by Olivia Cahoon
Part 2 of 2
Digital textile printing allows textile manufacturers to deliver high-quality fabrics in shorter runs with less manufacturing costs. In part two of this series, we look at two Turkish textile manufacturers that opted for digital with the Epson Monna Lisa series of printers.
Its newest printer in the portfolio, the Epson Monna Lisa Evo Tre, is suitable for a variety of textile applications such as couture fashion, fashion accessories, fast fashion, home textiles, swimwear, and sportswear.
Fashion & Accessories
In 1994, Armine started in the textile sector as a key industrial player in the silk processing and printing Turkish market. The company originally focused on scarf production but decided to expand its production in 2006 with a range of women’s clothing.
Soon after the print house gained recognition, specifically for its ready-to-wear sector. In 2014, the company invested in digital printing technology and established itself in the national market, eventually becoming a popular brand.
Today Armine has 640 employees and 52 stores in Turkey. It is one of the leading Turkish companies in the women’s clothing sector.
Originally, the company used traditional printing technology for its textile production. After years of unsustainable printing due to high production costs—even on small orders—and with the need for a flexible and streamlined printing process, Armine decided to transform. The print house sought a printing process that allowed demand-based quantities and avoided small order waste and surplus storage issues.
After extensive research, Armine settled upon digital solutions and selected the Epson Monna Lisa digital printers for its quality and reliability. “With Monna Lisa we could experience unparalleled versatility, and an extreme color rendering precision. Our customers are highly satisfied—much more than before,” shares Halit Telli, production manager, Armine.
By investing in the Monna Lisa series, Armine reduced costs imposed by traditional printing and achieved a rapid positive market response. One of the largest benefits the print house experiences with the digital device is the ability to print on fabrics of any size—even for small orders. With traditional printing technology this wasn’t possible because it required a pre-determined minimum amount of fabric to begin printing.
Additionally, Monna Lisa digital printing proved to be highly cost-effective compared to traditional rotary screen printing because it uses less space and saves resources such as energy and time.
Currently, Armine’s digital printing department works with two Monna Lisa Evo devices and one Monna Lisa Evo Tre 32. The Monna Lisa Evo Tre 32 offers high-productivity quality and uses PrecisionCore proprietary printing technology. It features 32 printheads and is compatible with Genesta inks.
“Given the feedback and praise received from customers and the market, we are seriously considering increasing the number of Epson devices. It’s a great solution that fully meets our production needs and quality standards. It is a complete, fully integrated system that guarantees maximum support throughout the production cycle,” offers Telli.
Fast Fashion
Established in 1974, Birlik Örme is a leading clothing and accessory manufacturer in the Turkish textile industry. The company handles a manufacturing capacity of 600 to 750 tons per year and specializes in producing an extensive textile selection, including cotton, mixed linen and 100 percent linen, and polyester—all digitally printed with reactive inks.
Birlik Örme features a production area of 25,000 squared meters. Its affiliate—Akincilar Textile—is a manufacturer specialized in knitwear, dyeing, and ready-to-wear. The affiliate helps the print house pursue its mission of maintaining the highest standards of quality and customer satisfaction.
Primarily serving the international market, Birlik Örme directly exports 85 percent of its production throughout the world. With sustainable innovation in mind, the company started a new partnership in 2016 with an important brand and commenced an upgrade of its production processes to meet international sustainable production standard requirements.
In January 2009, the Turkish textile manufacturer bought its first Monna Lisa series. Several factors contributed to this decision including the printer’s cutting-edge technology, the color balance of prints, and the quality of the machine’s components, such as the printheads. The Epson PrecisionCore printheads are designed to last longer and keep up with rapid changes in the textile industry. Additionally, the prompt supply of spare parts and a satisfactory technical service also influenced Birlik Örme.
“The number of customers requiring high-quality digital printing is steadily increasing together with the market for this kind of printing. Epson and Monna Lisa have made us part of this continually evolving flow,” shares Mustafa Catalkaya, digital print manager, Birlik Örme.
A majority of the textile manufacturer’s customers are exporters and have expectations for high-product quality, colorfastness, and speed in production. The Monna Lisa Evo Tre meets these expectations and convinced the textile company that it made the right choice.
“Monna Lisa presents distinct advantages compared to the competition, first of all is its reliability. Once you start using a printer of this standard you no longer wish to go back,” adds Catalkaya.
Looking at the last ten years, the printing sector in Turkey has made much progress compared to the traditional printing market. According to Catalkaya, the continuous discussion with Birlik Örme’s international clientele and market needs and requirements—mainly with regard to digital printing—motivate the company to constantly improve its offering and business mission.
Digitally Printed Textiles
As the role of digital textile printing continues to advance, textile manufacturers see the potential and incorporate the technology. With Epson’s Monna Lisa series, both Armine and Birlik Örme successfully digitally print fabrics for Turkey’s textile market. IPM
Jul2020, Industrial Print Magazine