Soft Signage Market Trends

Soft signage is a common industry term that is used to describe digitally printed fabric signage. Although soft signs are limited to a particular ink set, they are typically printed on a polyester–based textile and on occasion natural fiber such as cotton or a cotton blend. The use of soft signage is evolving to encompass range of applications, including trade show graphics, backlit displays, retail store décor elements, as well as flags and banners. The number of ink sets that can be used for soft signage applications is growing all the time. Initially dominated by paper transfer sublimation inks, the market has now grown to include direct sublimation or disperse inks, UV flexible inks, and latex inks.

Digital textile printing, particularly for soft signage applications, provides an attractive service opportunity for sign printers that are looking to expand their offerings and increase their clientele. Recent advancements in ink types, primarily in LED UV and latex, have lowered the barrier to entry and widened the range of possible printing media. The advantages of digital textile printing include a positive operational and business impact. On the operations side, fabric printing provides an environmentally friendly ink set, no need for de-gassing, lightweight materials, and flexible installation. These have a continued effect on the business side by reducing material, shipping, and installation/labor costs.

As an adjacent business, some of today’s sign & display service providers are also using their systems to expand into fabric and garment printing as well as commercial or home décor. The retail environment is an example of a good business expansion opportunity. A range of décor applications are possible in this environment, including wall coverings, curtains, back- and front-lit tension fabric displays, branded umbrellas, and table throws.

Product branding and versioning enables end-users to reinforce their brand identity and reach customers on an individual basis. It is not uncommon to see chain stores using wind feathers, mesh and woven polyester banners, wallpaper, and other unconventionally printed substrates for their advertising efforts. A range of vendors are providing textile signage systems using latex, sublimation, and UV inks, and this is further contributing the continued growth in this segment. Some of these systems assist with fixing, lighting, and sewing, although finishing as a whole still remains a crucial element for all soft signage applications. This can range from basic banner grommeting to complex flag sewing, and might even involve welding. Any PSP offering soft signage prints will need to take print finishing into account, which means hiring experienced operators with the required skill set as well as purchasing or leasing any necessary equipment (e.g., sewing machines).

The soft signage market is evolving at a rapid pace, and InfoTrends is tracking developments in few key areas:

• Printers greater than 3 meters wide
• The transition to direct sublimation printing
• The entrance of UV & latex devices

Printers Greater than 3 Meters Wide

As the demand for printed textiles and requested size continues to increase, digital press vendors are beginning to introduce digital textile printers that are capable of handling substrates up to and beyond 3 meters wide. Although this area has historically been dominated by traditional printing methods, companies like EFI, d.gen, Durst, and Mimaki are entering with grand format digital textile printers. EFI debuted its latest dye-sublimation printer at the International Sign Association (ISA) Expo in April 2016. The EFI VUTEk FabriVU 340 is capable of printing directly on textiles up to 3.4 meters wide. Meanwhile, d.gen has introduced a more cost-effective version of its Teleios Grande G5. The Teleios Grande H6 is a 3.3-meter wide direct-to-fabric sublimation and pigment ink-based machine. In March 2016, Mimaki introduced its 3.2-meter wide UJV55-320 UV inkjet printer, which is capable of producing high-opacity prints for backlit and signage applications. DURST is not a new player to the space; the company introduced its first UV roll-to-roll 3.2 meter wide press (the RHO 312R) back in 2014. DURST also offers its Rhotex series of production inkjet printers, and the Rhotex 500 device is capable of printing up to 5 meters wide.

Many of these new digital textile printers are targeted toward the soft signage market, as their grand format enables larger seamless prints for applications like flags, lightboxes, banners, and trade show displays. The ability to print on extra-large substrates dramatically reduces finishing time, as the need for stitching and sewing is almost negated.

