Kornit Digital, D-house Launch Foot/Print EXP at Milan Design Week 2026
Kornit Digital and D-house laboratorio urbano, the Dual Innovation Hub of Pattern Group, have presented Foot/Print EXP during Milan Design Week 2026. The project, conceived by designers Sangi and Materia, examines new directions in footwear design through the combination of digital printing technology, material research, and design processes.
The installation is located at Zona K, Via Spalato 11, Milan, within the Isola Design District. It will be open to visitors and industry professionals from April 20 to April 26. A press preview is scheduled for April 20 from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM, while the exhibition will be accessible to the public daily from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
The project features five footwear prototypes developed through an integrated process involving design, technological application, and product development. Kornit’s digital production technology is used not only as a manufacturing method but also as a design tool. The approach allows direct interaction with materials and surfaces and supports on-demand production processes.
Kornit’s XDi digital printing technology is used to create textured and tactile effects directly on fabrics. The use of white ink enables high-definition printing on dark and colored textiles, contributing to variations in visual output.
“Returning to Milan Design Week for the fourth year with D-house, we continue to explore how digital technology can expand the language of design. With Foot/Print EXP, we see digital printing evolve beyond production into a true creative tool, enabling designers to experiment directly on materials, explore new aesthetics, and bring ideas to life with unprecedented flexibility. This collaboration reflects our ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability, and to shaping new possibilities for footwear and design.” - Giovanni Pizzamiglio, Roll-To-Roll Segment Director, Kornit Digital
The installation is divided into two environments. The first space presents a Mars-inspired setting, where materials, colors, and surfaces are used to create a specific visual context. Textures developed within this environment are applied to the footwear prototypes.
According to Pietro Franceschi, Sangi, and Francesco Saverio Matera:
“As a research and development center in the footwear sector, we approach this project as a territory of exploration—an opportunity to rethink every phase of the design process and push Kornit technologies beyond their conventional use, transforming them into tools for imagining new possibilities, both aesthetic and, above all, functional. FOOT/PRINT EXP was conceived with the ambition of speaking to the entire industry, reaffirming the value of collaboration between brands and suppliers as a driver of innovation. It is precisely through this shared energy that it becomes possible to go beyond known boundaries—and, in our case, to symbolically push even beyond Earth’s atmosphere.”
The second space is designed as a laboratory, presenting materials, processes, and development stages involved in the project. This section highlights the transition from research to product creation.
Francesco Botto, Innovation Development Manager at Pattern Group, adds:
“Projects like FOOT/PRINT EXP fully embody the vision of Pattern Group: building an advanced supply chain where innovation, research, and manufacturing are in continuous dialogue. Within this framework, D-house positions itself as a laboratory for applied experimentation, capable of connecting diverse expertise and transforming technologies into concrete solutions for the industry. Collaboration with partners such as Kornit allows us to explore new design languages and contribute to shaping more flexible, responsible, and future-oriented production models.”
The project is supported by an integrated production supply chain. Fabrics used in the prototypes are sourced from Beppetex, which provides cotton canvas, and Colombo Industrie Tessili, known for technical fabrics. Leather materials supplied by Conceria Enterprise are also used to explore digital printing applications for footwear.
Printing processes are carried out by Tintoria Finissaggio 2000, which uses Kornit digital printing technology to transfer design elements onto fabrics and surfaces. This enables the application of experimental designs while supporting on-demand and flexible production processes.
Foot/Print EXP presents footwear as an area of experimentation where design and technology intersect, demonstrating how digital printing can influence product development and production models.