Released in The Interline’s DPC Report 2024, this executive interview is one of a nine-part series that sees The Interline quiz executives from major DPC companies on the evolution of 3D and digital product creation tools and workflows, and ask their opinions on what the future holds for the the extended possibilities of digital assets.
For more on digital product creation in fashion, download the full DPC Report 2024 completely free of charge and ungated.
In a difficult climate for fashion (and retail in general) new and ongoing investments in tech and talent-intensive initiatives like digital product creation can be harder to justify. Do you believe the business case for 3D / DPC is strong enough? And how is that business case evolving to meet a changing industry?
The business case for 3D and digital product creation (DPC) has never been more compelling, even in challenging times. These technologies allow brands to stay agile, cut costs, and make smarter, faster decisions. As demand for personalization, sustainability, and efficiency grows, 3D and DPC deliver significant ROI by reducing lead times, minimizing waste, and enhancing collaboration across teams. Kornit’s solutions are perfectly aligned with this shift, integrating digital printing directly into these workflows. This ensures brands can move seamlessly from concept to production, with reduced risk, enhanced creative freedom, and greater operational efficiency.
An important driver for the adoption of 3D and DPC is better alignment and better-informed decision-making. When different stakeholders have a common reference point, in a digital representation of a garment or a material, they can make smarter, more sustainable choices. How do you see Kornit supporting that ambition, and deploying digital printing and workflow solutions to help fashion brands make the right decisions?
Kornit’s vision is to revolutionize on-demand production, where every decision is driven by data and digital precision. Our digital printing technology seamlessly integrates with 3D and DPC, enabling accurate sampling and production that faithfully reflects digital representations. This approach minimizes unnecessary iterations, shortens time-to-market, and ensures sustainability is embedded at every stage. With innovations like our XDi decorative printing and NeoPigment™ inks, we empower brands to unify their creative and operational teams, translating digital concepts into physical products with unparalleled accuracy and efficiency.
How do you believe DPC and digital printing should integrate with one another? We often talk about how 3D has the potential to directly inform production, but you have a unique perspective on what it looks like to actually put agile, context-aware apparel sampling and production into practice.
DPC and digital printing must work together in a continuous, iterative loop. Kornit makes this possible by seamlessly connecting virtual designs with real-world production. For instance, our direct-to-garment (DTG) and roll-to-roll systems can quickly transform 3D designs into physical samples, eliminating the need for traditional sampling methods. This not only accelerates production timelines but also enables rapid adjustments based on consumer feedback or market trends. Agile sampling and production become a reality, where every print reflects the most up-to-date, data-driven iteration of a design.
Another major element of a lot of DPC strategies has been sustainability – with the most direct return on that investment being measured in the creation and shipping of fewer samples. Tell us what role digital printing can play in not just supporting but enhancing this?
Digital printing is key to eliminating unnecessary waste and overproduction. Kornit’s waterless printing process and on-demand manufacturing capabilities dramatically reduce the environmental impact of sampling and production. Rather than producing countless physical prototypes, designers can rely on high-fidelity prints that accurately bring their vision to life. Furthermore, our technology enables local production, cutting down on shipping emissions and aligning with brands’ sustainability objectives. It’s not just about producing fewer samples—it’s about enabling smarter, more sustainable production at every stage, from concept to completion.
With digital printing as an endpoint for a new, end-to-end digital design-to-production workflow, what possibilities do you see being the most compelling for the near future? And how is Kornit intending to evolve its solutions to keep pace as the demand for digital-first fashion production scales up?
The greatest opportunities lie in building fully demand-driven, localized supply chains. With Kornit’s technology, brands can get closer to their customers, producing only what’s needed, when it’s needed. This approach eliminates excess inventory and enhances personalized consumer experiences. To enable this, we’re constantly advancing our printing platforms to accommodate new materials, incorporate cutting-edge effects like 3D textures, and scale effortlessly for mass customization. Additionally, Kornit is developing smarter, integrated workflows that streamline production and make digital-first fashion more accessible to a broader range of industry players. This empowers brands to operate more sustainably and responsively in a rapidly changing market.
One example is T-Shirt & Sons (TSS), a prominent European apparel manufacturer serving e-commerce platforms, high-street retailers, and promotional businesses, is further expanding its digital capabilities with the Kornit Apollo production platform. With locations in the UK and the Netherlands, TSS has been a leader in print-on-demand services, helping brands adapt to the increasing demand for quick turnaround times and customizable products.
By integrating Kornit Apollo into its operations alongside existing MAX systems, TSS has significantly increased its production capacity, enabling millions of additional impressions annually. This enhancement streamlines workflows, improves time-to-market, and supports the company’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality.
To realise the long-term vision for a complete “digital twin,” it should be possible for any decision across the extended product lifecycle to be made based on a digital representation of the physical asset, with total trust. Which of those decisions do you think meet that high bar today? And which do you believe has the furthest distance to travel?
Today, decisions around design validation, sampling, and consumer feedback are well-served by digital twins. Designers and marketers can trust virtual prototypes to represent final products with a high degree of accuracy. However, the furthest progress needs to happen in areas like supply chain integration and end-of-life decision-making. To truly close the loop, digital twins must incorporate data about material sourcing, recyclability, and post-consumer impact. Kornit is committed to advancing this vision, creating systems where every decision-from conception to recycling-is informed by reliable, real-time digital data.
