SHAOXING, CHINA – November 8, 2025 – The 2025 Global Digital Textile Inkjet Printing Summit kicked off in Keqiao, Shaoxing, a global hub for textile production, bringing together industry leaders, experts, and entrepreneurs to explore the future of digital textile printing. With the theme of "Innovation · Collaboration · Sustainability," the summit highlighted that digital textile printing has crossed a critical adoption threshold, emerging as a key driver of high-quality development in the printing and dyeing industry amid global industrial transformation.
Digital inkjet printing technology, which integrates technological innovation, green production, and fashion creativity, has revolutionized traditional textile printing methods. Unlike labor-intensive traditional processes that rely on costly screens and consume large amounts of water, digital printing enables on-demand production, reduces waste, and delivers high-precision, vibrant designs-addressing the industry's growing demand for customization, efficiency, and sustainability.
Qian Kaifeng, Member of the Party Group of Shaoxing Keqiao District People's Government and Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Shaoxing Lanting Cultural Tourism Resort, noted in his speech that Keqiao, home to over 8,000 textile enterprises, has long regarded textile printing and dyeing as a core advantage industry. "Digital inkjet printing is the sharpest 'innovation blade' driving the transformation of our textile industry," he said. "It responds to the call for intelligent manufacturing with digitization, realizes the revolution of green production with inkjet technology, and carries the soul of fashion creativity with printing-each progress in this field is a solid step for Keqiao to cultivate new quality productive forces."
Li Lingshen, Vice President of the China Textile Industry Federation, emphasized that the printing and dyeing industry, a technology-intensive and value-driven link in the textile industrial chain, is entering a new phase of high-quality development characterized by digital transformation, green low-carbon, and value leap. "Digital textile printing, which combines textile technology and fashion creativity, is the most dynamic and growth-potential segment in the current printing and dyeing industry," he stated. He proposed four key suggestions for promoting the high-quality development of the industry: focusing on technological innovation, practicing green low-carbon development, strengthening industrial chain collaboration, and consolidating talent support.
Julian Turner, Executive Chairman of World Textile Information Network (WTiN), delivered a keynote report on the global supply and demand situation and prospects of digital textile inkjet printing. He pointed out that after 25 years of development, digital inkjet printing has become the mainstream technology in the global textile printing industry. "Over the past five years, China's digital printing market share has grown rapidly and surpassed Europe," Turner said. "In the next five years, driven by on-demand customization, e-commerce, direct digital printing, and export orientation, China's digital textile printing market will maintain sustained growth. Meanwhile, the fast-growing digital printing markets in Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Mexico will bring new opportunities for Chinese digital printing equipment manufacturers."
Industry experts and enterprise representatives also shared insights into technological breakthroughs and practical applications during the summit. Zheng Jing, Deputy General Manager of Hangzhou Honghua Digital Technology Co., Ltd., stated that digital printing has entered the 3.0 stage, with its market adoption rate exceeding the critical threshold. "Traditional printing and dyeing factories are facing challenges such as low processing fees and slow investment returns, which forces digital printing manufacturers to cooperate with upstream and downstream industries to build a win-win ecosystem," he said, adding that Honghua has launched an integrated solution to help enterprises improve value-added services and flexible supply capacity.
Technological innovation was a key focus of the summit. Speakers highlighted advancements in various fields, including high-speed digital printing equipment, eco-friendly inks, and AI-enabled design and production. For instance, Mimaki Europe recently launched the TRAPIS transfer pigment ink system, which reduces wastewater by up to 90% compared to traditional printing methods, while its Neo-Chromato process enables the decolorization and reprinting of dyed polyester textiles-promoting circular economy in the industry.
Zhang Baohua, Professor at the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, discussed the innovation path of printing design under the new national trend. He emphasized that technological innovation is a key driver of design development, noting that digital printing allows for the integration of traditional culture with modern technology, enabling the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese textile culture.
As the summit concluded, industry insiders agreed that digital textile printing is poised for accelerated growth, with AI, green technology, and industrial chain collaboration becoming the core trends shaping its future. With continuous technological breakthroughs and increasing market demand, digital printing is expected to further replace traditional processes, driving the textile industry towards a more intelligent, sustainable, and high-value future.