From the Sector

By establishing touchpoint textile, drupa has created a special forum to showcase pioneering applications in digital textile printing. The highlight will be the Digital Textile Micro Factory – a fully connected, integrated process chain starting with the customer enquiry and design through to large-format digital textile printing.

touchpoint textile represents drupa’s growing expansion into new markets comprising such segments as packaging production, large-format or industrial and functional printing next to packaging production. All of these segments are undergoing the same transformation processes and offer enormous growth potential. The special forum revolves around the opportunities and challenges of digital textile printing, brings together renowned exhibitors, industry partners and brand owners and provides scope for cross-industry cooperation, new projects as well as product and manufacturing ideas. The operational content partners of touchpoint textile include the German Institutes for Textile and Fibre Research Denkendorf (DITF), as Europe’s largest textile research centre, as well as ESMA, the European Specialist Printing Manufacturers Association.

Digital Textile Micro Factory: on-demand and virtual products – on the path towards sustainable production
In cooperation with 12 partners from industry and research the DITF will demonstrate a Digital Textile Micro Factory live at drupa and, hence, a fully connected, integrated process chain from design to finished product. This will present new possibilities for digitalisation and direct customer involvement, for instance in the form of 3D apparel simulations complete with links to design networks for creative input. Digital workflows and virtual products are integrated directly in the manufacturing process. As a special highlight for all trade visitors the technology partners of this Micro Factory will demonstrate an automated on-demand production, textile printing, cutting and sorting – without any manual interaction. Such decentralised and digitally connected design and production chains will enable the textile industry to respond to customers’ requests and trends in a more targeted manner in future. This means, touchpoint textile 2024 technologically points the way to a future without shelf-warmers. In addition, the carbon footprint for the complete process from virtual development to finished product will be modelled and presented at the trade fair.  

2024 will see the design competition “drupa – textile design talents” being held for the first time. This was conceived of by the DITF and will be implemented by the partner Mitwill. This provides up-coming textile designers and newcomers with a unique opportunity to introduce their ideas and visions to a professional audience.

Broad industry support
A project as comprehensive as the Micro Factory requires many strong partners. The companies “on board” here include: Assyst/Germany (3D simulation for digital apparel twins), Mitwill Textiles Europe/France (creative design network), D.G.I. Digital Graphics Incorporation/South Korea, Multi-Plot Europe/Germany (large-format textile printing), LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung/Germany, Zünd/Switzerland (digital cutting), robotfactory/Denmark, Asco/The Netherlands (presenting an innovative buffer solution between digital printing and cutting, automated sorting of cut parts from the cutter by robotfactory) as well as Brother/Japan (for small-format textile printing and bonding technology). Vaude and berger textiles will be sponsoring the touchpoint. Another key partner is the Albstadt-Sigmaringen University that is supporting the project as a conceptual sponsor and which has set itself the clear mission to incorporate these new topics into its curriculum. This means the staff of the future will be geared up to the new challenges ahead.

Another partner of touchpoint textile is the European Specialist Printing Manufacturers Association (ESMA), which is responsible for the lecture programme. ESMA represents industrial, functional and specialist printing and acts as an organiser of educational events in the field of textile printing. At drupa speakers from research, development, and industry will address issues related to printing and finishing techniques, workflows, market developments and sustainability, to name but a few. The focus will also be on trends and applications that unlock ever new potential through the interplay of digital printing and textile printing substrates. The lectures are divided into the categories Research, Finishing, Print Systems & Hardware, Substrates, Inks & Chemistry and Software & Electronics. Assyst, for example, will deliver talks on the virtual development of apparel as well as the research project ECOShoring, which is funded by the “Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt” – DBU (German Federal Environmental Foundation) and focuses on personalised and on-demand sustainable manufacturing. Other speakers represent Adobe, Balta Group, Barbieri Electronic, Brother, Centexbel, CST, DITF, Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems, HS Albsig, Kornit Digital, Meteor Inkjet, Mimaki, Mitwill, Multiplot, Print-Rite, RWTH Aachen, Seiko Instruments, Tiger Coatings, Xaar, Zünd and the list is updated on regular basis.

drupa will be held at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre from 28 May to 7 June 2024.

Textildesign-Studierende haben für den Turbenthaler Bettwäsche-Hersteller Schlossberg Switzerland eine Kollektion entworfen. Dabei gingen sie der Frage nach: Wie lässt sich das Thema Schlaf gestalterisch umsetzen?

Die Gutenachtgeschichte, die man als Kind vorgelesen bekam, das Abtauchen in die Stille der Tiefsee, das Farbenschauspiel der Abenddämmerung – Schlaf ist ein Thema, das eine Fülle von Assoziationen weckt. Für 14 Textildesign-Studierende der Hochschule Luzern bot sich somit ein reichhaltiger Fundus an Ideen für ihr Projekt «Somnia» (Lateinisch für Träumerei).

