Designtex’s Digital Studio Platform Is Customized + Fast

Magnificence, utility, and sustainability are the three qualities Portland, Maine-based Designtex maintain shut. For greater than 60 years, the model has been designing and manufacturing utilized supplies for the constructed surroundings utilizing what they confer with as “materials intelligence.” By definition it’s Designtex’s information of how supplies are greatest utilized in numerous settings and environments mixed with their dedication to analysis, and perception within the energy of enchancment as a method for systemic change. And now, with the discharge of the Digital Studio software, the model has launched a one-of-a-kind digital design platform that allows designers and designers to create and customise an answer for any surroundings in a matter of minutes with a quick turnaround time.

Easy, intuitive, and waste-free, the Digital Studio encourages experimentation with colour, scale, supplies, and creativeness. With an ever-growing assortment of curated patterns, together with designs by artists native to Portland, you may rapidly and simply create customized textiles and wallcoverings – and obtain samples inside per week. Every part specified inside the Digital Studio is produced at Designtex’s digital printing facility, which is primarily staffed by working artists. There they’re capable of produce at an elevated degree of element and craftsmanship, simply as they’d their very own work. The pleasure they’ve within the ultimate product is obvious.

“There’s a pleasure to being hands-on with the making of supplies,” mentioned Karen Gelardi, principal designer and collaborations liaison, Designtex. “We have now that right here on the print facility and hope that designers will really feel a direct connection to the manufacturing course of via the Digital Studio software, like that is their manufacturing unit and we’re facilitators.”

So, how do designers profit from Designtex’s Digital Studio? To rapidly and simply create customized textiles and wallcoverings for tasks, select a sample. You’ll be able to then tinker with the colour palette till glad earlier than using the 3D visualizer to see your personalised design utilized to totally different merchandise and in numerous scales. Simply make any changes till it’s to your liking, or select to save lots of your work to revisit later. When you’re prepared, a single click on locations an order for a free pattern – or a number of – that may arrive inside per week. After that, a full order for a undertaking may be obtained in solely two weeks time.

Designtex’s substrate providing consists of two sturdy wallcoverings, three multi-use materials for upholstery or panel, and a high-performance upholstery with a silicone stain repellant and fluid barrier. Staying true to their dedication to sustainability, there may be additionally a round, multi-use textile and a vinyl-free wallcovering. All substrates are SCS Indoor Benefit Licensed and have HPDs. The wallcovering inks are Greenguard Licensed, the textile inks are OEKO-TEX Licensed, and Designtex offsets carbon emissions from their Portland manufacturing unit. Merchandise and samples are produced on demand, so there’s no waste within the manufacturing course of.

Champ by Elizabeth Atterbury

Final month, I had the possibility to expertise Digital Studio at Designtex’s Portland facility for myself, and might vouch for not solely the platform’s ease of use and high quality output, however the degree of thought and time that went into perfecting all of it. The know-how, chosen designs, and person expertise have all been pared all the way down to an clever, conscious degree that may be appreciated by all who work together with Digital Studio. Selecting a sample, customizing the colour palette, deciding on the size, and at last selecting a substrate took me lower than ten minutes – although you may simply spend extra time experimenting with the entire choices obtainable. The large takeaway: it’s not an awesome expertise, however quite a easy one that features your private contact and delivers.

“The flexibility to supply just-in-time manufacturing choices to our shoppers is so thrilling. Designers and designers are juggling evolving consumer wants and, as at all times, tight timelines,” mentioned Oriana Reich, VP of Advertising and marketing, Designtex. “With the launch of our Digital Studio, we’re equipping them with a software that reduces their time to customise and produce supplies, and we’re serving to everybody inside the design ecosystem maximize creativity and effectivity.”

Budding by Christopher David Ryan

Champ by Elizabeth Atterbury

Collective by Jenny McGee Dougherty

Drypoint by Anna Heplr

Double Stripes

Floor Cowl by Karen Gelardi

Fleur de Tachee by Rachel Adams

Studio Oxford

Studio Scene

Photograph: Kelly Beall

To study extra about Designtex’s new Digital Studio, go to designtex.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content material at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based author and designer has had a deep love of artwork and design for so long as she will be able to bear in mind, from Trend Plates to MoMA and much past. When not seeking out the visible arts, she’s doubtless sharing her favourite finds with others. Kelly can be discovered monitoring down new music, instructing herself to play the ukulele, or on the sofa along with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Discover her @designcrush on social.