Did you know that printing can easily and quickly renew the look of walls and furniture? And how easy and quick is it to create personalised spaces and environments without building work that faithfully recreate all types of construction or decoration materials? Graphispag provided an insight into some of the trends and new graphic applications aimed at the interior design sector. Armando Mota, COO of Digidelta, Mimaki and decal, who took part as a speaker in the “Dialogues” space at the Barcelona graphics fair, offers some interesting reflections which we have collected below.
Armando Mota has more than 26 years of experience in the graphics sector and is one of the main people responsible for Digidelta‘s international expansion and the driving force behind the Mimaki and decal brands, the latter of which is present in more than 50 countries. It is this international reach that, according to Mota, allows them to have a global view of the market and trends.
New atmospheres, new sensations
As for graphic printing in the decoration sector, Mota believes that there are many materials that can be painted and decorated, and some even come pre-painted to be placed on walls. “However, despite the wide range of materials on offer, I felt that something else was missing,” says Mota.
After two years of pandemic crisis, decal has realised that there is one element that is essential when creating new materials: touch. In this sense, they have launched the alldecor 2d collection with the focus on the most natural feel possible. For example, in the case of wood, they have sought a touch that imitates the grain, and the same approach has been applied to other materials such as stone, leather or cement. The films are textured and adhesive, while preparation is quick and clean, followed by easy application with light material and no accessories.
Sustainability is essential
The products combine the aesthetics and realism of the textures that recreate the different materials with the sustainability of the films produced without plasticisers, free of PVC. They are also characterised by their durability, waterproofing and lightfastness, and have a fire resistance certification.
For the spokesman of decal and Digidelta, it is not so much a trend as a fashion but rather a conviction: “Everything is moving towards greater sustainability. The tones, materials and textures may vary, but the concern for sustainability will remain”. Therefore, work is being done on films that generate less pollution, are less damaging to the environment and can be reused.
Mota explains that they do not intend to do the work of an architect or interior designer, but to offer them the best materials: “At decal we make our materials available to interior designers and architects so that they can use them in a creative way to give furniture and spaces a second life”. Regarding the reuse of furniture, the Digidelta and decal spokesperson states that “it is also a way of being more sustainable in that it gives a second chance to what we already have. If second-hand clothes are fashionable and a current trend, why not also furniture? It is another way for us to be more sustainable.”
There are currently different entities that certify products and the level of sustainability of companies. In this line, EcoVadis provides a holistic corporate sustainability rating service offered through a global software platform.
The EcoVadis rating covers a wide range of non-financial management systems including environmental impacts, labour practices and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. Mota explains that his company has achieved the bronze certificate and adds: “Sustainability also has to do with professional ethics, with how we take care of the environment, how we take care of our employees, what energy we use; in short, it is a set of decisions and actions that have an impact on the final result”.
Cristina Benavides, Graphispag partner
