ESMA launches new conference Textile Printing and Sustainability

The European Specialist Printing Manufacturers Association (ESMA) follows its new focus on textile market with a new event to inspire and accelerate change within the industry: The Textile Printing and Sustainability (TPS) conference will take place from 8th to 9th September 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany, and welcomes all involved in automatisation, new business models and best environmental practices for various textile applications. 

Textiles have fourth largest climate impact

“According to the European Environmental Agency, textile has the region’s fourth largest climate impact, following only food, housing and transport industries. The average European throws away 11 kilograms of textiles every year”, explains ESMA CEO Peter Buttiens in a press release.

“Different international bodies throw their weight behind changing this. For example, the EU is introducing a digital product passport to boost circular economy. This forms an incentive for every step of textile production and workflow, to stimulate creative reuse, recycling and repurposing of materials and end products,” adds Buttiens.

The new conference for textile printing and sustainability looks at all critical factors and global trends that influence textile market conditions today and in the nearest future: customer-made fashion, responsible businesses, quality concerns, customisation and personalisation.

The event brings together industry experts from two main printing processes – screen and inkjet – to promote best practices, discuss new application fields and explain benefits and challenges of individual technology choices. 

Presentations and networking

So far, 40 presentations and 50 networking stands have been confirmed. The conference targets anyone who wants to make textile production more sustainable, including designers, printers, dyers, brand owners, E-commerce, distributors, retailers, engineers, chemists, production developers and sustainability officers as well as NGOs, associations and regulators.

One of the keynote speakers will be Karin Ekberg, talking about leadership and sustainability, an area Ekberg has much experience with as head of environmental services at the Adidas Group and chair of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. Heiner Rupperath from Brother will look at the environmental challenges in hardware manufacturer operations and Inga Barende from Covestro will introduce the raw materials perspective. The Institute of Textile Technology at RWTH Aachen will share the latest know-how behind smart textiles. 

The programme aims to cover the entire supply chain and workflow, involving manufacturers of products for fabric handling (pre- and post-treatment), the printing process itself (inks and equipment), as well as printers, cutters, sewers, value added resellers and brand owners. “From material science through print systems to micro-factories and finishing – TPS brings together all those who drive change and contribute to innovation,” says ESMA. 

“As natural resources diminish and the climate crisis grows acute, the question of more sustainable textile industry occupies the entire world. Proposed solutions include changes in supply chains, development of new fibres and chemistry processes, as well as digitalisation”, states industry expert Thomas Poetz.

“According to one calculation, up to 790 billion litres of water could be saved on yearly basis if all textile printing moved from analogue to digital. Similar reductions can be achieved with innovative dyeing processes. And there are of course other potential savings in areas such as energy, transport or waste production. With the TPS conference we set up a platform for the industry and research centres, so that sustainable networks can develop,” sums up Poetz.