“FASHION FORWARD: Epson unveils the future of fashion”

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Epson launches the new standard in digital fabric printing as it showcases  f7170 and f2000 textile printers. 

“FASHION FORWARD: Epson unveils the future of fashion” 

For over three years, Epson dedicated a team of engineers to create an all-new imaging technology solution dedicated for fabric printing.

With Epson, it means designing every component to work together flawlessly to ensure that the product exceeds expectations.

“In over 71 years, Epson has constantly provided ground-breaking technologies that enable customers to exceed their vision. Tonight, Epson adds to this legacy of innovation with a capital “F” that stands for “Fashion Forward” as heralded by the Epson Fabric printers,” said Epson Philippines Corporation’s President/Country Manager, Toshimitsu Tanaka, who made the bold declaration at the recent launch of the global digital imaging leader’s new fabric printers at the Marco Polo hotel in Ortigas.

From the printhead and ink technology to the printer mechanism and software, the Epson F-series fabric printers were designed for extreme reliability for true industrial-level production.

Epson’s latest dye-sublimation printer, the F7170, is designed for the roll-to-roll digital textile market and integrates true roll-to-roll support for unprecedented levels of performance, reliability, and image quality for printing on fabrics and soft signage.

The Epson SureColor F7170 leverages Epson’s PrecisionCore TFP print head, and uses Epson’s UltraChrome DS ink system to provide high-quality printing, superior dot control, precise and repeatable performance, and excellent longevity for a range of dye-sublimation applications.

In addition, the Epson F7170 has a new, highly accurate take-up reel and substrate system to deliver winding accuracy between 0 and 0.19″ on transfer paper rolls for digital textile applications, including soft-signage products such as decorative table tops and runners, as well as point-of-purchase (POP) banners and exhibit displays. Other roll-to-roll fabric applications that customers can create include home furnishings, fabric patterns, apparel manufacturing, and more. Built for increased productivity, the SureColor F7170 also features a high-capacity ink tank system with refillable tanks to allow continuous printing through a full roll of media, as well as a new post-platen heater for faster drying times.

The printer also comes with a Wasatch SoftRIP TX that enables users to start printing output immediately out of the box with specialty features for textile printing. The F7170 is fully compatible with Epson’s line of dye-sublimation transfer papers, including DS Transfer Production paper, DS Transfer Adhesive Textile, and DS Transfer Multipurpose. The SureColor F7170 is designed to work exclusively with Epson UltraChrome DS Ink and not with other brands of inks or cartridges.

“We are excited to bring the F7170 into the hands of digital textile producers, so they can increase productivity, minimize downtime and maximize profitability, and look forward to the new applications and innovative designs enabled by the technology,” explained Epson Philippines Commercial & Industrial Division Head Jino Alvarez.

“For Filipino designers we have collaborated with, the SureColor F7170 allowed them to produce full color images without having to compromise image quality by cutting colors,” Alvarez adds.

The Epson SureColor F7170 is engineered to print featured collections from top designers on the runway, trendy patterns and designs for home décor, the latest high-performance sportswear, and soft signage.

Another fabric printer that Epson Philippines recently launched is the Epson SureColor F2000 direct-to-garment printer. Engineered to meet the needs of garment printing businesses, the SC-F2000 can print a t-shirt in just 27 seconds*, because of its PrecisionCore TFP printhead. PrecisionCore is thin film piezo printhead technology that merges advances in materials science and MEMS fabrication with Epson's deep portfolio of inkjet technologies. With the flexibility to deliver high-speed solutions for commercial, industrial, and office printing, the F2000 is capable of very high-production, with very little downtime for maintenance, ensuring that production lines will always be up.

The technology within the Epson F2000 is designed to draw out the best of all components. The printer uses Epson UltraChrome DG Ink -- a water-based pigment CMYK ink manufactured to deliver precise, repeatable performance, and superior image quality. Epson's UltraChrome DG ink works with the PrecisionCore printhead to deliver the ultimate in print quality with an extremely high resolution of 1440 x 1440 dpi.

To showcase these innovative fabric printers, Epson Philippines collaborated with some of the brightest Filipino designers in a fashion show entitled “Fashion Forward”. Creations by Philippine fashion brands including Avel Bacudio, Conspicuous Swimwear, Ziya, and Empire used Epson’s latest direct-to-garment and dye sublimation printers to create custom fabrics straight from their artistic vision to the fabric itself. The featured designers in “Fashion Forward” have expressed their excitement on how the Epson fabric printers shorten the grueling design process, and expanded possibilities in creating designs for cloth, garment and other fashion merchandise. 

