Digital Printing of Textiles to Exceed 44 Million Square Meters by 2007

A report by Web Consulting's textile-industry analyst Chris Byrne predicts that the worldwide volume of digitally printed textiles will exceed 44 million sq m (4.73 million sq ft) by 2005 if present trends continue. This represents almost a 50% increase over the volume of digitally printed textiles produced in the year 2000.

Michael Flippin, managing consultant of Web Consulting's Boston office, attributes the anticipated growth in digital textile printing to continuing growth in the installed base of digital textile printing systems. With faster printing systems on the way, Flippin believes the growth forecast could be conservative.

Entitled “The Potential for Digital Printing of Textiles,” the report forecasts that the number of digital textile printers sold worldwide will jump from 833 in 2000 to 1400 in 2005. The report examines nine fields in which these devices are being used:

Manufactured garments and apparel

Apparel fabrics

Home furnishings and household textiles

Carpets and floor coverings

Industrial fabrics and nonwovens

Flags and banners

Textile labeling and marking

Proofing and sampling

Web Consulting has also noticed a global shift in the geographic distribution of the textile printing industry. The Far East now represents over 50% of all printed textiles (not just apparel) produced, with no other region of the world claiming more than 10% of production volume.

The report is available in the US for $1850. (Web Consulting: www.webconsulting.co.uk).