Tag - Digital Printing

10 Sep

Understanding the advantages of RIP Software for DTG

The importance of digital textile printing has grown significantly throughout the last decade. While the process is challenging and the workflow must be well understood, technological advances in software, printing equipment, print heads and inks, have allowed the creation of more cost-effective solutions for short print runs.

Direct-to-garment [DTG] printing represents a growing segment of this market. This is because of the technology’s ability to customise garments. The basis of DTG production is finished and, in many cases, pre-prepared garments, which can be used for customisation both on a large scale and in small volumes. There are two types of machines on the market: commercial and industrial. Traditionally, the first ones were found in local businesses where very short customisation runs or premium clothes were produced. In contrast, the industrial printers are responsible for larger runs in factories that focus on outsourcing. 

Today, a hybrid between the two previous models is emerging and the popularisation of mass customisation, boosted by the growth of ecommerce, is facilitating that. With this model, companies provide users with a production centre in just a few clicks. They will be able to print their own designs on-demand and with no minimum or maximum number of repetitions. It enables companies to be more flexible in responding to both individual orders and larger print runs. 

From a supply chain point of view, there is a requirement among print service providers for both machine types, either through synergies or by expanding resources. For this reason, DTG is gaining more and more strength as it allows companies to choose from a wide range of devices which can adapt to the needs of each manufacturer and situation on an individual basis, thus simplifying customisation in the fashion and apparel market. 

RIP software for DTG printing

Behind every good DTG print, there is a learning process based on the technology used to create a workflow, how this technology has been adapted to meet the needs of the print service provider, and the requirements of the end consumer. Manufacturer’s must learn about the printers, the inks, the fabrics, and especially the software to enhance results. 

RIP software is responsible for interpreting a file and calculating how many drops of each colour will be needed to obtain the best results. It does this while considering the productivity of the printing device. 

In other words, if you invest in a DTG printer, whether industrial or desktop, RIP software is the solution to allow manufacturers to get the most out of a printer’s functionalities. 

Inèdit always recommends RIP software with modes specifically designed for DTG printing. But which key features should be measured when looking for the right RIP software?

The right software

It is important to consider colour management. With RIP software you can operate with CMYK and RGB colour profiles. The difference between the two methods lies in the way they interpret the colours they have. In short, CMYK profiles have four inks and create colours from the superposition of these. White is created from the absence of these colours and black is created from the sum of these colour profiles.

Meanwhile, the RGB method has three inks and creates new colours from the variation of their light. This allows for the interpretation of a wider range of colours. Therefore, a RIP that works in RGB will significantly increase the number of colours that a printer can export, thus improving printing quality.

An RIP software’s calibration system also influences the accuracy of a colour base when printing. Calibration is carried out to understand what colour interpretation capacity a device has, and then indicates how each of the colours and gradients should be exported. An intuitive and fast calibration system is what Inèdit recommends when printing DTG. RIP software should also have integrated concepts to calculate the ink limit, make linearisations, and see the profile of the printer in operation. 

Additionally, in discovering the right RIP software, white management must be factored in. The white channel in DTG printing is one of its main features. With the correct white management, it is possible to save money and ink in production runs. In DTG printing, the white channel is used to create a layer between the substrate and the ink when the substrate is black, or a specific colour, so that the colour of the printed ink is not affected by the substrate. The disadvantage of not managing this channel is that the use of white ink increases significantly, thus affecting the price of production. It is therefore important to have a RIP software that has a set of defined standards. 

For instance, neoStampa Delta incorporates different printing modes depending on the use of white ink. Printers can choose between creating an all-white background under the drawing, or use default values for black, grey and coloured backgrounds. 


Another benefit of the white channel generation is that it allows hybrid DTG printers to detect the white they are going to print first and the colour channels they are going to put on top of it.

However, the settings for black backgrounds should also be understood. The RIP software should allow print service providers to use the black background of a T-shirt, for example, as to avoid using black ink or creating greys by mixing white ink with the same background. By using this type of configuration, up to US$0.60 per print, and up to 30% of white ink consumption, can be saved. 

Moreover, RIP software should have a choke system. This is the method that avoids registration problems when printing an image on a background colour. It should also support transparency: accept several formats that use a transparent colour or an alpha channel and take advantage of the T-shirt background. 

