Fespa 2018 to platform new features

In line with what Fespa CEO Neil Felton says is its duty to ”inspire, educate and grow the speciality printing sector” we will see a new ‘Print Make Wear’ fast fashion/garment printing showcase/seminar programme at Fespa 2018 in May, as well as the recently announced new ‘Digital Corrugated Experience’. Both are designed to encourage new visitor types to the event and have been earmarked as natural tangential markets for the Fespa community.

‘Print Make Wear’ will take form of a live production environment highlighting every step in the screen and digital printing production process, from initial design to finished product. A fashion catwalk will provide the ‘wear’ part of the equation. Non-fashion textiles production kit will be spread throughout the main show. The ‘Digital Corrugated Experience’ will combine short seminars and business-building discussions with suppliers to the sector, such as HP, Lamina, Sun Automation, Inca Digital and BCS- Autobox. The decision to extend the show into the above areas follows research undertaken since Fespa 2017 by Smithers Pira, and that “highlights these segments as opportunities for Fespa to deliver tangible value to visitors,” according to Felton. Fespa 2018 will also boast a new Printeriors format to better showcase possibilities in printed decor. Drawing on the show’s ‘take off’ campaign, it will be themed ‘Airport Lounge of the Future 2030’ and take the form of room-sets in the atrium of the Messe Berlin. Fespa has also amalgamated the seminar streams for the 2018 event. The whole programme of free talks will this year take place in one location - the Trends Theatre. Fespa has said it will share the findings of the its Print Census 2018 during the event, 15 - 18 May.