At “Drupa” 2020 in June, a new special show for applications in the field of digital textile printing will make its debut with “Touchpoint Textile” in Hall 4. The textile industry is opening up cross-sectional technologies for numerous sectors – the “Touchpoint Textile” brings these companies together, offers space for cross-industry cooperation, new projects and product and manufacturing ideas that are vividly realised in a micro factory on site.

As the world’s leading trade fair for printing technologies, the “Drupa” with its new forum takes account of the increasing importance of digital textile printing and underlines its status as an impulse generator and motor for new business fields within the printing industry. The special show also represents the increasing establishment of the trade fair in new markets which, in addition to textile printing, include areas such as packaging production, large format or industrial and functional printing. All these segments are undergoing the same processes of change and offer enormous growth potential.

The two partners of “Touchpoint Textile” are Europe’s largest textile research centre, the German Institutes for Textile and Fibre Research Denkendorf (DITF) and the non-profit association ESMA (European Specialist Printing Manufacturers Association).

Together with cross-industry partners, the DITF is realising a Digital Textile Micro Factory at “Drupa” and thus a fully networked, integrated process chain from customer requirements to design and finishing. This will demonstrate new possibilities for digitization and direct customer involvement, for example in the form of 3D clothing simulations with direct data transfer in virtual and augmented reality. The integration of digital textile printing, cutting and colour management in a networked clothing production will also be demonstrated – on different products such as flags, T-shirts or bags, updated daily. Such networked production chains will enable the textile industry to react even faster and more specifically to customer wishes and trends in the future, even with small order quantities. The combination of agility, creativity, flexibility and implementation is considered the driver for success.

Partners and sponsors of the Digital Textile Micro Factory are Assyst (3D simulation of digital twin garments), Vuframe (VR/AR), Mitwill (design network), Ergosoft and Caddon (RIP and colour management), HP and Multiplot (large-format textile printing), Zünd (digital cutting), Juki (ready-made clothing and workflow), Dommer, Berger textiles and Kaspar (sponsors). Another conceptually important partner is the Albstadt-Sigmaringen University of Applied Sciences, which is thus simultaneously accepting the task of integrating new topics into its teaching and preparing the employees of tomorrow for new challenges.

ESMA is responsible for the lecture programme and invites speakers from research, development and industry to address questions about printing and finishing technologies, work processes, market developments or sustainability. “Textile printing is expanding ever faster with new developments in the printing process. Both digital and classic technologies can play a role here,” says ESMA Managing Director Peter Buttiens. “We look forward to presenting our expertise and competence in the field of textile applications to visitors at Touchpoint Textile during Drupa.

“Continuing digitalisation and cross-sectional technologies are drivers of innovation”, explains Sabine Geldermann, Director “Drupa” and Global Head Print Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf. “Drupa’ sees itself as a motor and initiator of change in our industry and is helping to shape it. It is important to us to identify all relevant topics and integrate them into the forums. The growth potential in textile printing is impressive – against this background we are dedicating a special forum to this area of application. Digital textile printing will also be an important part of the exhibitors’ range of products and services beyond the “Touchpoint Textile” special show. Visitors to the fair are thus guaranteed a 360-degree view of current developments and trends in textile printing.

Interested companies can continue to present themselves in the special show with exhibits or lectures. Your contact at Messe Düsseldorf is Kerstin Houf (e-mail HoufKe@messe-duesseldorf.de, phone +49 (0)211 4560 7268).