Kornit Digital, Rosh-Ha`Ayin, Israel, recently hosted its “Kornit Discover” event at its North American headquarters in Englewood, N.J., and unveiled the Kornit NeoPoly Technology, which is the industry’s first digital, industrial process for high-quality printing on polyester.
Impressions was honored to be a part of the event, with editor-in-chief Marcia Derryberry speaking on a panel about direct-to-garment (DTG) industry trends.
Polyester is the second-largest category in the overall T-shirt market. It is key in the sport segment, and growing in the athleisure and functional apparel segments. Currently, polyester is printed predominantly by analog solutions, which creates major technological, cost and sustainability challenges.
The new, groundbreaking Kornit NeoPoly technology addresses these challenges with a new process and ink set implemented in the Kornit NeoPigment process that handles polyester applications without compromising on design, run size, substrate or labor, according to the company. It even can print on dark-colored garments.
The technology is achieved by an innovative ink set and a physical and chemical process specifically developed for low-temperature curing, and polyester-enhancing functionalities developed to maintain fabric characteristics and provide superior fastness. This unique process prevents dye migration on polyester. The inks are Oeko-Tex and Eco-Passport certified and do not contain PVCs or other toxic ingredients.
The first system equipped with the Kornit NeoPoly Technology is the new Kornit Avalanche Poly Pro, a member of Kornit’s highly productive industrial platform. The single-step Poly Pro allows for easy and cost-effective short runs and on-demand printing on polyester garments.
One of Kornit’s first customers to embrace the NeoPoly Technology is DTG2Go, a Delta Apparel company and leader in the DTG-printing and fulfillment marketplace.
“With our business serving the discerning activewear and performance-apparel markets, we see increasing demand for personalized, decorated polyester garments,” says Deborah H. Merrill, Delta Apparel’s CFO and President, Delta Group. “We are excited about the new opportunities the Avalanche Poly Pro creates for our business. Through DTG2Go, we can now deliver individualized and small-run prints on a variety of polyester fabric types at the quality levels our customers demand.”
“Kornit is on a mission to reinvent the garment and textile printing industry with game-changing technologies for growing market segments,” says Omer Kulka, Kornit’s vice president of marketing and product strategy. “We continually work to break technology boundaries, so that our customers can innovate and open new markets and new business opportunities, while being more operationally efficient. The new NeoPoly Technology is further proof of this innovation and reinvention mission.”
For more information, visit kornit.com. – M.D.