45 www.printmonthly.co.uk Issue 357 - November | December 2025 a textured wallcovering in a boutique hotel or a limited-edition art print that feels handcrafted. “With solutions like the DA-640, we’re not just offering a machine; we’re offering a pathway into new markets and new ways of thinking about print. Our goal is to help businesses stay agile and inspired as the definition of print continues to expand.” Personalisation and Customisation Elsewhere and Inkcups can support PSPs with its selection of direct-to-object (DTO) inkjet print technologies. Marketing manager Jessica Makrinos says that more Inkcups customers are experimenting with different effects designed to elevate the finish of a product further than is possible with a traditional adhesive label. “With demand for unique, personalised and customised items continuing to grow, we are seeing a shift towards more premium finishes for applications like spirit bottles, cosmetics bottles, and even products like reusable water bottles,” Makrinos says. Makrinos offers the example of creating an elevated effect on matte drinkware for example is the use of spot UV varnish. At FESPA 2024, Inkcups participated in the ‘Personalise Make Wear Smart Factory’, showcasing the capabilities of its Helix cylindrical inkjet printer. Rather than a full-colour design or complex graphics, one of the most popular designs at the event utilised clear vanish on matte drinkware, highlighting the shift to minimalistic and elevated designs. “By printing UV varnish onto the semiopaque drinkware, a beautiful effect is created which retains full transparency in the design while creating a striking contrast with the matte finish of the bottle itself,” Makrinos says, adding: “This tone on tone effect can also extend beyond using varnish to create an embossed look and can also be used in applications like using a low opacity colour to bring out the colour of the application. An example of this is enhancing the aluminium of a can by using colour at a low opacity.” Going into more detail on Inkcups’ technology, Makrinos says its “beauty” is that it utilises UV curing, meaning that not only are the printed applications ready to be used or packaged immediately after printing, but a range of different techniques can be experimented with. For example, using varnish, varying ink opacity or base layer inks can all create effects that are not possible with alternative printing technologies. Offering another example, Makrinos set out how Inkcups customer Sterkstokers, a bespoke spirit distillery, invested in a Helix ONE cylindrical direct-to-object printer to bring bottle SPECIAL EFFECTS | ROB FLETCHER By printing UV varnish onto the semi-opaque drinkware, a beautiful effect is created which retains full transparency in the design while creating a striking contrast with the matte finish of the bottle itself ▲ Roland DG showcased its Dimense DA-640 at The Sign Show 2025
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