In Zweiergruppen entwarfen die Studentinnen und Studenten eine Bettwäsche-Kollektion für die Turbenthaler Firma Schlossberg Switzerland. Das Projekt ist ein gutes Training für den späteren Berufsalltag, wie Dozentin Brigitt Egloff erläutert. «Unsere Studierenden erleben eine echte Auftrags-situation mit einem Kunden aus der Industrie. Das sind Erfahrungen, die sie unbedingt machen sollen.»

Was fördert einen guten Schlaf?
Die Studierenden sollten sich für ihre Entwürfe einerseits überlegen, wie Textilien einen guten Schlaf fördern können, und andererseits was sie persönlich um den Schlaf bringt. «Schlaf ist ein grundlegendes menschliches Bedürfnis – und gleichzeitig kennen wir alle das Problem des Schlafmangels», so Egloff.

Bis auf das Thema und den Auftrag, damit eine Textilkollektion zu entwerfen, gab es keine inhaltlichen Vorgaben für die Bettwäsche-Designs. Hier exemplarisch drei der vielfältigen Interpretationen der insgesamt sieben Studierenden-Teams:

• Der Entwurf «Dive» dreht sich um das Eintauchen in die Welt der Träume. Figurative Motive wie Wasserpflanzen und Meerestiere prägen das Design. Die Designerinnen, Hanna Egger und Laura Schwyter, griffen für ihre Arbeit auf Techniken wie Collage oder das Durchpausen von Gegenständen (Frottage) zurück.
• Der Entwurf «Transitzone» von Katalin Winter und Franziska Ostermeier thematisiert die titelgebenden Ruhezonen in der Hektik der Grossstadt, beispielsweise eine spätabendliche Taxifahrt durch den Neonlichterdschungel. Technisch wurden die Motive unter anderem mittels Collagen und Zeichnungen realisiert.
• In «Untitled» mit seinen Leerräumen und abstrakten Formen lösen sich Oben und Unten – ganz wie im Traum – auf. Dicke Pinselstriche und einfarbige Flächen dominieren den Entwurf von Yvee Nogara und Samina Burtschi.

«Es ist eindrücklich, welche Techniken hier zur Anwendung kommen», sagt Damian Wirth, CEO von Schlossberg Switzerland zu den Entwürfen. Da seien ganz neue Ansätze darunter. Man spüre den Geist einer jungen Generation von Designerinnen und Designern.

• Special display arena will showcase exquisite signature collections from interior décor and home textile sectors

India’s premium fairs for home textiles, homeware and interior décor, Heimtextil India and Ambiente India have launched Bespoke Living, an exclusive product showcase space dedicated to companies dealing with signature collections at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 27th – 29th June 2018.

With four successful editions in a row, Heimtextil India and Ambiente India also slated on the same dates, have become the country’s leading business trade fairs to showcase the finest quality of dining, living, giving and home textiles. The launch of Bespoke Living aims to highlight one of a kind brands who deal with uniquely crafted designs that will range from plush statement pieces to extensive signature collections for home and retail furnishing.

The term luxury décor is not restricted to brand names anymore. With trends like fully furnished luxury houses, theme dominated homes and tastefully designed retail showrooms rapidly picking up in the country, consumers are open to different styles and unique designs.
Be it the very popular Scandinavian themed houses to colourful cultural artefacts creating a soothing aura, Indians now want their homes and businesses to reflect their personal style with statement interiors.

Halls dedicated to Bespoke Living will feature selected designer brands from India and around the world showcasing their premium collections. This product showcase arena will be beneficial for interior designers, architects, hotel buyers, buyers of luxury goods and luxury homes developers. Business visitors can gain knowledge about the upcoming trends, source timeless pieces, build new connections with people sharing the same interest and experience the quality of the products in person. Exposure to best in class products and latest trends presented here will help them create a better home design experience for their clients.

Excelling in statement leather pieces the brand Three Sixty will showcase their latest leather collection that comprises of rugged travel accessories and signature furniture pieces. Inspired by the world’s deserts and explorers who traversed them, the brand designs fully customisable handmade products which are available in beautiful shades of tan, sure to up the sophistication quotient of home and retail interiors.     
        
“Our latest collection at Bespoke Living will showcase our ever evolving tastes and designs. We believe luxury need not be synonymous with breaking open the bank. Traditional Indian craftsmen can craft the most beautiful signature pieces and provide quality beyond compare, shared Mr Vikash Gupta, CEO, Three Sixty. International exhibitors present at the show will showcase exquisite artefacts like decorative ceramics with glaze, handmade clay wreaths with metal leaves, ceramic vases and other decorative items to make every home unique.

Apart from this specially curated design platform, Heimtextil India and Ambiente India 2018 will host the Interior Lifestyle Awards that will bring creative masters from the interior decor and home textile sectors together by recognising their art and giving them an international platform to showcase their designs.
The trade fair will also organise the Hospitality Day, a hospitality and retail procurement programme that will bring top class purchase managers from the industry to build new contacts and source quality products. Together, Heimtextil India and Ambiente India together will host over 100 companies from countries like India, Indonesia, Switzerland and Thailand showcasing trendsetting designs in the interior décor and home textile industry.