County Wicklow’s Printroom has one supplier and one manufacturer when it comes to choosing materials for its digital textile printing.

Eighteen months ago, Irish graphic design and print services provider Printroom, decided to become a house of Pongs, using the renowned German manufacturers materials for all its digital textile output. The company has not looked back.

“The reason we like Pongs is the consistency of material,” says Stephen Hudson, Printroom founder. “It is competitively priced and the material itself takes a better print as it is.”

The Pongs materials are purchased through CMYUK, the UK’s favourite independent wide format printer, cutter and materials supplier.

CMYUK first began dealing with Hudson back in 2015, when it advised him to buy into digital textiles.

“I met with Stephen at FESPA 2016 and we have partnered ever since,” says Joel Willcock, Key Accounts & Textile Business Development, CMYUK. “In the proceeding years we have supported and consulted on applications/work. I visit Printroom every quarter to keep Stephen up to date on new materials innovations and make sure all is running as it should.”

Operating from Country Wicklow, Printroom has been offering quality services for the last five years. It began with the production of pull-ups, exhibition pop-up units, posters and banners. Hudson then looked at identifying niche products that were not being produced in Ireland, which led Printroom into manufacturing full colour lanyards.

This recognition of niche products with commercial traction led Printroom to install a 2.2m wide, direct-to-textile printer in 2016, making it just one of a small handful of printers in Ireland outputting digital textiles. This year it added a 3.2m wide machine and popular products include fabric zipper walls, printed tablecloths and teardrop banners.

“CMYUK has been great from the start,” says Hudson. “Their knowledge of substrates and advice has been imperative in the growth of our textile range. We have been steered by Joel and the team as to what products are best suited for our needs.”