October 05, 2018
Kornit Digital Opens North American Headquarters
Kornit Digital, the Israeli-based manufacturer of high-end direct-to-garment and direct-to-textile printers, estimates that the overall decorated-apparel market generates around 15 billion impressions each year. But of that large number, only a thin slice is printed using digital technology. In the near future, however, that’s likely to change, and Kornit is ready to scale up with the inevitable growth of digital. To help spur the change, the company this week opened a new North American headquarters and demo center in Englewood, NJ.
Attending the grand opening of the @kornitdigital North American headquarters and demo center. #digitalprinting #dtg pic.twitter.com/cMLeTdNe79
— Theresa Hegel (@TheresaHegel) October 3, 2018
Kornit CEO Ronen Samuel expects the textile market to undergo the same digital transformation that other industries, like photography and publishing, have endured. Kornit, he says, is a key player in that transformation. “We’re very focused on technology and innovation,” Samuel says.
The rapid expansion of the e-commerce sector, the growing trend toward mass customization and personalization and customers’ desire for lightning-quick delivery have converged to make this the right moment for digital apparel printing, according to Kornit officials. “This is a huge opportunity for us,” says Shai Terem, president of Kornit Digital North America.
"We're just scratching the surface. There's a lot more to come." - @kornitdigital North America President Shai Terem on the future of the company's #digitalprinting technology. #dtg
— Theresa Hegel (@TheresaHegel) October 3, 2018
During a grand opening event, Kornit officials showed off the capabilities of its full range of equipment, printing vibrant patterns on rolls of white fabric and photo-realistic images on black T-shirts. The brand-new facility also included an array of digitally printed garments and home goods, from couches, ottomans and throw pillows to swimsuits, denim jackets and polyester performance tops.
The company is working on pushing the limits of what digital printing can do. At the headquarters, employees showed off metallic prints, and designs textured to resemble old-school screen printing and even embroidery. Kornit machines also allow printing on dark polyester, a capability that had limited success in early DTG iterations.
Kornit boasts more than 1,200 customers, including some big players in the e-commerce realm, like Amazon and Fanatics. During its grand opening event, Kornit invited several satisfied customers to explain why digital apparel printing was right for them. TJ Hahn of Legacy Athletic in Hanover, PA, said his company switched from manual screen presses to DTG, rather than invest in automatic screen-printing presses. He notes that Kornit allows his shop to keep ink costs down and offer lower minimums. “Customers want to sample different styles to see what will sell,” rather than being locked into carrying a huge inventory, Hahn says. “Kornit provides the platform to be able to do this.”