On-demand printing

DTG print service providers have traditionally provided for end consumers on-demand thanks to growth in ecommerce.  However, there is growing trend among leading brands to capitalise on the growing demand for personalised fashion and Web2Print. Some larger brands have been implementing DTG to limited short-run collections based on the latest fashion trends inspired by online influencers and celebrities. 

In the industrial field, this translates into the need to generate more agile communication with the customer and faster and more efficient production. Therefore, digital printing continues to grow as it allows for the start and stop of print runs at any time.

Web2Print has been born in response to this new trend. It consists of personalisation at its maximum exponent, allowing a customer, both individuals and businesses, to send a file in a specific format from 

a website so that the manufacturer can print it directly, whether it is just one unit or a short print run. But how can RIP software help in this whole process? 

Firstly, it maintains the colour output that the customer expects when sending a file and secondly, it helps the manufacturer organise the workflow and extract cost information. 

If a customer sends a file with an embedded profile – for instance, Adobe RGB or Apple RGB – it is easy for the manufacturer to access those from their RIP software, as long as it is specialised in RGB. This way, the printed colours will meet expectations because they accurately match what the customer saw on screen when they originally placed the order. This process also reduces the need for sampling. 

From a manufacturer’s point of view, Inèdit highlights two drawbacks that could be solved with a good RIP software. The first of these is a lack of organisation when receiving work orders and transferring them to production. A very useful concept included in some RIP software is the print queues. These arrange pending work orders into different queues according to the production printer that is going to be used. 

In addition, there is some RIP software, like neoStampa, which enables users to access print queues remotely from anywhere in the world: printing sequences can be organised, the preferred output for each machine can be set, and print runs can be stopped and resumed at any time. All of this can be dictated from outside the manufacturing facility and simplifies the flow of communication from any department anywhere in the world. 

Furthermore, it is important that the software incorporates a cost control screen. This is how manufacturers put a price on orders placed online or remotely. A cost control system will consider both the productivity of a company and the costs derived from it. Therefore, by knowing the units needed for each run, the current ink price, and the cost of consumables, basic production costs can be generated. That helps manufacturers apply a final price to the printed product. 

[sub-head] neoStampa Delta for DTG

For years, Inèdit has been working with leading DTG printing brands such as SanRoq, Epson and Brother but this year has taken a further step by launching a new version of neoStampa Delta which is equipped with a module dedicated to the high-growth digital DTG printing market. The latest software upgrade is designed to work with both small- and large-format printers.

DTG/DTF , ,
Read more...
16 Jun

DTF vs DTG: Which is the best alternative?

The pandemic has prompted the small studios focused on Print-on-demand production and with it, DTG and DTF printing have hit the market, increasing the interest of manufacturers who want to start working with personalized garments.  

Since now, Direct-to-garment (DTG) has been the main method used for t-shirt printings and small productions, but in the last months Direct-to-film or Film-to-Garment (DTF)  has generated interest in the industry, winning every time more supporters. To understand this paradigm shift, we need to know what the differences are between one method and the other. 

Both types of printing are suitable for small items or personalisation, such as T-shirts or masks. However, the results and the printing process are different in both cases, so it can be difficult to decide which one to choose for a business. 

DTG: 

  • It needs pre-treatment: In the case of DTG, the process starts with the pre-treatment of the garments. This step is necessary before printing, as we are going to work directly on the fabric and this will allow the ink to be well fixed and avoid transferring it through the fabric. In addition, we will need to heat the garment before printing to activate this treatment.
  • Printing direct to garment: With DTG you are printing Direct to Garment, so the process can be shorter than DTF, you don’t need to transfer. 
  • White ink usage: We have the option of putting a white mask as a base, to ensure that the ink does not mix with the colour of the media, although this is not always necessary (for example on white bases) and it is also possible to reduce the use of this mask, putting white only in some areas. 
  • Printing on cotton: With this type of printing we can only print on cotton garments. 
  • Final press: To fix the ink, we must do a final press at the end of the process and we will have our garment ready. 

