Digital Textile Printing Market (By Printing Process: Direct To Fabric, Direct To Garment; By Operation; By Textile Material; By Ink Type; By Application) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Revenue, Regional Outlook and Forecast 2022-2030

The global digital textile printing market size was estimated at around USD 2.6 billion in 2021 and it is projected to hit around USD 6.89 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 11.44% from 2022 to 2030.

Report Highlights

• The Direct to Fabric (DTF) printing method held the largest market share of more than 67.7% in the year 2021. 
• The global market is dominated by the cotton segment as it held more than 52.3% of the global market share. 
• The polyester material is expected to be the fastest growing textile material with a CAGR of 13.09% during the forecast period. 
• The single pass operation segment is projected to be the fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 12.45% during the forecast period. 
• The multi-pass operation segment dominated the global market as it held over 62.3% of the global market share in 2021. 
• The clothing/apparel segment held the highest market share of more than 53.1% in 2021. 
• Clothing/ apparel is also projected to be the fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 12.7% during the forecast period. 
• The home décor is the second fastest growing segment with an anticipated CAGR of 12.34% during the forecast period. 
• The sublimation segment is also projected to be the fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 12.6%. 
• The reactive ink type is expected to be the second fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 12.4% during the forecast period. 
• Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 15.12% during the forecast period.
• Europe held the largest share of more than 37.8% in the global market in 2021. 

Digital printing refers to the process of printing a digital image on a variety of substrates materials. Digital textile printing is used to print on a variety of textile materials such as cotton, polyester, silk, nylon, and other synthetic fabrics.

Any design or pattern designed digitally can be printed on clothes, fabric rolls, and other textile items such as accessories, bedsheets, curtains, carpets, etc. The designs are generated with the aid of software. Printing techniques in digital textile printing are direct-to-garment (DTG) printing and roll-to-roll/direct-to-fabric printing. Pre-treating the fabric is essential in digital printing as it ensures that the fabric retains the ink effectively and allows the use of a broad set of colors on the textile.

Digital textile printing is set out to be the "next generation" of printing. Many textile business owners are investing in digital printing technology as fabric printing transitions to the modern form of printing. To suit the demands of the new generation, the textile sector around the globe is embracing digital printing technology for printing novel designs on garments and fabrics. Different types of inks are utilized for digital textile printing. Acid, reactive, dispersion, pigment, sublimation, and reactive are the most commonly used dyes for digital printing. These inks are available in vivid colors and can be utilized for commercial printing purposes.

Choice of ink differs with each fabric; for example, reactive inks are mostly used on cotton, linen, and rayon, dispersion inks for polyester, and acid inks for silk and nylon. As compared to traditional printing, digital textile printing has several benefits. The advantages of digital printing include the ability to print multiple colors on a garment at once, the ability to print on multiple garments at once, ability to print a varied range of color shades, among others. It also enables accurate, faster, and small volume printing at an economical cost. Also, the digital printing process is more efficient and economical. Designers, and textile businesses, are therefore increasingly adopting digital textile printing technology.

The textile sector is one of the significant sources of pollution. Digital textile printing is a greener alternative to the other technologies, which are more polluting. Digital printing of textiles is a better alternative as it does not require fabric washing, and hence less water and power are utilized in the process of printing. The digital textile printing technology does have some limitations, such as metallic hues cannot be printed with digital technology. Europe held the largest market share of more than 37% in the global market, owing to the growing demand for digital textile printing in the fashion hubs of Europe, such as Italy, and France. Italy holds a significant share in the European market.

The presence of numerous fashion enterprises in Rome, Milan, Venice, and Palermo increases the demand for specialized digital textile printing. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region with a CAGR of 15.1% during the forecast period. This is owing to the presence of a large number of textile hubs across the region. China and India are the two major contributors to the Asia Pacific market. Countries like Bangladesh, and Vietnam are also emerging as hubs of the textile market.

Scope of The Report

Printing Process Insights

The Direct to Fabric (DTF) printing method held the largest market share of more than 67.7% in the year 2021. In this method, designs and patterns are printed directly on a big roll of fabric. Once the fabric roll is printed, the fabric is cut out and sewed into a wide range of apparel and home décor items such as curtains, wallpapers, etc. DTF printing can be carried out by using a wide range of inks such as pigment inks, reactive dyes, dye-sublimation inks, and acid dyes. Players are providing both types of printers as the demand for each type is growing significantly.

The global digital textile printing market is segmented into Direct to Fabric (Roll to roll) and Direct to Garment (DTG) based on the printing process. Direct to-garment technique prints the design directly onto the garment. The rise of on-demand printing on garments and the growing demand for custom printing on t-shirts, and shirts are propelling the demand for direct-to-garment printers. The demand for custom-made garments is mainly from sports clubs and schools for uniforms, and corporate gifting among others. Digital printing is increasingly being used in custom garments as it allows printing of any design on the substrate. Direct-to garment is the fastest growing category in the printing process segment.

