This December, the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists and PRINTING United Alliance are hosting the seventh annual Digital Textile Printing Conference in Durham, North Carolina. With the theme, "Driving Digital Textile Transformation … Go!" the event will be held Dec. 7 through 8, and will include 15 different educational sessions. This year, we will be diving deeper into the state of the digital textile printing industry; understanding why artists and designers are gravitating toward this technology; and highlighting ways to improve the manufacturing process.
There are several reasons I’m counting down the days till this year’s conference, but here are the top five as to why this is a must-attend.
1. Networking
Each year, this conference brings together a large group of like-minded individuals with different backgrounds who are excited to drive the industry forward. There will be multiple opportunities to network and collaborate with others during receptions, lunches, breaks, and even panel discussions with open-question formatting.
2. Technology
The digital printing industry is quickly evolving, and this conference is the perfect opportunity to uncover what is being developed by industry leaders. This year, there are several presentations that go beyond printing to the manufacturing of finished products. In-line manufacturing by implementing sewing or printing directly onto garments allows for faster speed to market. Additionally, there is a focus on color management to assure businesses and customers alike can have confidence in the reproducibility of goods.
3. State of the Industry
The conference is kicking off with two presentations that will provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the industry and market trends to orient attendees on where digital textile printing is currently and where it is headed.
4. Drivers for Digital
One of my favorite aspects of this conference is hearing firsthand how artists, designers, and entrepreneurs can leverage digital printing to create unique goods. This year, there will be several presentations and a panel discussion spotlighting how digitally printed textiles are making their mark in the home décor space.
5. Shared Challenges
Lastly, this is the perfect opportunity to exchange views on and solutions to shared challenges. I encourage you to shed light on your current roadblocks during Q&A sessions or networking receptions. There is a good chance an attendee can provide a solution or have a contact who is able to assist.
I hope to see you driving digital transformation at the conference this year!
Learn more and register for Digital Textile Printing Conference 2022.
Alyssa McNamara is an R&D engineer at Shutterfly, specializing in textile and wallpaper process innovation within the Spoonflower brand. She has a background in textile technology and has been working in the digital textile printing field for over a decade. In her free time, Alyssa enjoys spending time outside with her dog, experiencing new places, and baking sweet treats.