Screen Printing - October/November 2019 - 31

We have the numbers to prove it:
Smithers Pira's "The Future of Decorative
Print to 2023" report states the wallpaper/
wallcovering, direct-printed objects, and
flooring/furniture laminates market was
valued at $18.9 billion in 2018 and is
projected to reach $22.5 billion in 2023.
Global production of printed textiles is
projected to reach 396.1 billion square feet
by 2024 and the digitally printed wallpaper
market is expected to grow at a CAGR of
25 percent, reaching a value of $7.74 billion
by 2023 (increasing from $2.53 billion in
2018), according to FESPA.
Read on for a Q&A with Jon Sherman of
Flavor Paper to see how his company is
profiting with both screen and digital
offerings, and consider how your shop can
benefit from this exciting trend.
Q. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF
WALLCOVERINGS AT FLAVOR PAPER
PER MONTH ARE SCREEN PRINTED?
WIDE-FORMAT DIGITALLY PRINTED?
A. The volume of hand screened versus
digital work varies from month to month.
Occasionally Flavor Paper produces designs
utilizing both methods for special projects.
While we've historically seen a 50/50 split,
wide-format production is growing faster
now due to the scale of commercial projects
that require 54-inch material.
WHY DO YOU OFFER BOTH?
Since Flavor Paper opened up shop in 2003,
our goal has been to evolve what wallpaper
can and should be, and to provide clients
with a menu (even off-menu) of options
that help bring their vision to the wall.
We don't believe that one size fits all places
or personalities. By offering both printing
methods we're able to explore all conventional wallcovering boundaries, break them,
and stretch clients' abilities to realize unique
environments that are immersive, and
100-percent tailored to their individual taste.
WHAT DO YOUR CLIENTS TYPICALLY
ASK FOR WITH REGARD TO DIGITAL OR
HAND SCREENED? ARE THEY EDUCATED
IN EITHER PRINTING PROCESS?
Our clients often come to us with a

preconceived notion of what they want.
But, once we dig into the overall idea of a
project, we generally find that what they
had in mind is in fact not what they need.
For example, clients tend to like the sound
of hand-screened wallpaper because it
carries cachet, but sometimes the desired
aesthetic is best achieved digitally. To
ensure the success of every venture, from
concept to completion, we work closely
with clients to first establish the mood they
want to create in a space and then let that
dictate the process that makes the most
sense to give it life, which can be driven by
price, scale, durability, or aesthetics.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO DIGITAL
VS. SCREEN, AND VICE VERSA?
Nothing can really top the bespoke quality
of hand-screened work with its rich detail
and texture, and that it's a one-of-a-kind
piece of art at every run. The process also
allows layering in unexpected special effects
like scratch-and-sniff scents, Day-Glo, and
invisible inks [a black light reveals the full
effect]. However, as with any fine art, there
are limitations and some patterns just can't
be hand screened. Printing in wide format
has really allowed us to delve into innovative
territories that traditional silk screening does
not due to either cost or inherent capability
constraints. The beauty of digital wallpaper
lies in the ultimate customizability with
colors, shading, and scale, and the dynamic,
photographic reality that can be realized.
It can be endlessly manipulated, and that
limitless playing field is exciting.
 
DO CERTAIN INTERIOR SPACES
BENEFIT FROM USING ONE PRINTING
PROCESS VS. THE OTHER?
High-traffic commercial settings demand
digital production to reduce the number of
seams (weak points), speed up installation,
and increase durability. The vibe, visual,
and emotional impact clients are looking to
infuse into a space informs what process is
best suited to realize their vision in other
situations.

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2019

31
Screen Printing - October/November 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Screen Printing - October/November 2019