The Transition to Direct Sublimation Printing

Dye-sublimation, the current technology leader in printing soft signage and textiles, is seeing a shift away from traditional paper transfer methods. Dye-sublimation using transfer paper is a two-step process where a printer transfers imaged ink to a medium (usually paper), which is then transferred to the final substrate through a fixing process in a heat press. Although this method works well and allows for flexibility in changing the final printed substrate, it has a high energy cost, necessitates extra steps, and generates additional environmental waste in relation to direct-to-fabric printing. A new class of digital dye-sublimation printers has emerged in the past few years, and these devices can print directly on fabric without any transfer medium. Vendors like Mutoh, Mimaki, and Durst have all introduced dye-sublimation devices capable of direct-to-fabric printing. Similar to the paper transfer method, direct printed textiles need to pass a head press to sublimate the image deep into the fabric. Thus process can be handled in-line on the printer or as secondary process offline.

The ability to print directly onto a substrate with dye-sublimation is proving to the one of the best methods for soft signage. Because the ink is directly dispersed on the signage material, the end result is a much more saturated fabric. This penetration is not a bad thing—ink penetration in signage fabrics enables the printed image to show through on both sides of the material. This is particularly useful for applications that require two-sided viewing, such as flags. The increased ink penetration and saturation is also helpful for many backlit displays and large banners because there is less of a chance for the printed image to show imperfections when stretched. InfoTrends expects the sublimation printing sector to show consistent growth, with about 213 million sq. meters expected to be printed in 2016. Between 2014 and 2019, total square meters printed are expected to demonstrate a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 23 percent.

The Entrance of UV & Latex Devices

Although dye-sublimation has long been the primary and preferred print method for soft signage, recent advancements in ink and coating have made soft signage printing more compatible with UV-curable as well as latex inks. These types of inks address PSPs’ needs for improved durability, lightfastness, operational efficiency, and output quality. The introduction of competitively-priced wide format latex and UV printers makes it possible for smaller PSPs to enter the soft signage market. HP is at the forefront of innovations in entry-level as well as production wide format latex printing, offering devices below $9,000. This makes latex a viable alternative for traditional dye-sublimation devices that are used for printing soft signage. Latex-printed soft signs do not require a secondary heat-based sublimation process and are lightfast due to their resiliency to UV exposure. For all its benefits, though, the color saturation for latex ink is lower than that for dye-sublimation ink.

UV-curable printing enables an almost limitless range of printable substrates, as UV inks are placed on the top layer of a substrate and cured almost immediately. This allows for more vibrant prints, and the output is dry to the touch when exiting the printer. Nevertheless, soft signage with UV-curable inks faces some hurdles in relation to latex and sublimation. With inks only residing on the surface level, cracking can occur on malleable materials, especially fabrics. Recent advancements in ink formulation have alleviated some of these concerns. Some of today’s ink formulations can now provide a reliable cure on soft signage applications, as these inks are flexible and can elongate (stretch) up to 400% of their original size without cracking. This is suitable for many opaque display signs and banners.

According to InfoTrends’ most recent forecast data, total output from roll-to-roll latex printers amounted to 387 million sq. meters in 2016. Meanwhile, output on roll-to-roll UV printers was 261 million sq. meters. Output for these devices is expected to grow at 14% and 20% respectively through 2019. Although only a portion of this output is textiles, there is no doubt that sustained growth will continue for both technologies in the foreseeable future.

The soft signage market will continue to grow and evolve as time goes on. There are many growth areas in a range of applications suitable for this technology, including banners, flags, retail POP/POS, and backlit displays. Meanwhile, the application landscape is expanding to include areas like décor, sign & display, and fast fashion.

Introductions of new technologies and materials in all sectors—especially latex, UV, and dye-sublimation—are expected to continue. Dye-sublimation remains the top print method for soft signage for now, but new low-cost UV and latex machines and inks are expected to become increasingly popular over time. Combined with finishing solutions and a compelling cloud-based workflow, these solutions will generate profitable business opportunities for the foreseeable future.