Overview

Title: How can we improve the environmental impact of DTF?
Date: Tuesday 16 April 2024
Duration: 42 minutes

Summary

Industrial inkjet technology has evolved over the last decade, but more work is required to reduce the digital textile printing industry’s environmental impact. DTF technology is a new entry in this space and brings a host of advantages, such as print durability, but is it green? 

This panel will discuss issues surrounding the use of plastic film and adhesive powder and will compare that with some environmental positives, such as the absence of weeding. It will also look at new technologies coming to the fore in this space, across inks, chemistry, hardware, software and film.

Moreover, speakers from across the DTF value chain will take a holistic approach to assessing environmental impact by factoring in the lifespan of a DTF print and how this can reduce waste in the fashion and apparel sector.

Speakers:
Dr Andy Hancock, Director, Mexar Ltd
Andy is Managing Director of Mexar, a UK based inkjet development company specialising in the development and manufacture of water-based inkjet inks for industrial applications. He holds a BSc and PhD from the University of Leeds, UK Colour and Polymer Chemistry department. Andy’s PhD project was based on inkjet formulation.

Andy cofounded Mexar in 2007 to focus on the development of water-based pigment inks for textile markets.

Since 2020, Mexar has been involved in the development of DTF inks for garment decoration techniques. Building on Mexar’s expertise in white ink development, the company successfully launched its first DTF offering in early 2021. Since then, Mexar has continued to develop and manufacture inks for this sector. In 2021, the company launched the brand ‘Indie Ink’ for UK garment decorators to purchase consumables for the garment decoration market direct from the manufacturer.

Michael Overy, Director of Business Development, Dae Ha Europe Ltd
Michael Overy, Director of Business Development at Dae Ha Europe Ltd. Dae Ha is a leading, Korean based manufacturer of premium DTF & HTV Films serving the global market. Its core values revolve around quality, consistency and responsible manufacturing. Overy's journey with Dae Ha began 11 years ago in Seoul when he conducted an audit of the company's manufacturing processes in response to an enquiry about its textile screen printing film. With a background in Formula 1 and extensive experience in quality and supply chain management for coated films & adhesives in the medical device industry, Overy brings a wealth of knowledge in precision manufacturing, emphasising transparency and accountability, taking pride in Dae Ha's open-door policy by welcoming customers to visit its production lines.

Sebastien Hanssens, Vice President Marketing & Operations, Caldera
If there is one unifying thread running through Sebastien Hanssens’ personal and business lives, it has been drawn from the hem of a hockey jersey. Weaving together his love of sports, his long-ranging experience in retail, fashion and product customisation, and his expertise in marketing and communications, he’s fashioned a career as lead for Marketing & Operations at French RIP software developer Caldera.

His experiences on digital projects for fashion and sports brands, as well as print enterprises looking to offer online personalisation, have given him a clear view and solid understanding of what’s needed to build and manage a successful digital customisation operation. This culminated at FESPA Berlin in 2018 with the SportsFactory project: an onsite production booth that enabled personalised design, print, cut and sew, and delivery of custom sports jerseys in less than 24 hours.

Axel Stuhlreiter, Head of Textile Solutions, Ricoh Europe