Here's what the verdict is:  

Avel Bacudio, Asia’s Most Influential Designer of 2014

“Super happy ako kasi kung ano yung print na pinagawa ko sa artist, yun ang lumabas (I am elated with how faithfully my design is rendered. What I asked the artist to do is exactly what came out of the printer). I am so excited to see the clothes on the runway,” remarked Asia’s Most Influential Designer of 2014, Avel Bacudio. Avel leads the roster of prominent Filipino designers featured in the fashion show.

Mairene Muñoz, Brand owner of Conspicuous swimwear

“It's a must-have for designers like me because we can actually express our ideas not just through designs but at the same time, through fabric print. We have limited fabrics here in the Philippines and that's my struggle as a swimwear designer because I've always wanted to create swimwear out of printed fabrics. Digital textile printing provides diverse designs. I can create outrageous swimwear out of it,” said Mairene Muñoz, Brand owner of Conspicuous swimwear.

Mairene also swears by the efficiency of the Epson Surecolor F7170. “Designers like me who like working under pressure, like the efficiency of using the Epson Surecolor F7170. It will save you a lot of time without sacrificing quality. In a matter of minutes, I now have my printed fabric with my chosen design. You only have to conceptualize, then, from there you can start printing your ideas -- uninterrupted production, astounding quality, and extremely fast drying,” she added.

Fashion Designer Fatima Benito Cali of Ziya

“At Ziya, our mantra is to provide designs as creatively and as freely as we want, which is very evident in our collection. We like playing with patterns and colors, and digital textile printing is the means for us to be daring with our own and original fabric designs,” said Fashion Designer Fatima Benito Cali of Ziya. Ziya is a clothing line with a distinct bohemian theme.

After using the Epson Surecolor F7170 in creating her designs, Fatima extolled the high quality prints delivered by the Epson printer. “We compared some prints from other printers with that of the Epson Surecolor F7170 and the results are very different. Epson's colors are true to what we see in the computer's color registry. The colors are vibrant and real. The printing process doesn't require too much time to render. The sharpness and color of each detail in our fabric print is superb. We are very happy with the results!” said Fatima.

When asked about the Epson F2000, Empire's Creative lead, Finney Santos, showed his enthusiasm. 

“We want our designs to dictate the aesthetics of our shirts. We can't let the limitations of a printer define what we do and how we do it. This is why we enjoyed working with Epson's SureColor F2000,” he said.

Empire's Creative lead, Finney Santos

“It's a game changer as far as shirt printing goes. Since you're using direct-to-garment printing technology, you don't have to deal with the limitations that come with other printers or printing methods. It's easy to operate, even for us who don't have a lot of experience working with sophisticated printers. The quality is top-notch and consistent, so we never experienced printing aberrations. Last, you get to see if the design works in an actual shirt. It becomes easier to experiment and play with the designs”, he explained. 

Empire is a shirt design company founded by dedicated sports fans.

Epson has collaborated as far back as 2003, with Robustelli in Italy to make its first digital textile printer, the industry-changing Monna Lisa printer. 

Printing images directly onto fabric is a big shift from a costly and labor-intensive method into a high-quality, less expensive, and faster process in rendering designs.

In recent years, digital textile printing has transformed the global fashion industry and enabled designers to be more creative and productive. Runways in Paris, Milan, London, New York and other fashion capitals have showcased intricate designs like never before, as high-end fashion designers embraced digital technology to add a new dimension to couture. 

*Refers to head firing time when using dual color mode, image size is 10" x 8" landscape, applicable for white t-shirts only

September 4 to win Xiaomi and catch more Mi Powerbanks on Redmi 1S/Mi Power Bank day!

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Great Xiaomi sale happens on Thursday at 12nn. Take home the most affordable smartphone yet (P5,599) with specs that won't make you feel shortchanged. 

Mi Philippines also announced that they will be selling more Mi Powerbanks this coming September 4 , so set those alarms because it is going to be a mad Mi shopping spree!

Visit www.mi.com/ph/redmi1s and click "Buy on Lazada" on Redmi 1S/Mi Power Bank day!

DepEd, Marikina City finalize plans for 6th ASEAN Schools Games

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The ASEAN School Games (ASG) is an annual sports competition among students of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

Apart from providing the youth with opportunities to showcase their sporting talents, the ASG promotes solidarity and fosters cultural exchange among the youth of participating countries. In November 2013, the Philippines hosted a Golf Tournament of the 5th ASEAN Schools Games hosted by Vietnam.