DTF: 

  • No need for pre-treatment: In DTF printing, as it is pre-printed on a film, which will have to be transferred, there is no need to pre-treat the fabric. 
  • Printing on film: In DTF we print on film and then the design must be transferred to the fabric. This can make the process a bit longer compared to DTG. 
  • Adhesive powder: This type of printing will require the use of an adhesive powder, which will be used just after printing the ink on the film. On printers specifically created for DTF this step is included in the printer itself, so you avoid any manual steps. 
  • Use of white ink: In this case, it is necessary to use a layer of white ink, which is placed on top of the color layer. This is the one that is transferred onto the fabric and serves as a base for the main colours of the design. 
  • Any type of fabric: One of the advantages of DTF is that it allows you to work with  any type of fabric, not just cotton. 
  • Transfer from film to fabric: The last step of the process is to take the printed film and transfer it to the fabric with a press. 

So,  When deciding which print to choose, what considerations should we take into account? 

  • The material of our printouts: As mentioned above, DTG can only be printed on cotton, whereas DTF can be printed on many other materials. 
  • The production volume: Currently, DTG machines are much more versatile and allow for larger and faster production than DTF. So it is important to be clear about the production needs of each business. 
  • The result: The final result of one print and the other is quite different. While in DTG the drawing and the inks are integrated with the fabric and the feel is rougher, like the base itself, in DTF the fixing powder makes it feel plastic, shinier, and less integrated with the fabric. However, this also gives a feeling of greater quality in the colors, as they are pure, the base color does not intervene.
  • Use of white: A priori, both techniques need quite a lot of white ink to print, but with the use of a good Rip Software, it is possible to control the layer of white that is applied in DTG, depending on the base colour and thus reduce costs considerably. For example, neoStampa has a special print mode for DTG that not only allows you a quick calibration to improve the colours, but you can also choose the amount of white ink to use on different types of fabrics.

In a nutshell, DTF printing seems to be gaining ground over DTG, but in reality, they have very different applications and uses. For small-scale printing, where you are looking for good color results and you don’t want to make such a large investment, DTF may be more suitable. But the DTG now has more versatile printing machines, with different plates and processes, which allow faster and more flexible printing.  

DTG/DTF , , ,
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31 Mar

Understanding the advantages of RIP software for DTG printing

Inèdit Software assesses the benefits of direct-to-garment (DTG) printing, its impact on the industry, and how the use of the right software can improve production workflows and end results.

The importance of digital textile printing has grown significantly throughout the last decade. While the process is challenging and the workflow must be well understood, technological advances in software, printing equipment, printheads and inks, have allowed the creation of more cost-effective solutions for short print runs.

Direct-to-garment [DTG] printing represents a growing segment of this market. DTG printers can be used to customise products in large or small volumes. There are two types of machines on the market: commercial and industrial. Traditionally, DTG printers were used by local businesses where short customisation runs or premium clothes were produced. In contrast, industrial printers are responsible for larger runs in factories that focus on outsourcing.

Today, a hybrid between the two previous models is emerging and the popularisation of mass customisation is facilitating that. With this model, companies provide users with a production centre in just a few clicks. They will be able to print their own designs on-demand and with no minimum or maximum number of repetitions. It enables companies to be more flexible.

From a supply chain point of view, there is a requirement among print service providers for both machine types, either through synergies or by expanding resources. For this reason, DTG is gaining more and more strength as it allows companies to choose from a wide range of devices which can adapt to the needs of each manufacturer and situation on an individual basis, thus simplifying customisation in the fashion & apparel market.

Colour management is a persistent challenge but which RIP software can assist with

Inèdit is aiming to expand its signature neoStampa Delta software into the DTG market in 2020 following the inclusion of a new module

RIP software can streamline production and improve print quality

RIP SOFTWARE FOR DTG PRINTING

Behind every good DTG print is a learning process based on the technology used to create a workflow, how this technology has been adapted to meet the needs of the print service provider, and the requirements of the end consumer. Manufacturers must learn about the printers, inks, fabrics, and especially the software to enhance results.

RIP software is responsible for interpreting a file and calculating how many drops of each colour will be needed to obtain the best results. It does this while considering the productivity of the printing device.

Inèdit always recommends RIP software with modes specifically designed for DTG printing. But which key features should be measured when looking for the right RIP software?

THE RIGHT SOFTWARE

It is important to consider colour management. When choosing a RIP software you can find the ones that operate in CMYK and the ones that can also read RGB profiles. The difference between the two methods lies in the way they interpret the colours they have. In short, CMYK profiles have four inks and create colours from the superposition of those. White is created from the absence of these colours and black is created from the sum of these colour profiles.

