Investment in Mimaki digital printers enables Omniapiega to benefit from increased production speed, flexibility and creativity, meeting the exacting demands of fashion brands and designers

However, when it comes to adding patterns or other graphic design elements to a pleated garment, the nature of the process creates some complications. This is where the introduction of digitally printed designs and patterns can take pleated garments to even higher levels of quality and appeal. Not only that, but digital printing techniques can also offer designers and textile companies increased flexibility when it comes to modifying a piece. Whether to improve the end result last minute or simply create a slightly different version of an existing design - changing the colours gives consumers multiple options of the same product.

Omniapiega is a company who recognises the opportunities made possible with digital printing. This Italian company’s expertise in producing high-quality pleated garments is central to its success. Founded in 1970, Omniapiega has tackled various technological challenges over the years in order to continuously improve the complex pleating processes, enhance quality and deliver the best possible service. The most recent way this established business has driven even further success and maintained its competitive advantage was to add digital printing services to its offering.

Bringing Print into the Fold

Based in Carate Brianza, in the province of Monza Brianza – strategically located close to the textile districts of Como and Turin and the fashion capital, Milan – Omniapiega offers a highly specialist, customised pleating service to fashion designers and brands.

"In the past, we used external suppliers for creative development and for printing, with very long and complex production processes," explains Pierfilippo Longoni, Fabrics Developer at Omniapiega. "However, when dealing with the world of fashion and creativity, tight deadlines, and last-minute changes are the order of the day. Even when a product is approved, very often variants of the design have to be made very quickly. Consequently, with production times exceeding two weeks, outsourcing the print was complicated and presented several problems.”

This lengthy process and the need to create different versions of the same product on demand prompted Omniapiega's management to take the leap and bring digital printing in-house. The aim was to speed up production and guarantee consistent quality from the conception of the design to the choice of fabrics, right up to the delivery of the almost finished product.

Fashioning a New In-House Digital Print Service

With the support of Bompan, Mimaki's exclusive reseller in Italy, Omniapiega installed its first Mimaki JV5 printer in 2015, which was quickly followed by two more units.

"The first step was to create a dedicated printing team, including a technician specialising in sublimation printing for textiles, a graphic designer and a textile designer. It was with this new team that, after researching the solutions available on the market, it was decided to focus on Mimaki's technology,” explained Longoni.

With its expert team in place and three Mimaki systems printing reliably and at high quality, Omniapiega was able to successfully launch its in-house service, increasing both production speed and flexibility. The company could now easily meet the requirements of its customers for fast iterations or design versions, as well as provide more choice when it came to printing onto different fabrics.

"The ability to print in-house gave us the extra edge. Mimaki's technology proved effective right from the start, providing the quality, repeatability and production efficiency we needed. Over the years, we then turned our attention to perfecting the creativity and design element of our services," continued Longoni.