22 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk Issue 358 - January | February 2026 or to be served products that relate to or complement previous purchases. Print appears to be no different. We’re now able to give people what they want when they want it, cross sell, up sell, and make it easier to buy. Additionally, sustainability will continue to be prevalent. It’s a good time to invest in more sustainable products, materials and processes. This is a period where the industry can show its creativity and ingenuity by helping everyone make more sustainable choices, which further positions print as a sustainable medium. There’s an educational task to be undertaken too. Audiences at the end-user level should be made aware of the sustainable nature of modern forestry, and that by consuming products like paper, we help to maintain forests – not deplete them. Looking ahead, I think 2026 will be the year of hybridisation for print and signage businesses. Digital-based signage and LED displays continue to be popular, sitting alongside more traditional options from display boards to fabric graphics and even hand painted signs. Companies will be selling solutions rather than just products. They’ll offer print, technology, and services as a combined package. Diversify your product offerings, give your customers a broad range of solutions, encourage a media mix, and make the most of everything available. You can also stack services such as installation or complimentary products. If you sell signs, offer additional items that support them. Consider an outsource supplier to keep overheads low and allows you to experiment with product ranges at no extra cost. Overall, I think 2026 will be the year of print. It’s an exciting moment and I’m looking forward to being on this journey. Marcin Majda Antigro Designer Over the past year, there has been a broader consumer shift towards individuality in gifting, in homes, and in clothing, and this is something being picked up widely in the promotional products market too, where businesses are looking for ways to engage more meaningfully. For printers, all of this means that personalisation has become an expectation, not just an add-on. The expansion of print personalisation tools has made it easier for printers to diversify and broaden their offering, a trend that is likely to continue into 2026. AI-supported features such as automated templates, smart cropping, instant previews and background removal are steadily influencing how personalised print is produced, as well as what end users expect from the product personalisation experience. As technology progresses, we will see greater automation, improved user experience (UX), and smart design features driving demand for more personalised prints. Mobile-friendly interfaces are also becoming standard, enabling customers to edit templates, adjust designs, and approve artwork in real time and on-the-go. Stickers represent an exciting diversification opportunity for all kinds of print businesses. They will remain a growth area, driven by rising consumer interest in personalised products, increased ecommerce activity, and advancements in digital printing. Whether for events such as birthdays, engagement parties, or baby showers; for promotional giveaways at industry gatherings; or for decorating personal items like bottles and notebooks, stickers present opportunities for printers already producing items such as business cards, notebooks, garments, labels, packaging, or decals to broaden their offerings. User feedback has shown that customers prioritise quick and simple ordering over complex design capabilities, which shaped our recent UX-focused updates to the Sticker Builder tool. In apparel and promotional printing, direct-to-film (DTF) continues to expand, particularly among smaller decorators who value its versatility. The next stage of growth is expected to center on workflow improvements, with features such as automated ganging and smoother ecommerce integration helping print service providers (PSPs) maintain their profitability as turnaround expectations continue to shorten. While demand for personalised print remains strong, the personalisation and ordering experience itself has a major influence on whether customers actually complete a purchase. Products like photo books or calendars require multiple steps – uploading images, arranging layouts, editing text, and finalising checkout, which if implemented with poorly designed interfaces can create friction. A clear, intuitive UX can make the difference between completed sales and abandoned baskets and is especially important during peak buying seasons for personalised products, such as Valentines Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Back-to-School, and Christmas. To make the most of personalisation opportunities, businesses should review key areas such as upload speed, how easy it is to crop or position photos, whether low-resolution warnings appear, and how smooth the checkout process feels. Mobile usability is also crucial, as many customers now browse, customise, and buy on their phones. Improving these elements can help convert sales and support a more enjoyable and fun ordering experience for the end user. ▲ Marcin Majda, CEO and cofounder of Antigro Designer The printing industry has had plenty of experience of adapting to change – the pace of change appears to be accelerating, and companies will need to carefully target their investments to cope with this 2026 PREDICTIONS
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