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Digital printing has the potential to reshape how American-made clothing is produced, and the speed at which it can be put on the market. Many designers and manufacturers are switching to digital printing because it is less expensive, faster, and more durable than traditional fabric printing methods. This is excellent news for clothing manufacturers in New York City. Here is what digital printing brings to the table.

Greater Design Flexibility

One major benefit of digital printing is that designers have greater flexibility in their designs. Digital printing can print virtually any size design and incredible detail in a design, which makes it ideal for intricate layouts. It also can be printed in virtually any color, while traditional offset printing is limited in color options.

Better Quality

The quality of digital printing far exceeds the printing that clothing manufacturing companies have traditionally used. Colors are crisper and more precise, and details are sharper and can be extremely detailed. Proofing is also easier because digital allows–in fact, thrives on–short runs. Because of that, a single sample can be run and given to the client. They can see and feel how their apparel will look once the run is complete.

Customized Designs and Easier Edits

Digital printing allows for customization of design that is only restricted by the designer’s imagination. Text, images, logos, and colors are customizable, and there is virtually no limit. A design can also be modified on the fly to fit a particular printing segment of an order.

With traditional systems, edits are a process that involves several steps, plus review and approval. With digital printing, edits are as easy as working within an application to modify the design online before sending it back to the digital printer.

Lower Costs

Digital printing uses 95 percent less water and 75 percent less energy to run the same order versus running it on offset printers. Generally, digital printing works best when run in smaller volume jobs. Ink for digital printing has also declined over the past decade, making digital printing even more affordable. The lowered costs make it a viable and financially sensible choice for clothing manufacturers for small businesses in retail.

Incredibly Fast

Digital printing takes a fraction of the time to set up, proof, and run when compared to traditional fabric printing methods used by clothing manufactures in the USA. This is because the layout is easier, as is completing quality checks. Those savings alone make it quicker than traditional offset printing. Additionally, the actual process of printing is fast because of the introduction of high-speed, single-pass printing.

More Options

Whereas offset and inkjet printing have pretty much maxed out their technology capabilities, digital printing continues to be developed; and with each new innovation, costs are controlled, speed increased, and quality enhanced. Digital printing can also be combined to work with inkjet technology to create printing capabilities on almost any fabric. Digital printing is also expanding in the USA and Europe, providing options for retailers that were not there previously.

Targeted, Niche Markets

It is no secret that digital printing works best in terms of turnaround and budgets if the print run is smaller. That makes it ideal, however, for the luxury apparel market. Those brands tend to make smaller runs of products that are exceptional quality. Digital printing just adds to that.

Digital printing is on the rise, but already has re-engineered how manufacturers produce high-end, quality American products. For more information on digital printing and American manufacturing, check out Apparel Production.