Colorjet

Digital Textile Printing Market Report Scope

Global Digital Textile Printing Market Segmentation

The report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global digital textile printing market report based on printing process, operation, textile material, ink type, application, and region:

• Printing Process Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Direct to Fabric

  • Direct to Garment

• Operation Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Single Pass

  • Multi-Pass

• Textile Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Cotton

  • Silk

  • Polyester

  • Others

• Ink Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Sublimation

  • Pigment

  • Reactive

  • Acid

  • Others

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Clothing/Apparel

  • Home Décor

  • Soft Signage

  • Industrial

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • U.K.

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

    • India

  • South America

    • Brazil

  • Middle East & Africa