Kornit’s Journey: From an Israeli Startup to a Global Textile-Tech Leader

Kornit Digital was founded in 2002, when the textile printing industry was still completely analog. This new Israeli company had a radically digital-first vision. 

At a time when digital textile printing was considered a niche and used mostly for personalized heat-pressed textiles, Kornit’s ambition was bold. The company aimed to reshape the textile world with sustainable, on-demand yet industrial digital solutions.

Today, Kornit is a global leader in high-throughput direct to garment and direct to fabric (roll to roll) systems. It’s trusted by large brands, agile fulfillers, and sustainability-conscious manufacturers. This is the story of the company’s growth. 

Kornit Through Four Generations of Innovation

Kornit’s growth can be tracked through its generational technology roadmap. 

Kornit 1.0 marked the first breakthrough in digital printing on white and dark garments, establishing the foundation for single-step, on-demand DTG. 

Kornit 2.0 expanded this vision to direct-to-fabric (DTF/roll-to-roll) production, introducing true single-step digital textile decoration at scale. 

With Kornit 3.0, the focus shifted to high-definition retail quality. It allowed brands to demand sharper detail, richer colors, and consistent output across global networks.

Today, Kornit 4.0 delivers mass-productivity retail quality, supporting sustainable, on-demand manufacturing for:

• Apparel
• Home décor
• Footwear
• Technical textiles

With a global base of 1,300+ significant customers, Kornit continues expanding what’s possible in digital production, driving the shift toward cleaner and more agile textile manufacturing.

Founding & Early Years (2002–2010)

Kornit Digital Ltd. was incorporated in 2002 under Israeli law. The company was founded by Ofer Ben-Zur, whose background was rooted in digital printing, notably through earlier innovations led by Scitex (a company often credited with pioneering digital imaging).

From the very beginning, Kornit placed major emphasis on intellectual property and proprietary technology. Their early focus on patents set the stage for long-term innovation leadership.

Key Early Patents (2003–2014)

Here are just a few of the standout patents from Kornit’s early years:

• Method for Image Printing on a Dark Textile Piece – 2003
• Digital Printing Machine (X/Y Axis Architecture) – 2004
• Combined Stencil and Digital Printing System – 2006
• Formaldehyde-Free Inkjet Compositions and Processes – 2010
• Inkjet Compositions and Processes for Stretchable Substrates – 2010
• Dye Discharge Inkjet Ink Compositions – 2011
• Ink Composition (Durable, Wash-Fast Images) – 2011
• Inkjet Compositions for Stretchable Substrates – 2013
• In-Line Digital Printing System for Textile Materials – 2014

These patents reflect core pillars of Kornit’s DNA: substrate flexibility, sustainable chemistry, and integrated hardware-software engineering. Kornit was the first and only company that offer a single-step solution with inline pre-treatment that revolutionized the process.

First Products and Challenges

By 2004, Kornit was already presenting its systems at global shows, like SGIA Minneapolis. Early systems such as the Kornit 930 and 931 (later known as the Thunder and Storm) laid the groundwork for scalable, production-grade DTG.

In 2006, Kornit became the first to offer digital white ink printing on dark garments. This particular milestone would help digital DTG become commercially viable.

Growth & Public Offering (2010–2015)

Between 2010 and 2015, Kornit aggressively scaled its R&D and market presence. It opened regional offices in:

• North America (Mequon, WI)
• Asia-Pacific (Kowloon, Hong Kong)
• Europe (Düsseldorf, Germany)

These offices offered localized sales, support, and demonstration capabilities.

IPO on Nasdaq

In 2015, Kornit went public on the NASDAQ (KRNT). The IPO marked a significant leap in funding, brand visibility, and investor trust. The company now had the resources to scale beyond its DTG roots.

