Epson's history merges with that of Monna Lisa, first through collaboration and then through the acquisition by the Japanese multinational, leader in the development of digital technologies, of the Como-based companies F.lli Robustelli and For.Tex. An acquisition that rewards Italian expertise in the design and production of digital textile printers and completes the strategic construction of the Como inkjet printing hub that began in the early 2000s.

The entry of the Japanese player represents fundamental added value for Epson's new, industrial phase. Indeed, the textile printing sector boasts a cultural and technological heritage rooted in many countries of the world, in particular in Asia, such as Japan, China, India, South Korea and Turkey, to name but a few. A quite unique artistic culture, since ancient times able to create fabrics with extraordinary graphic patterns and currently a leader in industrial production, with billions of square metres of fabric being printed every year globally, using an unprecedented mix of technologies, which sees digital increasingly supporting silk-screen and rotary printing.

And it is no coincidence that Japanese technology dominates in this particular innovative sector. Japan is a country of fascinating contrasts where strong tradition and ultra-modernity coexist..

The Monna Lisa series, a synthesis of Italian creativity and Japanese technological innovation, has made it possible to achieve significant industrial goals which are the result of technological progress in the development of inkjet print heads and inks which, combined with optimised pre- and post-treatment of fabrics, have made it possible to create qualitatively and economically competitive prints, which are also manufactured in high volumes, using most of the fibres available on the market.

New frontiers to explore and be inspired by are previewed at the Epson stand at the next ITMA in Milan.