Epson and Yuima Nakazato pioneer sustainable fashion with pigment inkjet printing on Spiber material

Textile Solutions Print Solutions

Epson and renowned Japanese fashion brand Yuima Nakazato are leveraging advanced pigment inkjet printing technology on Spiber’s Brewed Protein fibre..

Fashion designer Yuima Nakazato will be unveiling his latest collection at Haute Couture Week on (today) 26 June in the Palais de Tokyo. This event will showcase the innovative use of Brewed Protein fibres, developed by Spiber using fermentation technology, and Epson's pigment inkjet printing technology, highlighting the potential for sustainable fashion to captivate and inspire.

Yuima Nakazato’s latest collection features a blended fabric composed of 70% cotton and 30% Spiber’s Brewed Protein fibre. Utilising Epson’s range of pigment inks, Yuima Nakazato has printed on this innovative material to create stunning designs.

Traditionally, printing on blended fabrics requires different types of dye inks, limiting the ability to achieve desired patterns and designs. However, the Monna Lisa digital textile printing technology combined with pigment inks overcomes these limitations, enabling high resolution prints on various fabric types. This development has expanded the creative possibilities for designers, allowing them to bring their visions to life with unprecedented detail and precision.

Pigment ink is particularly well suited for printing on Brewed Protein material. Unlike dye inks, pigment inks are versatile and can be used on various fabric types, whether mono or blended. This flexibility offers fabric manufacturers, brands, and designers an easier and more sustainable means of exploring new textile expressions. Furthermore, pigment ink printing supports the environmental narrative of Brewed Protein fibre, aligning with the growing demand for more sustainable materials.

Pigment ink printing offers significant environmental benefits. Unlike analogue dye inks, pigment inks do not require steaming and washing processes after printing. By adopting Monna Lisa ML-13000 digital textile printing technology, water consumption can be reduced by an impressive 96%. This innovation makes pigment ink printing a more sustainable option for textile production.

Epson’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond traditional textiles. In addition to printing on Brewed Protein materials, Yuima Nakazato will display a new collection of garments created using Epson’s Dry Fibre Technology and printed with pigment inks by Monna Lisa digital textile printer (ML-13000). Epson has made significant enhancements to its DFT non woven fabric, improving production efficiency and enabling the creation of wider sheets, allowing for more intricate and longer length designs. Additionally, the non woven fabric sheets used in Yuima Nakazato’s new collection are made from discarded fabric offcuts sourced from sewing factories, further emphasising the sustainability of the collection.