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3D Knitwear: How 3D Printing is Revolutionizing Fashion

Published on July 22, 2021 by Mikahila L.

In recent years, 3D printing has become growingly everpresent. From medicine, aerospace, to design, and construction — every day there’s news about breakthroughs, innovations, and developments in the additive manufacturing industry. However, in one particular industry, it’s still pretty quiet regarding developments around 3D printing. We’re talking about the fashion industry. It cannot be denied that the first experiments and advances in 3D printed clothing have only been recorded relatively recently. Yet, if you have followed these developments in fashion a little more closely, you may have noticed that these are high-end fashion, i.e. clothing created for the runways and red carpet and not for everyday wear. The reason why the combination of 3D printing and clothing seems so difficult is quite simple: The materials used in 3D printing, mostly plastic, and metal, are not flexible enough. To counteract this problem, some fashion and 3D enthusiasts have been looking into suitable options and ultimately honed in on one solution: 3D knitwear. But, what exactly is 3D knitwear? How does its production method differ from additive manufacturing and conventional textile production? Will 3D knitwear be available as ready-to-wear for ordinary consumers in the near future? We got to the bottom of this topic in more detail and we clarify all of these questions with the help of various expert opinions from the industry.

In order to understand the principle of 3D knitwear and its differences and similarities to 3D printing, it is first necessary to take a look at the definitions. Gihan Amarasiriwardena, co-founder and CEO of the Ministry of Supply, defines 3D printing as follows: “In 3D printing, molded products (such as plastics) are produced by adding a layer of material (often plastic or synthetic) according to a given digital Design is ‘printed’.” Rosanne van der Meer, designer and founder of New Industrial Order, offers a broader definition: “3D printing is the production of a three-dimensional shape on the basis of a filament that is formed by a machine. “ In fact, 3D printing is all about computer-controlled machines creating three-dimensional objects and building them up layer by layer. The question now remains whether 3D knitwear is made according to the same principle.

In 3D printing, the object is additively manufactured layer by layer.

Production of 3D Knitwear

The manufacturing process of 3D knitted fabrics is quite similar to other 3D objects. Both begin on a computer: CAD software is used to create the design and ultimately to obtain a programming language. The digital codes are then forwarded to the machine, which then begins the manufacturing process. However, the machine used is where knitwear and traditional 3D printing diverge. The primary difference from additive manufacturing is that the machine is not a 3D printer that processes filament or powder through extruders, rather, a knitting machine that can produce a three-dimensional garment in a single pass by uniting it thread by thread. Consequently, it should be noted that the principle is essentially the same both are based on software and are additively manufactured, but the material creates a big difference between the two methods.

Therefore, it is hardly surprising that industry experts agree in saying that 3D knitted goods are not manufactured using 3D printing, but rather, 3D knitting is a technology in its own right. Gerard Rubio, co-founder, and CEO of Kniterate, a company that sells 3D digital knitting machines, adds the following about his company’s machines and the use of the word 3D in connection with the production method: “These machines are capable of 3D knitting. But these machines are not necessarily 3D knitting machines.” This is because flat, single-layer garments like scarves can also be printed with a Kniterate machine, which eliminates the additive manufacturing aspect. Rosanne van der Meer adds that she deliberately uses the term ‘3D printed knitwear‘ for her products in order to make a clear distinction between 3D knitwear and conventionally produced knitwear.

Compared to Conventional Textile Production

Now that the differences and similarities between 3D knitwear and 3D printing have been outlined, the question remains whether and, if so, why 3D knitwear should be preferred to traditionally manufactured clothing. In order to provide a reasonable answer to this, conventional textile production must first be examined more closely.

This is still a touchy subject, with so few companies keeping their value chains and production methods transparent. Obvious and ongoing issues such as child labor, low wages, and inadequate protective measures in low-cost manufacturing countries are joined by the astronomically negative impact the industry has on the environment. From the cultivation of cotton, whereby both the use of pesticides and an enormous waste of water are recorded, to transit once the material has been broken down, and shipped to be processed into yarn and ultimately fabric in another country — this phase alone requires much examination for improvement. Then, we have the woven fabric being sent back to be bleached or dyed at another factory. The harmful substances used in this process mostly end up in the wastewater, which in turn leads to the pollution of rivers and oceans. Lastly, the garment is sewn, knitted, and finished again in a different facility, with a large amount of material being wasted in the manufacturing process. The finished products are sent to the various branches around the world. The unbelievably long transport routes, which significantly increase Co2 emissions, rounds out the disadvantages of conventionally produced clothing. Although there are of course also smaller manufacturers who pay attention to sustainable, fair, and regional production, large-scale fashion producers that use traditional production channels still dominate the clothing market.

There are many problems with the conventional textile methods of large-scale fashion producers. These include the exploitation of workers in low-wage countries and the negative impact on the environment.

