Touch7—a leader in neon colour systems—and ATP Color have announced a strategic technology partnership aimed at enhancing the textile printing landscape with vibrant colours.
Developer of colour communication and design systems Color-Logic has partnered with ATP Color, manufacturer of textile printers, to ‘transform’ how textile printers utilise vibrant colours.
The US-based company focused on developing speciality effects in printing, enables its customers to differentiate their products and designs with optimised solutions for workflow.
Mark Geeves co-founder and director sales & marketing at Color-Logic told WTiN: “We can streamline the workflow in the design stage. Everyone forgets that all print starts with design.”
It was in 2015 that the company witnessed digital engines launching with neon and fluorescent inks. Previously Color-Logic had optimised the use of metallics; developing a colour system and algorithms that would work with these silver inks in a digital process. With an increased want and need for more personalised and customised printing processes, Color-Logic’s CTO, Richard Ainge saw a pathway to expand its offering to the fluorescent and neon market, as such Touch7 was created.
Color-Logic and ATP Color Partner to Revolutionize Textile Printing with Touch7 Neon Color System
Reproducing neon colours accurately and consistently across various media and printing processes has been a challenge for professionals. Touch7 Neon Colour System™ provides graphic designers and pre-press personnel with a comprehensive colour system specifically designed for neon colours. The system consists of two packages – Touch7 primary where neon and fluorescent inks are printed in combination with the primary press inks (CMY plus neon), and Touch7 Pure, developed only for the neon and fluorescent inks to be printed together (CMYK inks).
Geeves said Touch7 offers designers a cost-effective and efficient solution as designers look to enhance their visual communication and standout in a crowded market. The system can be used in various industries including apparel.
ATP Color is the first official partner of Touch7 to print direct-to-fabric (DTF), that it knows of as a manufacturer.
By integrating the Touch7 Neon Colour System, Color-Logic said that ATP’s clients can now tap into an expanded colour gamut featuring 390 colours with each ATP neon colour: 195 expanded gamut colours, as well as an additional pastel gamut of 195 colours for each neon pink and neon yellow ink paired with CMYK. Moreover, the Touch7 Neon Photo plugin allows printers to incorporate neon pink or neon yellow into images with a single mouse click inside Adobe Photoshop.
Geeves explained how the system allows printers to produce their own ‘swatch books’ using neon/fluorescent inks/toners that are compatible with both digital and analogue devices. The automated neon colour palettes for Adobe Illustrator and InDesign are used to separate artwork in seconds. And with the Touch7 plugin designers can separate colours instantly from images.
ATP Color's cutting-edge textile printers are equipped with neon yellow and pink inks in conjunction with the standard CMYK colours
ATP Color is a young Italian digital textile printing company, it has more than 500 customers in Europe, Australia, Italy and the US. The company is investing in its R&D, collaborating with universities and research centres to develop new technologies and improve its products.
ATP reached out to Color-Logic to explore new markets and improve efficiency.
Geeves said there are only three reasons why people invest in technology. These he explained are to create new markets, save money and the fear or falling behind or missing out.
“Brands want to be wowed. They also want their product to be economical and for it to get to the market faster,” he said. “This is why ATP reached out to us. If you can do something in one mouse click, in three seconds, versus two or three hours in trial and error, not to mention shipping samples back and forth for colour approval.”
Touch7 acts as a drop-in solution for ATP printers. The ability to work with different printers as a drop-in solution opens up new markets.
“It’s not just the bring brands. Now you can have one off designers, all over the world, doing things,” said Geeves. “I’ve seen a lot done recently as this trend breaks through there is so much opportunity for both big brands and small designers to increase personalisation and create bespoke designs. As such, flexibility with design and efficiency go hand in hand when it comes to Touch7.”
This collaboration between Touch7 from Color-Logic and ATP Color hopes to empower textile printers to elevate their design capabilities, delivering stunning results that capture attention and inspire creativity.
Already the partnership with ATP has opened Color-Logic up with new potential clients around the world.
Geeves added: “Touch7 is compatible with any digital printer, digital press or conventional printing system that has neon or fluorescent inks/toners. Our technology isn’t for the biggest of brands, it’s for any size brand at any level.”
Moving forward Color-Logic is looking for new print technologies, new inks and new press manufacturers.
Geeves added that he would like to see more advertisement and marketing of what is possible and the tools that can be available to brands and designers. He wants the big brands, in particular, to understand that Color-Logic is a reliable and accurate colour choice, that can be tailored to any budget. It is a scalable option, which could be seen used more widely in the textile sector.
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