Digital printing to boost textile industry in Bulgaria & Southeastern Europe
Inter Expo and Congress Center (IEC) is a prominent exhibition centre in Sofia, Bulgaria, that hosts trade fairs and events dedicated to different fields. IEC every year organises TMT Expo, an international B2B exhibition for textile, machinery and technologies along with Copi's, an exhibition for the printing and advertising industry. The focus of 2018 TMT Expo is machinery and materials for the clothing and knitwear industry. Since 2016, IEC has become the official representative of Messe Frankfurt in Bulgaria. Project manager Maya Simova, discusses the growing prospects of digital printing and textiles in Bulgaria.
How popular are digital textile printing and custom design in Europe? What is the growth rate in Europe?
Digital textile printing is extremely popular. Annually, it registers 30 per cent growth in Europe and there are various studies indicating that this trend will continue over the next decade.
Designed for the needs of the printing industry and advertising, digital textile printing has already entered textile industry. The technologies allow printing on various products, such as flooring, boards, exterior and interior materials.
It is important to note that some of the largest modern textile industries and markets are located in Asia. Bulgaria enjoys a strategic crossroads location enabling business development in southeastern Europe.
What are the significant factors for the growth of these segments?
The important factors for this process are modern technologies combined with the high requirements of the customers and the free European market. Technologies are becoming more affordable and cheaper. Digitisation allows competitive prices that are achieved even in the production of limited series.
The role of customised design is also essential. Most clients prefer to retain their individuality. While the state-of-the-art technologies provide amazing opportunities to make it happen. As a result of the irreversible process of globalisation, there comes the normal desire for individuality.
What was your inspiration to launch TMT Expo and Copi's?
Digital printing went beyond the limits of advertising industry into the textile sector. Advertising exhibitions have narrow boundaries for digital printing. We are already talking about digital textile factories. Production is apparently more rational and the cost is considerably lower.
Another important reason is that textile industry is very important for Bulgaria. More and more foreign investors and big brands in the textile and fashion industry move their production and open subsidiaries of their factories here, seeing the potential of our country.
What were the benefits for the businesses from the latest edition of Copi's?
Copi's is an extremely important event for the printing and advertising industry in southeastern Europe. It attracts more and more companies from the Balkans. The exhibition is showing a steady growth. The 2017 edition registered an increase of 35 per cent in the number of visitors, as it was extremely strong from southeast European countries.
By demonstrating new products and technologies, the opportunity to keep in line with the trends and create new contacts, the exhibition contributes to the development of printing and advertising technology in southeastern Europe.
What is the expected impact from both events?
The main effect is the synergy between TMT Expo and Copi's. We believe that together they will attract more participants and visitors. They will provide an opportunity to demonstrate the trends of the industry. Digital printing, along with other modern products and technologies, will boost the textile industry in Bulgaria and southeastern Europe.
TMT Expo and Copi's are a communication channel for professionals in the textile, printing and advertising sectors. These are platforms for upgrading and developing the sector, penetrating new markets, and for building and creating strong contacts.
What is the focal point of the first edition of TMT Expo and Copi's?
The focus of TMT is on machinery and materials for readymade and knitted fabrics. An additional focus of both exhibitions is digital wide-format printing on textiles.
What are the products and services to be presented at TMT Expo and Copi's?
The exhibitions will demonstrate the best achievements in the sectors. There will be presentation of smart materials and environmentally friendly technologies.
Products shown at TMT Expo include sublimation and heat transfer printers, multifunctional fabrics, texturised fabrics, smart yarns and light-reflecting threads. Copi's will demonstrate how high technology enters the world of advertising with promotional products, colour production systems, sublimation and direct printing on textiles, perforating machines, various materials for large format printing and much more.
How did social media influence marketing in the fashion industry? Which are the successful brands in terms of social media campaigns?
No doubt, social media plays a vital role in every segment of the sector. Fashion is one of the most conducive industries to use these communication channels. That's why every campaign of a fashion company has already been redirected to social media. The development of marketing is closely related to modern technologies and modern lifestyles.
How do you imagine the application of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the context of the process of creating textile products - from fibre production, designing, cutting, manufacturing to technological production?
It is a matter of time in our hi-tech reality for the Internet of Things (IoT) to penetrate all industrial spheres.
What can be expected in the next editions? When will they be held?
We look very optimistically at the first parallel holding of both exhibitions. The trends for the next editions will emerge after their first edition. This will be the place where the trends and practices will be exchanged and the trends of the future edition will be outlined.
The exhibitions TMT Expo and Copi's will be held from 2-4 October at Inter Expo Center in Sofia. The exhibited products, participants and visitors will create a unique atmosphere to demonstrate the present status and to appreciate the future potential in the textile, printing and advertising sectors. (HO)
Published on: 27/08/2018
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
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