These social and environmental problems are primary focuses for CEOs Gerard Rubio, Gihan Amarasiriwardena, and Rosanne van der Meer, which is why they all pay attention to sustainability in the development of their companies and in the manufacture of their products. Awareness begins with the procurement of materials: While more than half of all clothing is produced using man-made fibers, mainly polyester, but also nylon, elastane, and acrylic, which are obtained from fossil fuels and therefore have a negative environmental impact; new industrial methods use merino wool which is obtained sustainably and as a natural fiber which generally has a smaller footprint compared to synthetic fibers.

Rosanne van der Meer also adds that she relies on high-quality yarn in order to achieve the best possible results and in order to not run the risk of the thread breaking in the middle of the knitting process and thus having to restart production. A special feature here: even if the thread were to break, the half-finished knitted part could be recycled since the knitwear is designed in such a way that it can be separated again. This means that the material used can be recovered — another sustainability factor. As far as the material is concerned, large savings can be made using 3D knitwear, as the machines produce additively In just one pass and therefore only requires the threads that will be used, thereby eliminating numerous production steps and saving a lot of time and costs. Gihan Amarasiriwardena confirms this statement: “With 3D-printed knitwear, only the required fabric is used. This results in approximately 30% less material waste”. Sustainability also plays a role at Kniterate. Gerard Rubio relies on plant-based yarns, which can be recycled, so items of clothing that are no longer wanted can be disposed of properly and not end up in a landfill.

The material plays a huge role in the manufacture of 3D knitted fabrics. (Photo Credit: Kniterate)

Since 3D knitwear is on-demand production, problems such as overproduction and inventory waste can also be avoided. Large-scale fashion producers are not able to react flexibly and quickly to changes in the market mainly due to long supply chains, which results in overproduction and overstocking. This is a fatal flaw in today’s fast fashion industry, where new collections and goods hit stores nearly every week. And where should the “old” items of clothing go that have not been bought? These resource and energy-intensive manufactured textiles mostly end up in the garbage or are partially incinerated. On-demand production that takes place on-site/in-house could be a solution here. Not only are transport costs and emissions saved as a result, but practically significantly less waste is produced.

This goes hand in hand with Rosanne van der Meer’s motto: “The starting point for a better climate balance in the fashion industry is less consumption. If you have timeless clothing that fits you really well, you will also consume less.” Thanks to 3D technologies, it is also possible to personalize 3D knitwear. Since the designs are created digitally and every needle stitch is equivalent to a pixel, patterns can easily be modified and adapted to customer requirements, which allows a lot of freedom. A special program from the start-up Shavatar also helped New Industrial Order to improve the accuracy of fit of their 3D knitwear without a 3D scanner – an essential aspect when it comes to buying clothes. With the help of the open-source system and the knitting machine from Kniterate, users are obviously also open to all creations and personalizations. Last but not least, the typical problems such as the exploitation of workers through in-house, regional productions are also eliminated.

Challenges of 3D Printed Clothing and Predictions for The Future

After explaining the numerous advantages offered by 3D knitwear, the question now remains as to why it is not yet increasingly available in stores. What are the current challenges and what improvements may still need to be made? Will 3D printed clothing and especially 3D knitwear be the future of the fashion industry?

Indeed, additive manufacturing of apparel faces a number of challenges. As mentioned earlier, the material is probably the biggest obstacle – which is why 3D knitwear is being resorted to. When a closer look is taken at previous projects involving 3D-printed clothing, such as products by fashion designer Danit Peleg, it quickly becomes apparent that the options are limited: The materials compatible with a 3D printer are mostly plastics such as ABS, PLA or the currently very popular and very flexible TPU. Although the latter can be used to create stretchy, movable 3D objects, it doesn’t begin to compare to the soft, comfortable texture of fabric. Although it could now be argued that the majority of conventionally produced clothing is also made of synthetic polymers, i.e. plastic, the problem lies with the texture. It makes a big difference what form the material is in: Fibers and threads have a filigree, elastic and flowing state, whereas filament has a comparatively thick, hard and rigid state.

3D-printed clothing differs in texture from conventionally produced goods. (Photo credit: Danit Peleg)

Furthermore, most 3D printers cannot produce fine enough details. Unlike 3D knitting, where the moving threads are processed by many small needles, the extruders of a 3D printer cannot produce anything comparable. The structure and texture of 3D-printed clothing is heavy and pitted, and the surface texture is likely to be quite cold and unpleasant. Gerard Rubio agrees, saying, “At this point, the materials are not developed enough. However, I strongly believe that 3D-printed clothing will be the future.”

With regard to 3D knitwear, other problems are encountered. Rosanne van der Meer particularly emphasized here the difficulty of creating the digital codes for the knitting machine. That is why she relies on extensive databases, suitable non-fiction books and an open-source system. The latter should support New Industrial Order’s goal of creating a workflow that makes the codes for 3D knitwear accessible to all those who show interest. Gerard Rubio echoes this sentiment. He, too, describes developing the right parameters as a major challenge. The road from the prototype to the final, commercializable Kniterate machine, which is very complex, was long and difficult, according to him. Referring to the future, however, Rosanne van der Meer sees no problem in this regard: “The technology is already established and ready to function, but the current system works completely differently.” 