Meanwhile, the RGB method has three inks and creates new colours from the variation of their light. This allows for the interpretation of a wider range of colours. Therefore, a RIP that works in RGB will significantly increase the number of colours that a printer can export, thus improving printing quality.

A  RIP software’s calibration system also influences the accuracy of a colour base when printing. Calibration is carried out to understand what colour interpretation capacity a device has, and then indicates how each of the colours and gradients should be exported. An intuitive and fast calibration system is what Inèdit recommends when printing DTG. RIP software should also have integrated concepts to calculate the ink limit, make linearisations, and see the profile of the printer in operation.

Additionally, in discovering the right RIP software, white management must be factored in. The white channel in DTG printing is one of its main features. With the correct white management, it is possible to save money and ink in production runs. In DTG printing, the white channel is used to create a layer between the substrate and the ink when the substrate is black, or a specific colour, so that the colour of the printed ink is not affected by the substrate. The disadvantage of not managing this channel is that the use of white ink increases significantly, thus affecting the price of production. It is therefore important to have a RIP software that has a set of defined standards.

For instance, neoStampa Delta incorporates different printing modes depending on the use of white ink. Printers can choose between creating an all-white background under the drawing, or use default values for black, grey and coloured backgrounds.

Another benefit of the white channel generation is that it allows hybrid DTG printers to detect the white they are going to print first and the colour channels they are going to put on top of it.

However, the settings for black backgrounds should also be understood. The RIP software should allow print service providers to use the black background of a T-shirt, for example, as to avoid using black ink or creating greys by mixing white ink with the same background. By using this type of configuration, up to US$0.60 per print, and up to 30% of white ink consumption, can be saved.

Moreover, RIP software should have a choke system. This is the method that avoids registration problems when printing an image on a background colour. It should also support transparency: accept several formats that use a transparent colour or an alpha channel and take advantage of the T-shirt background.

ON-DEMAND PRINTING

DTG print service providers have traditionally provided for end consumers on-demand thanks to growth in ecommerce. However, there is a growing trend among leading brands to capitalise on an increasing demand for personalised fashion via Web2Print. Some larger brands have been implementing DTG to print short-run collections based on the latest fashion trends inspired by online influencers and celebrities.

In the industrial field, this translates into the need to generate more agile communication with the customer and faster and more efficient production. Therefore, digital printing continues to grow as it allows for the start and stop of print runs at any time.

Web2Print has been born in response to this new trend. It allows a customer to send a file in a specific format so that the manufacturer can print it, and the order size is irrelevent. But how can RIP software help in this whole process?

Firstly, it maintains the colour output that the customer expects when sending a file and secondly, it helps the manufacturer organise the workflow and extract cost information.

If a customer sends a file with an embedded profile – for instance, Adobe RGB or Apple RGB – it is easy for the manufacturer to access it from their RIP software, as long as it is specialised in RGB. This way, the printed colours will meet expectations because they accurately match what the customer saw on screen when they originally placed the order. This process also reduces the need for sampling.

From a manufacturer’s point of view, Inèdit highlights two drawbacks that could be solved with a good RIP software. The first of these is a lack of organisation when receiving work orders and transferring them to production. A very useful concept included in some RIP software is the print queue. These arrange pending work orders into different queues according to the production printer that is going to be used.

In addition, there is some RIP software, like neoStampa, which enables users to access print queues remotely from anywhere in the world: printing sequences can be organised, the preferred output for each machine can be set, and print runs can be stopped and resumed at any time. All of this can be dictated from outside the manufacturing facility and simplifies the flow of communication from any department anywhere in the world.

Furthermore, it is important that the software incorporates a cost control screen. This is how manufacturers put a price on orders placed online or remotely. A cost control system will consider both the productivity of a company and the costs derived from it. Therefore, by knowing the units needed for each run, the current ink price, and the cost of consumables, basic production costs can be generated. That helps manufacturers apply a final price to the printed product.

NEOSTAMPA DELTA FOR DTG

For years, Inèdit has been working with leading DTG printing brands such as SanRoq, Epson and Brother but this year has taken a further step by launching a new version of neoStampa Delta which is equipped with a module dedicated to the high-growth digital DTG printing market. The latest software upgrade is designed to work with both small- and large-format printers.

Article written for Digital Textile Magazine

DTG/DTF , , ,
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23 Dec

5 tricks to create a good profile that only the best will know: 

A profile is one of the main concepts to know and master when talking about colour management. If you want to print accurate colours and get the most out of your colour output devices, you need to know the steps to get the best possible profile.

