Digital printing technology is moving from a supporting sampling tool to a core production method. At ITM 2026, EFI Reggiani showcased a full digital textile production chain covering design, sampling, and mass production, with on-demand production as its core value proposition. The Italian equipment manufacturer exhibited at Hall 4, Stand 404A, featuring next-generation single-pass printers and high-speed scanning models optimized for sustainability.
The Technical Logic Behind On-Demand Production
The solutions displayed by EFI Reggiani go beyond single equipment upgrades, forming a fully digital chain from design to finished product. The exhibited single-pass printers achieve printing speeds exceeding 90 meters per minute at resolutions above 600 dpi, meeting the precision requirements of large-volume orders. Meanwhile, the high-speed scanning models reduce switching time between sampling and small-batch production to under 15 minutes, enabling factories to handle short-lead-time orders flexibly.
From an energy consumption perspective, EFI Reggiani's drying and fixation systems adopt more efficient heating designs, reducing energy use by approximately 30% compared to traditional heat transfer processes. For dyeing and printing mills, this directly impacts unit costs and environmental compliance pressure. In concentrated printing and dyeing regions such as Shaoxing, Zhejiang, and Shengze, Jiangsu, energy consumption indicators have become a key constraint on capacity expansion, and the energy-saving advantages of digital printing are driving more factories to upgrade equipment.
Ripple Effects on the Supply Chain
The shift of digital printing from sampling to mass production is reshaping decision-making logic for fabric buyers. Previously, brands and traders needed to create samples for color and hand feel confirmation before placing bulk orders, a cycle typically taking 4-6 weeks. Under the on-demand production model, design files can be transmitted directly to factory digital printers, compressing the waiting time between sampling and initial production to 3-5 days. This shifts inventory risk from buyers to producers, placing higher demands on factory scheduling and color management capabilities.
For traditional screen printing mills, EFI Reggiani's solutions represent more direct competitive pressure. A single single-pass digital printer can achieve output equivalent to 3-4 traditional printing lines, but with a smaller footprint and lower labor costs. In fabric hubs like Keqiao and Nantong, medium-sized printing and dyeing mills have begun shifting part of their capacity to digital printing, primarily serving fast-fashion brands and e-commerce orders.
Industry Trends and Implementation Challenges
Looking at the overall direction of ITM 2026, the exhibition space for digital printing equipment increased by about 20% compared to the previous edition, with exhibitors mainly from Italy, Japan, and Chinese domestic brands. As an established Italian equipment manufacturer, EFI Reggiani maintains technological barriers in color management and printhead lifespan, but its price threshold remains high, with single-unit prices ranging from 500,000 to 1.5 million euros, a significant investment for small and medium-sized mills.
Another limiting factor is the localization rate of inks and consumables. Currently, digital printing inks are still dominated by imported brands, with domestic inks lagging in color fastness and color saturation. For buyers, choosing digital printing fabrics requires careful attention to ink brands and supplier after-sales technical support.