Epson officially launched its partnership and smart factory with Citizen Wolf, in collaboration with OzHarvest Ventures, at a well-attended event in Marrickville, Sydney last night.
The smart factory combines Citizen Wolf’s made to order technology with Epson’s cutting edge SureColor F2260 A3+ DTG/DTF (direct-to-garment and direct-to-film) fabric and merchandise printer.
The F2260 combines a proven production platform with upgraded componentry, enhanced ergonomics and high-quality UltraChrome DG2 ink, which has been designed to support a wider range of fabrics with better colour and less bleed, and which is also compatible with DTF workflows.
The F2260 also incorporates a number of features to reduce waste and expense – it uses 800ml ink pouches that are 33 per cent larger than previous pouches and incorporates a lot less plastic than the cartridges previously used.
The printer has also dispensed with a fan for quieter operation without the need for regular filter replacement, and incorporates a head that doesn’t require regular replacement, which means productivity is maximised, parts and labour costs are significantly reduced, and e-waste is kept to a minimum.
Epson also provided several other pieces of key equipment, including a D300 Speed Oven, and a SEFA Rotex Pro Swing Away Heat Press.
Through the partnership, a limited-edition range of sustainably produced t-shirts and tote bags will be produced for OzHarvest, of which the proceeds from products sold would go on to support the organisation’s work delivering meals to people in need.
“The NSW government’s recent EPA report notes that 400,000 tonnes of textile waste alone is landfilled in Australia every year,” said Craig Heckenberg, ANZ managing director for Epson.
“Our partnership with Citizen Wolf, the creation of the Smart Factory, and our support of the OzHarvest Ventures social enterprise initiatives are of particular value to the environment, as they significantly contribute to our shared goals around sustainable manufacturing and minimising waste in the fashion and food industries.”
Citizen Wolf is Ethical Clothing Australia accredited and B Corp certified, ensuring that every garment meets the highest sustainability and ethical standards, and is 100 per cent made in Australia.
“In collaborating with Epson to create a smarter factory, we’re able to bring to life a new innovation with our Zero Inventory Merchandise (ZIM) solution,” explained Eric Phu, co-founder of Citizen Wolf.
“This solves the real-world problem of eliminating the financial risks and incredible waste inherent in the fashion and merchandise industry, by combining Citizen Wolf's and Epson's leading on-demand technologies.”
Typically, charities and brands would need to order and pay for mass quantities of merchandise in advance, without knowing which style, designs or sizes will sell well, resulting in unsold stock wasting money and resources.
For charities in particular this ties up their finances in warehousing items rather than being used to deliver on their mission.
“The ZIM solution flips this model by allowing charities and other brands to have custom made garments, hold zero inventory, get their money upfront from the customer and only pay for what they sell,” Phu added.
“In this way, they can create as many designs, styles and sizes of garments as they wish that are only produced when an order is placed. It eliminates the capital and risks associated with holding inventory, so it can be focused on supporting their charitable work, while creating new revenue streams to support their fundraising activities.”
OzHarvest was founded in 2004 by Ronni Kahn and has since become a leading national food rescue organisation, with a mission to stop good food going to waste and delivering it to charities that help feed people in need.
“My designs feature symbols of hope and collective action we can all take to do good in the world. This unique showcase is an example of how we can all work together and create positive impact for the world through innovative ideas and collaboration,” Kahn exclaimed.
OzHarvest Ventures is the newly established social enterprise and profit-for-purpose sister entity to OzHarvest, launching business ideas that help people and planet.
“OzHarvest is a wonderful for-impact organisation that helps stop food waste and feed those doing it tough in our community,” Heckenberg said.
“We are delighted to work together with Citizen Wolf to print a range of t-shirts, tote bags and aprons, featuring designs by OzHarvest’s founder Ronni Kahn in the new Smart Factory. Proceeds from the range will support OzHarvest to carry out their amazing and impactful work.”
The new range is available for purchase exclusively from the OzHarvest Shop website.