Textile Material Insights

The global market is dominated by the cotton segment as it held more than 52.3% of the global market share. Due to its excellent moisture absorption and extended durability, cotton is the most widely used textile material in fashion and sportswear. Cotton is highly durable, and has excellent printability which makes it an ideal choice for garments especially fashion wears. Cotton is also the first choice for several home décor items such as bed sheets, curtains, cushion covers, and table covers owing to the softness, easy washability, and attractiveness of the cotton material. These factors are aiding the demand for printed cotton fabrics and garments.

The polyester material is expected to be the fastest growing textile material with a CAGR of 13.09% during the forecast period. Sublimation ink is primarily used on a polyester fabric substrate. Over the past few years, polyester has gained popularity as a fabric in the fashion sector owing to its properties such as resistance to wrinkles, abrasion, and low cost, among others. Silk is also in demand for clothing purposes, and home décor items. The demand for silk textiles is majorly in Gulf countries and Japan. However, the cost of silk is high which limits its usage and demand.

Operation Insights

The single pass operation segment is projected to be the fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 12.45% during the forecast period. The operation segment is divided into two categories single pass and multi-pass. Single-pass printers have multiple printer heads that are distributed evenly across the fabric's breadth. The fabric passes through the printer at a steady speed and the entire image is printed in one pass on the textile. Thus, the single-pass method is faster compared to the multi-pass operation. The high production speed and sharpness are two significant advantages of single-pass printers. A single-pass printer can print up to 40 linear meters per minute.

The multi-pass operation segment dominated the global market as it held over 62.3% of the global market share in 2021. In multi-pass, the printer heads move across the width of the fiber. The designs are printed by moving the printer heads across the fiber multiple times. The multi-pass is cost-effective as it uses a fewer number of print heads. The benefit of multi-pass digital textile printing is that any errors that may occur during the first runs of the print heads are covered up by the subsequent pass. Multi-pass printers are also known as scanning printers.

Application Insights

Based on application the global digital textile printing market is segmented into clothing/apparel, home décor, soft signage, and industrial. The clothing/apparel segment held the highest market share of more than 53.1% in 2021. The dynamic nature of the fashion industry is the key contributor to the growth of the segment. Clothing/ apparel is also projected to be the fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 12.7% during the forecast period. Digital printing is being adopted in the fashion industry as it presents a huge number of design possibilities sustainably. Digital technology enables faster printing on all kinds of fabrics.

The adoption of digital textile printing is also growing home décor and soft signage applications. Digital printing is used for various home décors products such as bedsheets, pillow covers, wallpapers, and wood. The home décor is the second fastest growing segment with an anticipated CAGR of 12.34% during the forecast period. Digital textile printing has a wide range of applications in the soft signage industry such as banners for indoor and outdoor advertising, event frames, exhibition stands, flags, fabric roll-ups, displays, sound-absorbing panels and backgrounds, and wall coverings among others.

Ink Type Insights

Due to the rising demand for dye-sublimation in customized printing services, the sublimation segment held more than 52% of the market share in the global market in 2021. Sublimation inks are more durable than other ink types as they are absorbed into the fabric rather than just adding a layer of colour to the fabric. The sublimation segment is also projected to be the fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 12.6%. The sublimation inks are primarily used on synthetic fibers such as polyester. The sublimation method is environmentally friendly as compared to other ink types as it does not require washing of the textile after printing.

The reactive ink type is expected to be the second fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 12.4% during the forecast period. Reactive inks are primarily used for cotton. In addition, reactive inks can be utilized for printing on silk and fleece as well. Acid inks are mostly used on textile materials that do not easily retain printed colors such as wool and silk. Pigments and disperse inks are used most commonly the conventional textile printing. However, in digital textile printing, these ink types have the least usage.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 15.12% during the forecast period due to the presence of a large number of textile hubs in the region. China and India are the two major contributors to the growth of the regional market. China is one of the largest exporters of garments and textiles and hence the demand for textile printers is significantly expanding in the country. Countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Japan have emerged as hubs for textile printing because of the growth of the textile industry in the region.

Europe held the largest share of more than 37.8% in the global market in 2021. Italy is the dominant market in the region owing to the growing need for printing from Italy's fashion industry. Additionally, the existence of numerous fashion enterprises and big brands in Milan, Rome, Venice, and Palermo is contributing to the increasing demand for specialized digital textile printing that offers a wide range of color schemes and fashion patterns. Germany and France are also among the key markets in the European region contributing significantly to the growth.  

Key Players

• Seiko Epson
• Mimaki Engineering
• Kornit Digital
• D.Gen
• RolandDG Corporation
• Dover Corporation
• Konica Minolta
• Brother Industries
• Colorjet

Market Segmentation

• By Printing Process Outlook
• Direct to Fabric
• Direct to Garment
• By Operation Outlook
• Single Pass
• Multi-Pass
• By Textile Material Outlook
• Cotton
• Silk
• Polyester
• Others
• By Ink Type Outlook
• Sublimation
• Pigment
• Reactive
• Acid
• Others
• By Application Outlook
• Clothing/Apparel
• Home Décor
• Soft Signage
• Industrial
• By Regional Outlook
• North America

• U.S.
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• U.K.
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Asia Pacific
• China
• Japan
• India
• South America
• Brazil
• Middle East & Africa