Big Picture - April 2020 - 11

technical components. (Note: Wicking technology has a
laundry list of synonyms, many of which are trademarked. If
you come across the terms "moisture-wicking," "dry-fit,"
"cooling," etc., it's describing the same technology. Though,
finish formulas can differ based on the textile supplier.)
Do you have a customer developing an outerwear or swim
line? Suggest a fabric with a durable water repel (DWR) finish.
A DWR finish will stop absorption by repelling liquid from the
fabric's surface. This is where your raincoat or boardshort
projects come in. If you're a dye sublimation printer, the best
part about DWR is it's only compatible with dye sublimation
printing. Other digital textile printing technologies cannot
penetrate the finish. The ability to print on DWR fabrics is an
optimal service to highlight, and may end up sparking some
new ideas for your customers.
Similar to DWR, stain and soil release finishes are an ideal
add-on to upholstery fabrics. If you're entering the home décor
market, be sure to suggest technical polyester fabrics with
stain and soil release to your customers. Polyester is continuing to grow in popularity among the interior fabric market,
and a technical fabric can give your customers an edge by
creating a product with superior durability.
Most DWR and stain and soil release finishes utilize a
fluorinated chemistry to achieve their technical results. It's
important to talk to your textile supplier about coating ratings.
While long-chain C8 and above ratings may achieve better
results, short-chain C6 and below meet Oeko-Tex Standard
100 environmental protection requirements and are being
widely adopted by most brands.
Aside from the incredible advancements in finishing
technology, there are other exciting developments in the
construction of polyesters at mill stage. There are now
polyester fabrics on the market that more closely resemble the
look and feel of cotton or silk, and they will likely revolutionize
the apparel and home markets.
CAPITALIZE ON TRENDS

Polyester isn't just the fabric of the future;
it's the fabric of right now.
polyester fabric with a soft natural hand will not only extend
the lifetime of the garment, but also create a superior product
while increasing marketability and their selling price, it
undoubtedly gives them something to think about.
EMBRACE THE FUTURE: RECYCLED POLYESTER
It would be inaccurate to call recycled polyester a trend. It's a
fiber reflecting a shift in cultural values that's cementing itself
as a power player in fashion. Millennials and Gen Z are
hungry for it as it continues to become more readily available,
cost-effective, and technically advanced.
In the digital textile printing community there has been a
debate and some apprehension from printers to utilize this
media. If you're a printer who tested recycled polyester five
years ago, you might have had bad results. It's a story I've
heard many times, and it's kept businesses from experimenting with recycled polyester. Poor image clarity and color
saturation prompted many to walk away, but it's time to give it
another shot because recycled polyester has evolved in
quality and printability.
Recycled polyester isn't a tough sell; the quality is high, it's
easily marketable, and, most of all, it's the best option for the
planet. There are impressive solutions available to the apparel
and signage markets, and recycled polyester for the home
market won't be far behind. Don't wait to hop on this train; it's
not stopping any time soon.
STARTING A NEW CONVERSATION
Moving forward, more designers and brands are going to come
to our industry looking to capitalize on customization and
creative solutions. Polyester is often a huge part of this equation
and it deserves a second chance. The marketer in me wants to
call for a polyester rebrand. I encourage you to continue
learning about this fiber as it advances and reconsider the
discussion around it. Polyester isn't just the fabric of the future;
it's the fabric of right now. It might take some mental gymnastics for you and your customers, but the future is bright and it
leaves the door wide open for new opportunities.

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If you want to add apparel and interior designers to your
customer list, understanding current market trends could be
your differentiating factor. I like to think about trends as both
a language and a connector. Designers look to build on a trend
and make it their own. You have the opportunity to meet them
halfway by showcasing how you can execute the trend in a
new and digital way.
You might be thinking "trend forecasting is the responsibility of the designer," but I encourage you to reconsider. Every
day, more designers are being exposed to digital printing
technology. Their wheels are turning in new ways and they
have a learning curve ahead of them. When they come to your
business in search of partnership, there are aspects of the
printing process you're going to have to teach them. If you're a
dye sublimation shop, you're going to have to say your process
is only compatible with polyester in the first conversation. For
some designers, that might be the end of the conversation. In
the past, you may have ended it there, too. But if you're on the
forefront of technology trends and can help them break
through their preconceived notions of polyester, there's a good
chance they'll be open to trying dye sublimation.

It doesn't take a lot of time or money to keep up on trends.
It's as simple as walking through a few stores, like Target or
Macy's, every quarter to see what's selling. Look at the garment
tags (located inside the garment with specific fabric content and
manufacturing information) and hang tags (attached to the
exterior of the garment with fabric highlights and product
marketing). Take note of the fabric content (Polyester? A blend?
Cotton?), construction (Jersey knit? Twill? Interlock?), weight,
and finish (Wicking? DWR?). It doesn't hurt to look at colors,
texture, and how the fabric is marketed either.
The ability to talk trends is a critical skill. I work it into
conversations as much as I can to build the customer's trust.
Their initial concept may revolve around other fibers, but
when I can illustrate, for example, that an interlock, wicking

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Big Picture - April 2020

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