There has never been a better time for technology in fashion. Epson America presented Epson Digital Couture as a showcase for fashion designers from South America and North America who have been creating with their dye sublimation printers.
Even now, many clothing brands are still printing fabric by traditional methods like having individual screens cut for every color needed for an art print. This is why only large clothing companies with big development budgets can afford their own prints.
With digital printing becoming more affordable and popular, independent designers can now afford to design fashion with the most detailed, photographic prints. Using this method, any designer with graphic skills can create printer-ready work themselves without any concern for the number of colors they will use. They can also perfect the print long before the first sample is made.
Epson spotlighted their SureColor F-Series printers last night. One was a large-scale printer that could print on polyester continually for flat fabric yardage. Another printed directly onto finished cotton t-shirts.
The fashion themselves was a beautiful representation of the fabrics and silhouettes that benefitted from this process. I was impressed with how richly colored and detailed the patterns were with the dye sublimation process. I am excited at the potential of how designers will continue to push their creativity with digital fabric printers. This is another great example of how technology is democratizing the barrier to entry for new fashion talent.
