Curiosity kicked in and we went on the streets to look for founders who are building something meaningful in the textile landscape. Because let’s be honest — the big players are too busy chasing topline targets and managing mind-boggling operations.
In this journey, we met someone who’s not exactly a ‘young’ founder, but definitely a sharp one — the mind behind Print Zombies, Shubham Bansal — and his approach to serving clients was unlike anything we’d seen before. As much as the team understands perfection, they believe absolute perfection is a non-existent scenario. And that belief led to this conversation:
Question: What’s it really like running a made-to-order digital print business in such a fast-moving, creatively demanding industry?
Response: It’s beautifully chaotic. Every single order we process is like a new story — a different fabric base, a fresh design file, a specific color expectation, and a unique individual on the other end. It’s never repetitive. The process constantly demands reinvention. And while we have solid systems, design backgrounds, and experience, the truth is — perfection in this space is always a moving target.
Question: That’s interesting. So what really sets Print Zombies apart in the Indian fashion and design ecosystem?
Response: A lot of people think of fabric printers as just service providers or traders. But that’s not us. At Print Zombies, we’re designers first. We understand aesthetics, storytelling, and the emotional value behind every swatch. We don’t just print fabric — we collaborate. We offer design direction, experiment with color calibrations, explore fabric behaviours, and deliver ready-to-use printed fabrics that help our clients stand out. We’re a creative service packed with process innovation and zeal.
Question: Sounds like there’s a lot of room for error in such custom work. How do you deal with the inevitable imperfections?
Response: That’s the real challenge. We’re chasing 100 every time, but we know that sometimes we land at 95 — and even that is rare and remarkable in custom production. Maybe the blue is a tad deeper than the swatch. Maybe a motif nudged a little. But the essence? It landed. That’s what matters. And we take responsibility — always. We pause, we fix, we learn, and we improve. The aim isn’t perfection, it’s integrity.
Question: How do your clients respond to this kind of honest approach?
Response: Our clients — from boutique owners to established fashion designers — are incredibly supportive. They don’t just expect flawless outputs. They value our honesty and effort. Many of them have stayed through the years, because they’ve seen us own up to mistakes, rerun prints, tweak batches, and go the extra mile. Their trust is why we keep showing up and growing.
Question: For someone just entering the market, is digital fabric printing an intimidating step?
Response: Not at all. In fact, it’s the best time to start — especially with a capsule collection. You don’t need to worry about high MOQs, large inventory, or fabrics going out of stock. We print what you need, when you need it — even if that’s 3 meters of your custom artwork. And here’s the kicker: we can even replenish the exact same print after 10 years. That’s the power of digital. It’s a low-capital, high-flexibility game changer for designers.
Question: So what’s next for Print Zombies?
Response: We’ll keep pushing boundaries. Creatively, logistically, sustainably. We’ll keep listening, learning, and leading. Because we’re not chasing empty promises. We’re chasing the work that lands just right. And the trust that makes it possible.
And while we’re at it — a big thank you to all the clients who’ve walked this journey with us. The ones who understood that what we do isn’t automated or factory-made. It’s layered with human touch, trial, exploration, and yes, sometimes a little unpredictability. But that’s the beauty of design — No Certainties, Just Ever-going Creativity.