To start talking about profiles, we need to have the concept clear. So let’s go with a definition: 

A profile is a file that contains the colour information that can be interpreted by a device, either input (like a scanner or digital camera) or output (like a printer or screen). 

It is necessary to have two profiles: a standard one and the printer itself since the final profile will be created from a mathematical relation between the standard colour space (the input one) and the capacity of the device to interpret it. 

In this article, we will focus on the creation of profiles for digital printers. 

 

Introduction to the creation of profiles: 

To create a profile you will need to have some tools with you: a good Rip Software to help you interpret the capacity of your printer, a colour measurement device (spectrophotometer), the output device (The digital printer in this case), and other material needed (For example paper, fabric, plate, etc.)

In addition, we need to know which media you are going to use. If you are going to print on paper, the calibration and the consequent creation of the profile will be much easier, since only one material is involved in the process. 

If, on the other hand, we want to create a dye-sublimation profile, we have to take into account the tools that come into play: the plate, the fabric, the dye-sublimation paper, etc. so it is more complicated to create a stable profile. 

 

5 tips to create the best profiles: 

Now that we understand the concept of a print profile, we would like to share 5 tips that our technicians apply in order to obtain the best results: 

1.Create the profile using the final production conditions: It is important to understand that the process of creating a new profile aims to obtain the best colour results in the final productions. For this reason, it is necessary to reproduce the same printing conditions that we will use at the moment of truth. We do not recommend using cheaper paper or fabrics for calibration or using an iron instead of a calendar. With this, we only will obtain non-expected results. 

2. Work with Rip Software that facilitates the creation of the profile: It is very important to work with software that can understand the colour interpretation capacity of your printer, but it is also very necessary that the Rip Software facilitates the process of creating your profile. To do this, we recommend, first of all, that the Rip has a calibration wizard that guides you through this process step by step. 

3. Read, read and read: If you have ever worked with us or attended one of our courses you will know that there is a motto that we do always repeat: Read with the spectrophotometer three times. This way you will get three different colour results, which you can compare and get an average of the colour that will be the closest to the printing possibilities of your machine. 

4. Keep the printing devices in good condition: Check that at the time of creating the profile all the equipment involved in printing is in good condition and correctly configured. 

5. Profile and re-profile: We also recommend checking the printing results periodically and, if necessary, re-creating the profile. In neoStampa we have the option of re-profiling, which will allow you to analyse what has changed in your printer in order to adjust the profile again. 

We hope you have enjoyed our post and remember that if you have any doubts, you can contact us directly by writing to sales@inedit.com

Color Management , , , ,
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02 Dec

Why is Adobe Photoshop the best tool on the market for textile design and color management?

Adobe Photoshop: The leading tool in the design

In the last decades, Adobe Photoshop has positioned itself as one of the most important tools in the management of pixel-based images. With Photoshop, not only do we have at our disposal a wide range of tools for editing, transforming, and enhancing images, but you can also access a wide range of customized tools that provide the best results regardless of which industry you work in.

For instance, our sector: is textile design and printing. With the power of Photoshop and the external add-ons, we have in our hands the perfect tool to make our work faster and more efficient.

But do not forget that the job of a textile designer is not over when the design is finished, there are different processes that are necessary and we must ensure their success. One of the most important processes is Color Management.

Color management in textile design and printing

Color management is one of the most popular terms in our industry. Broadly speaking, color management is the process of converting the representation of colors in different devices (for example, converting the color we see on a screen to the one we will see on fabric) to reproduce colors as accurately as possible. When we start a creative process, we imagine shapes accompanied by a color palette. This same palette is the one we reproduce when we design and the one we expect to be printed at the time of production. Furthermore, one of the particularities of the textile sector and in particular digital printing is the repetition of the productions: We launch a collection, produce a print run and if it has succeeded, we produce it again. With good color management, not only will it be possible to print what we have sold but also we will be able to repeat the production as many times as necessary without changing the result.

So why do you need to know about color management if you are a textile designer? Because it is the only way that the colors we imagine in our head, which we later capture in Photoshop, will be the same ones we will see printed in the collection.

Why choose Photoshop for color reproduction?

To the initial question of the post Why is Photoshop the best tool in the market for textile designers? The answer is: Because it is the tool that will best suit your color management needs.

