Let's look at the basic operation of a laser printer as compared to the offset alternative. The core advantage of the digital machine is the elimination of the need to create plates. This takes out a significant element of cost, both in the creation of the plate in the set-up of the machine. Also, because the laser printer uses dry toner instead of inks there's no need to wash down the machine between jobs. The dry medium also obviates the need for drying time - a considerable delay for some inks, especially certain shades of blue.

On the downside, the cost per printed item for the litho printer is significantly lower, so the litho machine becomes a cost effective proposition on longer runs. In practice this has left us in a hybrid situation where fixed design elements are printed using offset litho and then the raw tickets are held in stock. On call-off, the printed stock is overprinted with variable data using laser printers.

The retailers' desire for smaller, more tactical consignments of garments has given us an increasing number of shorter run ticket orders, so that we now see colour laser printing as a highly attractive option. With litho's long-run cost savings out of the picture we can take a more level view of what digital colour print has to offer us.

Looking first at flexibility and reaction time, we can now match printing directly to the suppliers' manufacturing schedules, and vary data within a single contract. It's also unnecessary to maintain stock of all of the possible ticket variations; we can print direct on to blank stock. In fact flexibility becomes even more available as we don't even have to change the set-up to switch jobs. Provided the board is compatible, we can switch print jobs from one item to the next. This places an additional management burden on the ticket provider, but given capable control software it should be well within its ability.

So we can see that digital colour print brings benefit if we simply replace litho with laser. But if we do that we're missing the real opportunity. The challenge now is to begin to plan for digital; to re-think the way we do things so that we can reap the benefits of a completely reactive technology.

We have a system that can print graphics and variable data in full colour in a single process. It can handle varying barcodes, prices and size details, but it can also automatically print product-specific photographs. This factor alone can eliminate the need for secondary ticketing. Because the printing is a dry process we can attach finishing procedures like folding, cutting and stringing direct to the output, speeding time to manufacturer. As price isn't affected by length of print run we can pool orders to match production and despatch schedules, saving on shipping costs.

But the really exciting opportunities come in the way we control the printer. What we're dealing with is essentially nothing more than a huge version of the printer attached to your desktop computer. You think nothing of producing mail merge letters or printing out a scanned photograph; why should ticket printing be any different?

Let's think of applying the computer power at our disposal to the printing of tickets that really work for a living. Consider setting up relationships between products so that a pair of trousers automatically carries an offer for the matching jacket. Think about store-specific promotions, event-related marketing projects, in fact just about any marketing message that occurs to you.

The ticket is the most powerful marketing medium you have; what else is examined in such detail? Where else can you find such undivided attention? Digital colour printing remains a disappointingly unappreciated revolution. It presents challenges that, if we meet them enthusiastically, open up opportunities to re-think drastically we ticket the fashion industry.

John Fuller is Gresham's Director of Production. He has worked with digital colour print for more than ten years and pioneered the practice of printing in-run variations on access and fashion ticketing.