DIGITAL WALLPAPER COLLABORATION

With the sharp rise in on-demand wallpapers for home décor, driven by home reno TV shows, Xeikon and Ahlstrom have collaborated for a new peel-away media for digital printing.

Ahlstrom says its new WallStar Digital Peel & Up range makes decoration “quick and effortless, even for a novice home decorator”. WallStar Digital Peel & Up is specifically designed to be printed using a Xeikon digital colour press. The Peel & Up range includes 100 per cent PVC-free satin and matt media.

No glue or special equipment is needed to apply the wallpaper. The company says it is “easy” to reposition during installation, and also straightforward to remove. The user can simply peel away the wallpaper off the release liner and apply it to the wall. Trouble-free removability enables smooth repositioning or replacement with a different design. No adhesive is left on the wall after removal.

The Xeikon wall decoration solution, based on the Xeikon CX500 digital press, uses dry toner technology. The ability to print with five colours delivers design flexibility. Xeikon says dry toner print technology stands for “superior quality” images, and complies with all necessary regulations with regard to indoor emissions in the building industry.

“Digital print stands for printing whatever you need, whenever you need it”, says Dimitri Van Gaever, Xeikon’s director of segment marketing for the decoration markets, “We are delighted to be the partner of choice in this kind of development by leading industry players like Ahlstrom. We believe it can become a game changer for the wall deco markets.”

Anna Brikh, product manager at Ahlstrom, commented,” As a substrate supplier we are literally in between the print and the consumer. The substrate has to bring those two worlds together, meeting market demands and ensuring the state-of-the-art quality of the end product. With our range of nonwovens for wall decor, we have always been looking to provide printers and consumers with high-quality and easy-to-use materials.

"We believe that WallStar Digital Peel & Up is an important step forward to meet the ongoing customisation trends in the decoration markets.”