And, how do we do it? Photoshop has four key processes that will help us maintain color accuracy throughout the design and printing process:

  • Allows you to work with embedded profiles: This makes it much easier to work with color management. If we work with an image with an embedded profile, we will see the colors that your output device will be able to reproduce, and we will also be capable of maintaining this information for the production department.
  • Allows you to assign color profiles to your designs (Edit > Assign profile): With this tool, you can change the profile you will work with. We will change the initial profile of the image for the one we select. In this process, the RGB coding is maintained but the colors will be changed since the color profiles are responsible for giving the values to the RGB. If these are different, the colors will change to fit the selected profile.

  • It has the functions to convert (Edit>Convert to profile) and test a profile (View>Test Fit): The difference between assigning and converting a profile, is that the latter, when we select a profile for change, will not maintain the RGB coding, trying to preserve the color results as much as possible within the profile. The function of testing a profile is very similar to that of converting the profile, but it simply shows it in Photoshop, without modifying the image. This way, we can simulate the output colors of the job. The function of testing a profile is very similar to that of converting the profile, but it does not modify the image, it simply displays a preview of the results in Photoshop. This way, we can simulate the output colors of the work. If we use both tools at the same time, we will have our design prepared with the profile we want to use and, in addition, we will be able to see the simulation once printed on paper or fabric

  • You will be able to send a file to be printed preserving the color management previously done: Finally, the same tool, as we have mentioned before, will allow you to send all the information about the image and the profile to the production department, so as not to lose any information of our work.

If you want to know a little more about it, you can watch this webinar where Gerard explains in detail the steps to follow for color management with Adobe Photoshop®. If you have any comments or questions, you can write to sales@inedit.com

Color Management, Printing design , , ,
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25 May
neocatalog textile design software

Overcoming challenges with digital textile workflow (Article hosted by WTIN)

The textile printing sector is experiencing a period of inactivity due to the global quarantines established by governments because of Covid-19. The virus was first detected in China last December and soon brought the country’s textile industry to a complete standstill. This sent shockwaves through the textile supply chain and caused a dramatic drop in revenue for companies operating in the digital textile printing market.

By early spring, the virus had become a global pandemic and forced industries to reinvent themselves to overcome the economic and social crisis caused by the pandemic. In the textile printing sector, according to the latest study published by the ITMF, orders have fallen by 41% and a decrease in business of 33% is expected.

However, according to Inédit offices in China, bigger factories have survived by diversifying their activities. In contrast, small and medium-sized organisations have been left struggling to stay afloat.

This situation means companies are now considering new challenges. We find a sector that has come to a standstill, where the production chain remains static due to a lack of active suppliers and buyers. In Europe and the US, the consumption of fashion has been severely restricted to combat the virus, but when high streets are reopened there is no guarantee of a quick recovery. Brands and retailers have limited plans for the current spring/summer season and economists are forecasting worrying sales figures. Textile manufacturers in countries that rely on exports for a strong economy are bearing the brunt of this crisis.

But these current challenges have also opened up new opportunities in the sector. Some companies have chosen to branch out and manufacture much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE). In China, where economic recovery is under way, some textile printing OEMs are looking to expand their product catalogues by introducing a range of new machines that target face mask production.

Other enterprises have begun preparing resources for the implementation of digital textile printing technologies, whereas some are looking beyond the pandemic and are preparing for a more sustainable manufacturing industry.

INFLUENCE OF INKJET

Digital printing has been an ally of textile finishers in this moment of crisis because the technology is much more versatile than analogue alternatives. Companies that have invested in digital structures will be better placed to answer the immediate needs of clients. This is especially true if, during this transition, they have been maintaining the infrastructure that enables customised and on-demand printing.

These processes lead to a reduction in production costs for digital companies that will mean greater flexibility for the manufacturer when adapting to the new situation.

A common question being asked is how to prepare a digital team for this new norm?

We summarise it in two basic points: have everything ready to go; and improve communication in the workflow.

When we advise the client to be ready to proceed, we are referring to the importance of having the infrastructure in place by the time the industry starts up again, which will help to ensure a quick response. It is important to know the status of the printers and the best way to do this is to print a colour proof. With this test, companies will be able to see if their printers are still producing the same colours, or if they match their requirements. If necessary, the printers can be re-profiled to obtain the desired results. With neoStampa RIP software it is an easy process to carry out and this test will help organisations to better understand the health of the inks, print heads and the general quality of the printers they have. Preventative measures can then be taken to minimise machine downtime in the future.

