From wallpaper and tiles to wood and glass, digital print is enabling creativity and innovation in the interior design sector, opening up new areas of opportunity for designers and print service providers (PSPs) alike.
Unlike other industries, wallpaper hasn’t been fully engulfed by digital print technology. But with the winds of change picking up speed, it’s only a matter of time before everyone else catches up to the new ways of printing.
With so much heritage and tradition in wallpaper printing, making the jump to digital can be a brave move. Read on to see how two printers have taken on the challenge of printing digital wallpaper and are already forging ahead into the future of the industry.
Consumers want to experience the beauty of innovative design
Wall Vision Group was founded in Boras, Sweden in 1905 and now carries brands such as Cole & Son, Mr Perswall (a Swedish, pure digital printed brand), and Wall and Deco (an exclusive Italian brand for digital printed wallcoverings).
Fredrik Larsson, COO at WallVision, says: “We carry a long history of wallpaper design with our brands, but we also continuously develop new designs and possibilities. We can print with almost all the techniques that exist in the wallpaper industry, from 19th century surface printing to the latest digital printing machinery.
Mr Perswall was established from the desire to print wallpaper in small series. Once production was up and running, the brand had no problems finding designers for their custom wallpaper printing – for many, expressing their creativity through large-scale designs instead of small repeat patterns was hugely exciting.
“Digital printing has challenged, and continues to challenge, our traditional skills for printing and our perception of how to sell wallpapers,” says Fredrik.
“I think consumers want to experience the beauty of innovative design. Digital print offers a wonderful opportunity to design outside the limited boundaries of analogue print cylinders, enhancing interest in a previously old-fashioned product.”
It’s an exciting time to be in wallpaper!
Milton & King are all about embracing technology, and claim to be “pioneering a bold new era in wallcoverings”. Their modern manufacturing methods use digital design and production techniques, social media profiles, and our online sampling.
Richard Capp, Co-Founder of Milton & King, says: “Whilst we share all the romantic views on wallpaper, everything that comes from Milton & King is produced on a digital press.
“Digital is enabling new designers to enter the market, avoid large start-up costs and sell themselves to the world as wallpaper print house. We haven’t seen digital really impact the market yet, […] but as companies invest in more commercially viable machines for wallpaper, then we will see a very different wallpaper landscape.”
Milton & King love exploring new design trends and testing new technologies. As relative newcomers to the industry, their enthusiasm for the new is inspiring for both designers and consumers. Richard believes the future is bright for digital wallpaper printing: “I think digital production is having a positive impact on an old market – it’s bringing in a new era! It’s an exciting time to be in wallpaper!”
Download Canon’s insights here to see how print can make spaces more personalised and dynamic than ever before.