“This is a big challenge for our country and we thank the Department of Education (DepEd) for giving us this task,” said Marikina City Mayor Del R. De Guzman at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with DepEd on the hosting of the 6th ASEAN Schools Games (ASG). 

MOU signing between Deped and Marikina City for the Asean School Games

Education Secretary and honorary chairman of the 6th ASG Governing Board Br. Armin Luistro FSC explained, “This (ASG) is very important, not only for Marikina but most especially for the Philippines, because here we can showcase the country’s talents in the area of sports and show that we are ready for the world.”

Undersecretary for Regional Operations Rizalino Rivera said, “This is historic, because this is the first time the Philippines will be hosting the ASEAN Schools Games.” 

Rivera said that the country is privileged to accommodate all the ASG delegates. “The ASG is like the ASEAN Games but for younger people so you could just imagine the scale of participants in this sporting event,” he added. 

Participating countries are Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and the Philippines, as this year’s host.

Luistro shared his hopes for the event, “My prayer is that the experiences of the athletes and their delegations will be a lasting memory for them -- part of the legacy which we hope to impart to our youth during this administration.”

The ASG will be held in the City of Marikina from November 29 to December 7, 2014.

Ducati Superbike riders invade BGC at the Globe Slipstream

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Ducati Superbike riders participated at the Globe Slipstream as they invaded the modified race track at the Bonifacio Global City streets last Saturday, August 30 as a homecoming event for Filipino-Swiss race car driver Marlon Stockinger.

The fast guys, the race teams of Ducati-Bacchus, Ducati-Access Plus, ATAT Racing Team, Samson College-Access Plus - Ducati Desmo Owners Club of the Philippines and Kojie-San brought in their top riders, among them 16-year-old TJ Alberto, superbike master rider and Ducati Philippines CEO Mr. Toti Alberto and General Manager Marc de Joya, John Defensor and Alvin Dee, Superbike Open riders Jussi Hoikka, Vince Mercado and Jordan Gaw, Lawrence Macalinao, Ralph Reyes Jay Carrion, Redge Burilla, Miguel Bichara, Gerald Aycardo, Nikki Romero, Gelo Roa, Daniel Savino, Col. Benjie Ladra, Martin Rosario, Monti Mortimer and former superbike champion Raniel Resuello.

Celebrity superbike racers also participated at the first Globe Slipstream, Dingdong Dantes and Bullet Jalosjos.

Globe Telecom, the exclusive business partner of Lotus F1 in the Philippines, decided to bring in Stockinger’s Lotus WSR Gravity Charouz Formula Renault 3.5 car he actually drives in the World Series for a test drive around a customized BGC race track.

Ducati superbike racers did a demonstration race along with the parade of vintage luxury cars, karting challenge.

Keep the race action going and see more on these Ducati racers as they take the Clark International Speedway on October 4 and 5. 2014

JDI showcases Solignum protection in 2014 Cebucon Construction Show

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Cebucon Construction Show has presented the best of the best, for 22 years when it comes to construction products and supplies. And it has evolved to put focus on innovations that move construction into a more sustainable future. Not surprisingly, Jardine Distribution, Inc. became one of the exhibitors in the 2014 Cebucon held last June 6 to 9 at the SM Cebu Trade Hall in Cebu City.

Visitors at the 2014 Cebucon Construction Show learned more about the innovative, quality, and sustainable products from Jardine Distribution, Inc. (JDI) during the event held at the SM Cebu Trade Hall in Cebu City. 

Solignum Total Termite Solutions took the spotlight at the JDI booth. Solignum, a trusted brand in termite protection for the past 50 years, has undergone innovations that make it not only more effective against termites but also more convenient to use, more versatile, and safer to the environment. 

Solignum has various termite protection products designed to provide protection to the house interiors and exteriors. They come in both colorless and stained finishes. They may also be used to protect not only walls, beams, floors, and ceilings but even wood furniture. Solignum products have no irritating smell.

Solignum Total Termite Solutions took the spotlight at the Jardine Distribution, Inc. (JDI) booth in the 2014 Cebucon Construction Show in Cebu from June 6 to 9 at the SM Cebu Trade Hall.

To complete the termite defense of every home, Solignum also has a soil termiticide called Soilguard, an odorless soil termiticide that creates a barrier between the house and subterranean or underground termites. 

Visitors at Cebucon trooped to the JDI booth and were better informed not only about Solignum but also the other quality construction materials from JDI.

“Cebucon is the most prestigious and popular venue for keeping us in touch with our market and our distribution channels in the Visayas. We’re very happy to participate this year,” said Nancy Pereyras, Product Manager of JDI.

For more information about JDI construction products, visit www.jardinedistribution.com