Many people in print are fighting the wrong fight. And the longer that continues, the more opportunity the industry leaves on the table. Every few months the same debate pops up again. Someone publishes a piece about declining print volumes. Someone else jumps in with a defense of print’s effectiveness. Then the comments fill up with people arguing about whether digital has permanently replaced physical media. Eventually someone says the line we’ve all heard a thousand times.

A Conversation with Dino Pagliarello, Vice President of Product Management and Production Print, Sharp USA The production print industry has never lacked drama. Market consolidation. Competitive repositioning. Leadership shakeups. Technology leaps. If you follow the headlines, it can feel like a long-running series where each season brings a new twist. Yet in the middle of all that noise, certain companies are choosing a different narrative. Instead of reacting to turbulence,

The Taktisphere Is Live: The Community Built for Digital Embellishment (Finally) If you work in digital embellishment, you have probably felt this at some point: the most exciting, most profitable, most “how did they do that?” part of print somehow keeps getting treated like a side conversation. It shows up as a breakout session. A hallway chat. A random thread. Then everyone goes back to talking about everything else. That ends now. On March 2, 2026, we are officially launch

By Paul Furse, Harris and Bruno International Digital embellishment has moved from novelty to necessity in the print world. What was once a niche add-on is now a strategic differentiator for commercial printers, packaging converters, and brand owners seeking higher engagement and margins. I have witnessed this transformation first-hand. In my role at Harris & Bruno International, I’ve seen customers increasingly demand tactile enhancements that make their print stand out. For

In a recent episode of the Digital Embellishment Show, Andrew Gunn – Director of Product Marketing at Fujifilm – shared insights on how Fujifilm is expanding the possibilities of digital print embellishments. In conversation with host Kevin Abergel, Gunn discussed Fujifilm’s heightened market presence, the Aspire program for CMYK+ education, and an upcoming fluorescent green specialty toner that promises to revolutionize digital printing. This article distills key takeaways

By Dino Pagliarello, Sharp Since 2006, my family has come together to make wine. We crush the grapes by hand. We talk. We argue about technique. We tell the same stories we tell every year. And when the work is done, we put the wine in an American Oak barrel and wait. We call it Dino’s Vino, but the name is almost beside the point. What matters is the process and the continuity. This is not a hobby we picked up for novelty. It is a tradition that connects generations all the

In a recent Digital Embellishment Designer Meetup session, print industry veteran Matt Redbear and fellow experts unpacked how digital foil and varnish embellishments are transforming modern design. What emerged was a masterclass on designing with embellishments in mind from the start – treating foil not as an afterthought or mere material, but as a deliberate sensory effect that can elevate print from good to unforgettable. This article distills the key insights from that

The world of digital print embellishment is experiencing a surge in growth and interest. Once a niche for early adopters, digital embellishment has become a mainstream strategy for printers looking to differentiate their services and boost profit margins. We spoke with Sean Roberts, National Director of Digital Embellishment at Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta) about the latest trends driving this market, from the rise of embellished direct mail

Digital Embellishment Designer Meetup Recap (January 22, 2026) When we opened the January Digital Embellishment Designer Meetup, you could feel it right away. The room was packed, the chat was buzzing, and the topic was not a casual “someday” conversation anymore. AI is already in the workflow for a lot of designers and production teams, even if it is showing up in small ways, like quicker selections in Photoshop, faster background removal, or using ChatGPT to sanity-check an

On December 18, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. While I know that sounds like “legalization” to a lot of people, in reality it is not. This is a meaningful federal shift, but it does not wipe out state-by-state rules, and it does not suddenly make recreational cannabis federally legal. The order is also not the finish line. It is a directive to complete the rulemak

The Taktiful Holiday Album: Shimmer and Shine , is a joyful tribute to the partners who make print shine bright. Celebrating the magic of print embellishment, the album releases on December 22 and will be available for streaming on Apple Music and Spotify. Melbourne, Fl. – December 18th, 2025 – Taktiful, the creative powerhouse evangelizing the global digital print embellishment movement, has just unwrapped a seasonal surprise for the industry, The Taktiful Holiday Album . Bu

The Irresistible Allure of Shine and Touch Picture a consumer picking up a business card edged with metallic foil or running their fingers over a brochure logo that’s raised and glossy. Instantly, the item feels special. It catches the light with a shimmer and offers a satisfying texture under the fingertips. This is no design fluke – it’s a strategic engagement of human biology. Marketers and print designers have long observed that shiny foils and tactile coatings grab atte

The latest Digital Embellishment Designer Meetup was a lively exchange of ideas, tips, and trends in the world of digital print embellishments, with a focus on holiday card design. Below is a comprehensive recap of the discussion, organized into key themes and takeaways for easy reading. Welcoming Newcomers and Introductions Once the session officially began, Kevin greeted returning participants and newcomers alike. Notably, Jaclyn “Jackie” Bartholomew was introduced as Takti

At a recent Digital Embellishment Designer Meetup, a group of print and packaging designers gathered (virtually) to talk about “surface appeal” – the almost magical draw of shiny, textured finishes – and how these tactile effects evoke emotional responses. The session held just before Thanksgiving, wasn’t a typical technical workshop. Instead, it delved into the science of shine and the emotions it sparks, from nostalgia and curiosity to surprise and even feelings of gratitu

The Digital Embellishment Designer Meetup (Halloween Spooktacular Edition) delivered equal parts education and festive fun. Designers, printers, and industry experts gathered (many in costume) on October 31st to talk all things print embellishment. This special community call, hosted by Kevin Abergel of Taktiful, was filled with insights from the recent PRINTING United expo, lively discussions on new technologies, and tips for creatives looking to add some “magic” to their pr

By Kevin Abergel, President of Taktiful From Niche to Mainstream: Embellishment Everywhere Walking the show floor at PRINTING United 2025 in Orlando felt like stepping into a dream that had finally come to life. Everywhere I looked, there were printers, designers, and technology partners talking about metallics, textures, and specialty effects. For years, we in the embellishment space have been saying that the key to fighting commoditization is differentiation. This year, it

When people hear “digital print embellishment,” they often think of shiny foil or glossy coatings that simply make a printed piece look...

Introduction: Think of Downstream Departments as Your Customers In a busy print shop, every department is part of a larger ecosystem. As...

Lessons from the September 18 Digital Embellishment Designer Meetup On September 18, a group of designers, printers, and embellishment...

Every year, PRINTING United Expo serves as the epicenter of innovation in the print industry. With hundreds of exhibitors, ONE MILLION...