The conference, at the city’s Javits Convention Center, on 18 July, is co-located with the leading Texworld USA fabric show and the launch edition of Avanprint USA, where developers of digital textile printing technology will present their exciting capabilities.

Focusing on opportunity rather than technical detail, the conference will deliver a line-up of pioneers in American digital textiles, each with a unique perspective on its diverse market avenues, organisers report.

Innovation and creativity

In a morning session on innovation and creativity, Charlene Gross, resident costume designer at Ohio Light Opera and an assistant professor at Penn State University, will describe the way digital print has revolutionised theatrical costume design.

Designer Renee Pedro, owner of Crash Pad Designs, will explore the personalisation of interiors, and Danielle Locastro, director of leading custom-print business First2Print, will examine how digital print has had an impact on the story of fabric design.

On-demand business models

On-demand business models will come into focus in the afternoon, with Gart Davis, founder and CEO of industry flagship company Spoonflower, describing the new opportunities for independent designers. Brian Rainey, CEO of Gooten Inc, will explain how the digital route can slash time to market for new collections, and Flint Davis, president of WeaveUp, will identify the subtly diverging expectations of different end-use markets.

The programme will conclude with Joakim Staburg, founder of Cororeel technology, who will introduce the company’s innovative system for instantaneous in-line coloration of embroidery thread. This will be followed by an appraisal from John Otsuki, CEO, Creative Cause Solutions, of approaches to the integration of digital printing into a manufacturing workflow.

Case studies

During the day, sponsors EFI Reggiani and SPGPrints – two technology leaders – will present user case studies and host round-table discussions on, respectively, The Future of Apparel: A New Ecosystem and Direct to Fabric or Sublimation?

The conference will be moderated by Tansy Fall, editor of Digital Textile, the industry’s foremost global B2B magazine, who will deliver the latest market statistics and trends, researched by WTiN Intelligence: Digital Textiles, and lead a panel discussion on emerging business models.

www.digitaltextileconference.com