It is not only necessary to prepare the machinery; it is also important to keep the team informed and prepared for new developments. Whether you decide to diversify your activity or wait for the textile sector to start up again, the design, production and commercial teams must be ready to start working.

CONNECTED WORKFLOW

One thing that particularly concerns our customers is how to maintain communication between departments, and even between customers, with current restrictions on mobility. This is what we call having the workflow connected in digital printing: being able to maintain communication between different departments without the need to be physically there.

Inédit Software has been working for years to create these connections, which are becoming more necessary with every passing day. Companies that base their designers at the headquarters in one country and print in another benefit the most from technologies that enable this level of communication. There are different solutions that help to improve this communication flow, which are specialised in the sector.

One of the main points of this workflow connection is the communication with the client. Although production is minimal in most economies due to order cancellations and border closures, design creation has continued and work on new seasons has already begun. Sales teams, therefore, must start selling the designs, but they cannot go to see the client or showcase the products at events.

Neocatalog Textile Design Software

An interesting solution is the creation of a virtual showroom through which clients can be presented with the designs that are for sale. Virtual showrooms enable businesses to demonstrate how simple it is to modify designs at a moment’s notice. There are even tools that will allow a business to present a design in a 3D simulation. The client will have the product at their disposal and the salesperson will have the facility to show it without having to be physically there. One tool designed specifically for this purpose is neoCatalog – a collection of designs that are stored on a business’ own server. neoCatalog enables designs and galleries to be sent directly to clients.

The second area of concern in the sector is communication within the company. One of the consequences of the pandemic has been the increase in teleworking around the world. Communication between design and production departments has always been the key to a good workflow connection, especially because of the need to accurately manage colour throughout the printing process which remains one of the biggest challenges in the market today. But with strategic workflow communication, it should be possible to send designs to print from anywhere in the world with the necessary color profile to obtain high-quality results.

FORECASTING THE FUTURE

We are optimistic about the future of the textile printing industry. Even though we are going through a rough patch right now, we are conscious of the power of digitalisation. We still anticipate big changes to come.

We believe the relocation of factories will be intensified and with digitalisation we are likely to see micro-factories appearing in new countries in response to fast fashion. But in the short-term, we believe companies will continue to expand their operations in order to capitalize on high demand for medical-grade textiles.

The industry needs to come to terms with a new reality in which software and connected systems are the protagonists and remote working becomes the norm. A company that has a well-communicated workflow and has the factory ready to accept orders – as well as one that can invest in new digital equipment – is best placed to survive this new era and prosper in the long-term. It is important to modernise so that customer needs are always met.

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31 Mar

8 workshops for printing designers for less than 15€

One of the secrets of creativity is to be permanently in training. And taking advantage of this quarantine to improve, is one of the best ideas we can have. For this reason, today we bring you a list of 8 excellent courses for print designers for less than 15€ that will help you to improve your skills!

In this list you will find the courses you may need to learn new illustration techniques, to improve the print design process and also to keep growing as a fashion designer. All of them, have been found in Domestika, where they are working hard to offer us their best content at a lower price during the quarantine.

So here you are, the list:

We start with this free proposal that Domestika makes available to us only during the quarantine. In this course, estimated at 39.99 euros, Violeta will teach us illustration techniques inspired by nature and femininity. There are 20 lessons that become 5 hours of training, unmissable for any designer who is looking for innovation and focus their patterns on nature or women’s figure.

 

With this course, Ana Blooms will give you the basis to start creating your own brand, with its history and its line, through the design of prints. You will learn some basics about illustration and the process of printing design.

 

The next proposal we bring you, even if it is not directly related to printing, is very interesting for all those who want to introduce themselves to floral design and then turn it into textile design. Maya introduces us to the world of acrylic with floral design, on the surface you prefer. She will give us tricks of composition, color, techniques, and much more!

 

Here is a specialized course in the whole process of designing textile prints. You will learn from Inés Aguilar how to get inspired by design, how to create different reports, finishes and see how colors behave in digital printing.

 

And if we continue with Inés Aguilar, we find this course, more focused on the creation of fashion garments and inspiration. In this one, the designer will transmit to us more than two decades of experience in the sector, from the complete process of creation of fashionable clothes.

