24 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk Issue 358 - January | February 2026 textile product offering in 2025 with additions including a new AirMesh Polyester material for banners, Heras Fencing, and crowd barrier graphics, as well as an arch flag product and a pop-out banner range. SEG fabric displays have also grown in popularity for exhibitions and industry events. They are straightforward to put together, and once the frame is in place, the graphics can be replaced or swapped out with ease. It is clear why they are becoming more common as more brands and individuals aim to reuse and repurpose graphics rather than dispose of them after a single event. In response, we recently introduced a new freestanding illuminated modular SEG fabric lightbox to support this demand. We expect textile to continue its upward trajectory in 2026 as print businesses look for new ways to broaden their offering. When it comes to trends, the best way to prepare for new trends or technologies is to stay adaptable, which is why many of our customers opt for a partnership that gives them the capacity to evolve without taking on unnecessary risk. In the print and signage space, new materials, demand for sustainable substrates, more efficient production methods, and advancements in digital technologies all place pressure on businesses to keep up. It is not always realistic for businesses to invest in every new machine. By working with a trusted tradeonly supplier, companies gain immediate access to up-to-date equipment, specialist knowledge, and high-quality production without the cost or responsibility of maintaining it all themselves. This approach gives businesses the freedom to react to trends quickly, try new applications and adjust capacity as needed without any disruption. It also helps protect margins by providing competitively priced trade production, allowing teams to focus their time and resources on sales, service, and growth. Preparing for what comes next is less about owning all the technology and more about choosing the right partners to support your goals. Marcus Clifford Business coach As Charles Dickens wrote: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." That sums up much of 2025, and likely 2026 too. I come across those that say it’s tough but are doing okay, and those who say it’s awful and wish they could find a way out. We all read the news and the global landscape remains decidedly VUCA, volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. The UK economy faces low growth, sticky inflation, and tightening taxes and regulatory grips. Additionally, interest rates remain high, while compliance and employment costs weigh heavy. Businesses continue to plead with the government for space and incentives to invest in the right skills and technology. Overall, we know what 2026 has in store for us and as our customers are going through the same, we in print have an opportunity to sell and champion the solutions print can offer. There is so much data and information around about the engaging value of a printed product, it’s clearly an effective ROI, thanks to its integrative powers in a multi digital media campaign. In a world shaped by algorithms and automation, trust is an important currency. Consumers and buyers are questioning the authenticity of what they see, click, and read online. Here, print has a natural advantage. Tangible, verifiable, and permanent, it occupies the space of confidence and credibility. As one chief marketing officer recently put it: “Digital gets the reach, print gets the belief.” Expect 2026 to see renewed emphasis on trustworthy communication formats where the tactile and the human once again take centre stage. Budgets will stay constrained, but expectations higher than ever. 2026 will be a year obsessed with impact measurement and print is well positioned for this. Put yourself in this space as all the tools and elements are there for you. Brands and clients alike are demanding evidence. Who’s reading? What’s converting? What’s delivering real commercial value? The winners as ever will be those who can translate metrics into meaningful narratives, demonstrating prints role as a performance engine, not a legacy medium. Mintel’s 2026 Global Consumer Predictions spotlight three powerful currents: anti-algorithm, the new young, and affection deficit. As consumers rebel against digital distortion and echo chambers, they seek brands that feel real. In a fragmented society where automation has replaced casual connection, human interaction becomes a scarce commodity. For print and visual media, this is a renaissance moment. Print can be the antidote to algorithm fatigue, offering authenticity, tactility, and attention in a world drowning in pixels. Brands that blend digital precision with human presence will own the emotional high ground. Efficiency is giving way to resilience. The old ‘just in time’ model is being replaced by ‘just in case.’ Supply-chain agility, on-demand capability, and multiskilled teams will define operational strength in 2026. Also, printers which can flex capacity, shift formats, and diversify revenue streams from commercial work to packaging, from B2B to B2C, will hold the advantage when volatility hits. Across all of this runs a widening ‘them and us’ divide, between firms with the resources, and those struggling to catch up or stay in the game. This fragmentation will deepen in 2026. But for those who are integrative, connective, and innovative, it’s an opportunity to outpace competitors. The future isn’t about being the biggest, it’s about being the most adaptive. I think most business owners know this, but it can be a game of 4D Chess to make the right moves due to resource constraints. ► Marcus Clifford, self-employed business coach In 2026 the BPIF will be celebrating 125 years of serving the industry 125 ▲ [L to R] Wayne Bodimeade and Scott Conway, founders and directors of Venture Banners 2026 PREDICTIONS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjM0NDIxOA==