The Australian Fashion Council (AFC) has signed an exclusive deal with Epson as AFC’s exclusive digital print and projection partner.
The organisations have also jointly commissioned a study to explore the current state and future potential of manufacturing for the clothing and textiles industry in Victoria, in a bid to build a business case for increased investment.
“The AFC seeks collaborative values-aligned partnerships to help us in our mission to guide the just transformation of Australian’s fashion and textile industry to a thriving circular economy by 2030,” AFC CEO Leila Naja Hibri said. “Epson’s strong commitment and proven capabilities at unlocking innovative technology that advances sustainable practice makes them a perfect partner for the AFC and our industry.
“Their digital textile printing and projection technology, which has been proven to be transformational in other global markets, has the potential to provide significant learnings and benefits to the Australian industry.”
Both organisations are exploring new sustainability initiatives for the fashion industry, including applications for digital textile printing technology. This includes Epson’s latest Monna Lisa direct-to-fabric textile printer series.
“The new Monna Lisa direct-to-fabric textile printer series is a real game changer as traditional printing techniques such as screen-printing use high volumes of water and harsh chemicals that, if not processed and treated properly, can end up in waterways,” Epson Australia MD Craig Heckenberg said. “Monna Lisa printers give organisations ability to do short runs within made-to-order purchasing workflows - both excellent ways to reduce over-ordering and over-consumption in our industry.”
Epson’s Monna Lisa digital production technology was recently utilised by French fashion brand Petit Bateau. The French brand prints 2.5 million linear metres of fabric per year using various textile printers, and has now shifted to on-demand manufacturing.
“As the Australian fashion and textile industry begins its transition to a circular economy, Epson’s innovative fabric printing technology will be a great enabler to smaller batch and on-demand manufacturing,” Naja Hibri said.
“Due to growing demand for ethically manufactured fashion as well as global trends and regulations requiring the same, new approaches like these are critical to the success of our industry’s national clothing product stewardship scheme, Seamless, which aims to change the way Australians design, consume and recycle clothing.”
The partnership with Epson is intended to help the AFC deliver on its goals to rebuild onshore manufacturing capability, develop future skills and career pathways to boost economic security for the industry and transition the industry to a sustainable, circular economy by 2030.