Apr 21 2016
Loughborough University’s Senior Lecturer in Product and Industrial Design, Dr Guy Bingham, has collaborated with international textile and garment manufacturer the Yeh Group, to undertake a highly innovative project using 3D textile printing, which could transform the way clothes and footwear are manufactured.
(Image © Steven Lake)
The project, referred to as 3D Fashion, spans 18 months and will showcase Dr Bingham’s skills as a world expert in his field. He aims to create 3D wearable, full size, additive manufacturing (AM) textile garments and footwear, with design assistance from a famous fashion house. He also aims to manufacture these fashionable textiles within 24 hours as the project progresses.
The developments in AM textiles have facilitated the production of 3D printed garments directly using a raw material, such as polymer. This was possible in a single manufacturing operation.
This technology could potentially help to reduce waste, labor costs and CO2e, as well as modernize clothing production by promoting localized manufacturing.
At the moment, garment manufacture produces 1.8 million tonnes of waste material, which is about 70 kg or 100 pairs of jeans per UK household, with 6.3 billion m³ of water which is equal to 200,000 L per year per household, or 1,000 filled bathtubs.
Video Credit: Loughborough University | YouTube
With 3D printing there is no limit to what you can build and it is this design freedom which makes the technology so exciting by bringing to life what was previously considered to be impossible. This landmark technology allows us as designers to innovate faster and create personalized, ready-to-wear fashion in a digital world with no geometrical constraints and almost zero waste material. We envisage that with further development of the technology, we could 3D print a garment within 24 hours. Printing clothes using AM will revolutionize the fashion industry worldwide by opening up digital manufacturing to the masses via online retail, bringing a much needed update to 19th century techniques and processes. This modern approach to clothing production helps meet the growing demand for personalized apparel and footwear which through 3D printing can be produced in a sustainable and ethical way.
Dr Guy Bingham, Senior Lecturer, Product and Industrial Design, Loughborough University
David Yeh, Managing Director, Tong Siang (Yeh Group), said: “3D Fashion supports the Yeh Group vision of direct polymer to garment manufacture. The Yeh Group is always striving to cut out unnecessary waste and resource use, and support the industries goals of faster to market, creating a manufacturing technology that brands and retailers can install closer to their customers. This is all with no compromise to performance.”
Going forward, industrial collaboration opportunities are available for further research in AM materials and technology development.