Soyang Europe as printers, designers and marketers has launched its own range of textile for wide and grand format printing responding to boom in demand for textile by adding new lines to its three core product ranges following parent company Soyang Technologies' investment in a new 66,000sqm production and storage facility in China.

The So-Tex range comprises 12 product lines, suitable for dye-sublimation, UV and latex printing, all of which are available in rolls of up to 3.2m wide.

Soyang Europe managing director Mark Mashiter said that the launch of the So-Tex range was driven by the trend towards the use of soft signage, particularly in retail point-of-sale, adding that it would not affect Soyang's distribution deals for the Endutex and Aurich Textilien ranges.

They have established customers who use the products from their European partners," said Mashiter. The So-Tex launch is about giving people more choice because there are certain products that they do that their partners don't do.

The new facility is geared to responding to the increase in demand from the retail sector, states Mashiter. Retail chains that aren’t embracing textile run the risk of customers finding the shopping experience in their stores a lot less appealing. In addition to these creative benefits and all the logistical advantages outlined previously, the ease and regularity with which the message can be changed is likely to create additional revenue opportunities.

Soyang Europe is also seeing a significant shift towards the use of textile in the exterior signage sector too. The technical benefits of using textile are a big factor when it comes to building wraps, soft signage and event branding, notes Egerton.

Minimal rigging and anchorage, coupled with a reduction in wind loading by the use of perforated textiles, whilst still ensuring stability and safety of the installation, has major cost and time benefits.

Soyang Europe’s textile ranges are available on next day delivery from the 1.3 million square metres of material that the company holds in stock at its recently opened distribution centre in Lancashire.

Rapid response to our customers’ needs with a combination of in-depth industry experience, market leading products and the stock to back it up is core to how they operate.

The So-Tex range includes knitted and woven fabrics, which, due to being manufactured in China, are cheaper for certain types of application.