 

With this workshop, take a step further with your illustrations and patterns. Learn to draw different patterns by hand, based on characters living together in colorful spaces. Be inspired by the ideas and techniques in this course to add a different twist to your next collection.

 

Another of the courses that will help you to complement your designs. If you would like to give a floral and botanical look to your new collection, in this workshop, Paulina Maciel teaches us the processes to make botanical composition illustrations in a precise way, taking the flowers and plants as a model.

 

BONUS: 

Find the color palette that best defines you at any given time with this course by Ana Victoria Calderon. You will learn color theory, mixing knowledge and theory to develop two color palettes applied to illustrations.

 

We hope you liked our post and we will be happy to hear from you if you finally do one of these courses and your feedback!

 

Thank you,

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20 May
Digital Printing Workflow

Take a tour of digital printing at ITMA Barcelona with Inèdit Software

Inèdit Software together with some of the most important printing brands in the industry will take advantage of ITMA Barcelona to show a complete Digital Printing workflow.

From 20th to 26th June, the most expected exhibition in the sector, returns to Barcelona. At ITMA we can find all the important players in digital textile printing: printer manufacturers, paper and fabric suppliers, as well as ink manufacturers and software developers specialised in the industry, like Inèdit Software.

In order to share its more than 25 years of industry knowledge and show visitors exactly how a complete digital textile printing workflow works, Inèdit Software has joined the world’s best printer brands to show visitors an entire process from file preparation to final printing, obtaining the best market results. 

From hall 3 stand B133 Inèdit Software will make a tour of different stands showing the processes of digital textile printing. During the tour you will see how to prepare a file with Adobe Photoshop® and how to print in different kind of printers, from direct to textile machines to sublimation. All united by a common denominator, neoStampa, the Rip Software that allows printing on different machines obtaining exactly the same results.

This action has had a great reception among the collaborating companies, where we find great brands from all over the world such as MS, Aleph, Atexco, Flora, DGI, Homer, Mtex, Kerajet or Colorjet.

Moreover, in order to keep sharing knowledge on the market, Inèdit Software will contribute to the European Digital Textile Conference organised by the magazine wTin on June 24, where we will discuss, along with other companies, the importance of the digital textile workflow from concept to finished product.

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18 Dec

neoCatalog: Gestiona tus diseños y aprovéchalos al máximo

Inèdit Software presents neoCatalog, an interactive catalog especially designed to organize and manage textile designs. With neoCatalog, professionals of textile design and digital printing can take the total control of their jobs, storing them easily, tagging them by keywords and organizing them with personalized galleries.

Furthermore, with neoCatalog they can have their design ready to show to costumers, creating different colorways and allows you to view your designs in any environment, model or object by producing photorealistic simulations.

“neoCatalog is the first tool specially developed for the management of textile designs.” Says Oriol Martínez, Product Owner at Inèdit Software. “We started by creating neoCatalog Server, a version that we customized exclusively for large companies, adapting to their processes. After years of understanding the needs of these clients, we have decided to create a neoCatalog within reach of everyone, for small design studios, freelancers or medium and large companies, who have a considerable volume of designs and want to organize and manage them. At the same time, we continue to develop neoCatalog Server for large companies.”

neoCatalog is also created to facilitate the communication between  the agents involved in the workflow. Designs and galleries could be easily shared with an invitation system. In addition, the neoCatalog administrator will be able to decide users privilegies, which can give different benefits to the departments involved in the work process.

“With neoCatalog you could improved the communication between departments. The designers have a space where to organize their work, they store them in galleries separated by seasons so if they need an old design or to see a complete collection it is very comfortable for them. And once finished, they send to the commercial department what they want to sell” continue Oriol Martínez “On the other hand, the commercials can access the catalog, create different colorways, make photorealistic assemblies with different models and show how the design would look in a real environment to the clients, without the need to depend on the designers”.

neoCatalog can be used as a sales tool. It’s possible to create personalized layouts where showing the design on a virtual simulation, the colors that has been used and the data of your company or clients one.

neoCatalog is a tool of Inèdit Software, a company with more than 25 years working in the development of software for the textile industry. Together with neoStampa, Rip Software for the digital textile printing and neoTextil, textile design plugins for photoshop, neoCatalog complete a set of solutions designed to generate a 100% integrated workflow, providing agile and effective communication between the departments involved.

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