The digital textile printing market is ripe for growth. Estimates place the size of the market in the neighborhood for $2 billion, which is a lot until you consider that the overall textile printing market is thought to be around $150 billion. However, digital textile printing is growing fast, and the COVID-19 pandemic is showing the benefits of just-in-time printing and personalization.

Kornit Digital is one of the leading innovators in the digital textile space, having developed cutting-edge printers and inks. Recently, Kornit has been active in acquiring new technologies, including additive manufacturing specialist Voxel8 and textile curing leader Tesoma. Equally significant, Kornit recently opened its new $25 million state-of-the-art ink manufacturing facility in Kiryat Gat, Israel. 

Kornit has come a long way since it opened its doors in 2003. Ronen Samuel, Kornit Digital’s CEO, has targeted $1 billion in sales as Kornit’s revenue goal by 2026. The pieces are in place, and it all comes down to digital textile segment.

The History of Kornit Digital

A publicly-traded company since 2015, Kornit Digital’s headquarters are in Israel, but it has a global presence, with major regional hubs in the US, Germany, and Hong Kong. Robert Zoch, global content manager at Kornit Digital, noted that Kornit Digital pioneered the single-step digital textile print system, first in the context of direct-to-garment (DTG) production and later in roll-to-roll direct-to-fabric production. 

Zoch noted that in the last two years, Kornit acquired technology providers Custom Gateway (today part of Kornit’s offering under the brand name KornitX), Voxel8, and Tesoma for curing solutions.

“Kornit Digital leads the way and writes the operating system for on-demand sustainable textile and fashion production, recently committing to ambitious carbon footprint goals,” he added. “Additionally, the brand saw revenues of $322 million in 2021, with a stated goal of becoming a $1 billion company.”

Kornit Digital serves a number of digital textile markets, including fashion and apparel, sportswear (Kornit Digital was the first to deliver a DTG system specifically designed for polyester and poly-blends), home décor, personal accessories, and custom fabrics for microbrands/DIY creators.

Digital Textile Ink

The decision to add the new ink manufacturing facility improves Kornit’s ability to serve its customers.

“Due to its continuous success as a technology provider and leader in transforming the textile and fashion production business, Kornit Digital had outgrown our previous facility,” said Zoch. “The new plant is scalable to fit its needs for growth and scale, commensurate with the needs of its customers.

“Furthermore, Kornit Digital envisioned this new facility as a world-class research and development lab, where it can formulate, test, and bring to market the next great developments in sustainable production capabilities and consumables, to ensure customers have new opportunities for the duration of the partnership,” added Zoch.

Emphasis on Sustainability

Kornit has put a focus on sustainability, noting that its products have zero water waste and reduces inventory waste. The new ink facility adds to that.

“This facility is truly state-of-the-art, with streamlined production models, highly-automated processes, and every aspect of the operation designed with sustainability in mind,” Zoch observed. “Furthermore, this facility empowers Kornit to scale its R&D efforts for years to come, and sustainability is one of the firmest measurements of success for each new product Kornit brings to market.”

“Kornit is actively supporting carbon-neutral solutions,” Zoch added. “The main lines have been equipped with stainless steel pipes, which are durable and 100% recyclable, making it yet another sustainable choice. The company is also soon going to install a solar energy manufacturing system that will provide some of its total energy consumption.”

With the goal of tripling its sales in the next five years, Kornit’s expectations for the growth of digital textile printing are high.

“Kornit Digital fully expects it will become the dominant means of production, as it answers every major trend disrupting the industry,” said Zoch. “Digital offers a fast, agile, push-button solution, to create at the speed of e-commerce. It eliminates overproduction, and thrives with eco-friendly chemistries to answer the sustainability imperative.

Zoch also noted that digital production integrates perfectly with web-based sales channels such as brand websites, social media applications, and design tools on the front end, as well as digital floor management and shipping logistics on the back end, enabling end-to-end efficiency and automation to optimize the experience for both producer and consumer.

Ultimately, Zoch said that digital textile production is both a growth-enabling business model and a sustainable solution to the many supply chain, waste, forecasting, and carbon footprint challenges that have long plagued the industry on a global scale.

“It enables unlimited creative expression, and profitability in any quantity,” he concluded. “It enables proximity production, as digital workflows can align supply and demand worldwide, minimizing the time and logistics associated with fulfillment.”