Key Product Milestones

During this time, Kornit released:

• Kornit Avalanche (2010): Printer designed for high-volume DTG production
• Kornit Breeze (2010): Industrial DTG printer for mid-size businesses 
• Kornit Allegro (2012): The first roll-to-roll single-step fabric printer
• Avalanche Hexa (2014): DTG printer with a 30% wider color gamut
• Kornit Vulcan (2015): The first real mass-production DTG machine

Together, these innovations expanded Kornit’s addressable markets and applications.

Technological & Strategic Milestones (2015–2024)

The innovations and product advances during the 2015 – 2025 period were significant both for the company and the industry. 

2015–2020:

• HD Technology: Introduced NeoPigment Eco-Rapid ink and enhanced print resolution.
• NeoPoly Technology: Smart DTG for polyester fabrics.
• Kornit Atlas: Industrial DTG printer for mass production
• Vulcan Plus: A DTG mass production printer with a throughput of more than 600,000 impressions a year

2020–2025:

• MAX Technology: Launched with the Atlas MAX, enabling advanced digital 3D effects.
• Kornit Presto MAX: Single-step roll-to-roll digital fabric printing.
• XDi Technology: Introduced threadless embroidery, vinyl emulations, and high-density effects.
• Atlas MAX PLUS: Featuring DTFilm capabilities, autonomous calibration (QualiSet), and 20% higher productivity.
• Ink Manufacturing Facility: In 2023, Kornit invested $25M in a new ink plant in Kiryat Gat, Israel, to scale consumables globally 
• Apollo Platform: Made available in 2024 as a fully automated, mass-production digital print system.

Acquisitions & Ecosystem Expansion

• Custom Gateway (2020): For order-to-production workflow automation (now KornitX).
• Voxel8 (2021): Advanced 3D printing and functional applications.
• Tesoma (2022): Curing solutions for seamless in-line finishing.

Focus on Sustainability & Impact

• Annual Impact Reports publicly outline Kornit’s sustainability KPIs.
• NeoPigment™ inks support the waterless printing process and are formaldehyde-free.
• Kornit promotes on-demand production, reducing overproduction and landfill waste.

What Makes Kornit Unique 

Kornit has a 20+ year history of significant successes. Here is what makes it unique on the global market:

• Vertical Integration: Kornit controls ink, software, hardware, and services (a complete product combination)
• Patent Leadership: 100+ patents 
• Industrial Reliability: Systems like Atlas MAX PLUS deliver 90%+ uptime with minimal setup.
• Vision-Driven Strategy: Kornit positions itself as the operating system for sustainable, on-demand fashion.

Over the past years, Kornit Digital has helped multiple brands achieve their sales and marketing goals. 

Key Challenges & Turning Points

Kornit’s rise has not been without friction. The company faced significant skepticism in its early years, with many in the textile industry hesitant to move away from traditional analog workflows. Convincing large manufacturers and brands to embrace digital textile printing required not just superior technology but a fundamental shift in mindset.

Another ongoing challenge has been ink development. Building a chemistry portfolio compatible with a broad range of fabrics while meeting environmental standards and performance expectations has meant years of sustained R&D investment.

As Kornit expanded rapidly across continents and markets, it had to manage growth without compromising quality or reliability. Scaling sustainably, while maintaining its industrial-grade standards, became a core organizational priority.

Kornit’s Vision for 2030

Looking ahead, Kornit envisions a textile industry shaped by on-demand production, microfactories, and hyper-local manufacturing. The company is actively developing platforms that will enable fully automated workflows, where garments are produced only when ordered.

Next-generation systems like Apollo and advanced Atlas MAX iterations are already pushing toward “lights-out” production, requiring minimal human intervention.

Software will be just as important. Kornit is investing in deepening the capabilities of KornitX, its end-to-end production and fulfillment platform, enabling brands and fulfillers to streamline everything from order ingestion to final shipment.

Sustainability remains a north star. Kornit plans to further reduce its environmental footprint by innovating greener inks, reducing energy usage, and pushing circular design principles.

Moving Forward with Kornit Digital

For both brands and manufacturers, Kornit offers a path to scalable, sustainable growth. Do you have a Kornit success story? Share it with us. We’d love to hear how you’re reshaping the industry.