The biggest difference between 3D printed objects and 3D knitwear is the material. It is easy to see that much finer structures can be created with threads.

This is because on-demand production, which is the principle of most current 3D knitwear manufacturers, completely contradicts the market flow. The current fashion market is based on mass production and mass consumption. Changing long-established systems and breaking habits is extremely difficult, which is why more sustainable companies specializing in on-demand production and customization face a major hurdle in entering the market. Also, in terms of production costs, 3D knitwear cannot compete with conventional clothing due to low market compatibility. Therefore, the current products from New Industrial Order and Ministry of Supply are still rather in the luxury segment in terms of price, within the framework of which customers are willing and able to spend a lot for personalization, sustainability and quality.

However, the experts are confident that 3D printing will play a greater role in the fashion sector in the future and firmly believe that novel technologies will revolutionize it. Rosanne van der Meer summarizes: “Changes in the textile industry are slow. Yes: in the future we will find more additively manufactured clothing, but how far this progress is in the future cannot be said.”

Ministry of Supply offers, among other things, 3D-printed blazers and masks. (Photo Credit: Ministry of Supply)

What do you think of 3D printed knitwear? Let us know in a comment below or on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly newsletter, with all the latest news in 3D printing delivered straight to your inbox!

Photo Credit: New Industrial Order

3D-printed clothes: why haven't manufacturers made them mass-produced yet?

ThreeASFOUR showcased their 3D printed clothing collection for the first time at a fashion show at the Jewish Museum in New York. The dresses on the models were patterned and looked ephemeral, like the robes of robotic angels. One was woven from white, angular bubbles, which gave the impression that the girl had just taken a bubble bath.

But the girl who showed this dress to the world could not sit down, otherwise the dress would have broken. “The model wearing the dress was very unhappy,” said Bradley Rothenberg, a 3D architect who collaborates with threeASFOUR founders Gabi Asfor, Angela Donhauser and Adi Gil.

ThreeASFOUR dress at the fashion show at the Jewish Museum.

It happened in 2013, when threeASFOUR began to realize that in order to achieve the goal, they would have to take a step back. They did not even think that they would create such an impractical piece of clothing. On the contrary, they wanted to create an outfit worthy of a superhero. They dreamed that the fabric they printed would become invulnerable to bullets and fire, retain heat and protect the wearer from stress. They dreamed that people would start buying their clothes as soon as they hit stores.

But time has passed. With the Silicon Valley elite building personal bunkers, refugees pouring across the border into Canada, and Margaret Atwood back in vogue, threeASFOUR's vision is as close to reality as an apocalyptic dystopia. But if everyone has access to the stocks left on Doomsday, becoming a superhero is still unrealistic.

And the reason is quite simple. Thanks to thousands of years of experience, tailored clothes are more practical and comfortable than those printed by a 3D printer. But that doesn't seem to be stopping threeASFOUR and other designers.

“In the fashion world, you can control the patterns and structure of a dress to get the look you want,” Rothenberg says. “The problem is that right now it’s just a possibility. So I think Gaby Asfor is the most interesting person in the industry. We need people who will push the boundaries, striving to show the new.”

The vision of Gabi Asfor is evident in his work. He became interested in 3D printing in 2009 and has been experimenting with the internal structure of fabrics ever since.

Traditional fabric has two dimensions: the threads are arranged horizontally, vertically and diagonally in a certain way to create a weave. Asfor, who has a degree in mechanical engineering and architecture from the University of Maryland, worked with Donhauser and Gil to come up with a three-dimensional weave that was planned to be laser-cut. The desire to give fabric a third dimension led them to 3D printing.

“The most innovative recent invention in the industry is the four-way stretch fabric,” says Asfor. “But ordinary fabric can only stretch in the X and Y planes. 3D printing will allow the material to stretch in the Z plane as well.” He believes that such a fabric will be better breathable, less restrict movement, and will not have folds.

ThreeASFOUR was interested in 3D printing, which led them to collaborate with Materialise, a 3D printed model company, and Rothenberg, who came up with 3D printed wings for the 2013 Victoria's Secret fashion show.

“When we first started, Gabi kept asking, “Can you print fabric? What material will be needed for this?” Rotenberg says. It turned out that this would not be easy.

Pangolin dress from the Biomimicry collection. Source: Backchannel

The main problem is that the materials used for 3D printing are stiffer than regular fabric. ThreeASFOUR experimented with the structures of various materials, trying to add elasticity to them, but any printed model came out very fragile.

But new materials have arrived, and ThreeASFOUR has teamed up with Stratasys and Travis Fitch to design dresses like Pangolin for their new fall 2016 collection, which they call Biomimicry. It took 500 hours to print (not including assembly) Pangolin! The dress, named after a scaly mammal, was reminiscent of dark armor (Björk appeared in it during a tour in Australia last year). To create the "scales", the designers used an algorithm that simulates cell division, thus obtaining an intertwining pattern.

On the ground floor of the ThreeASFOUR studio, there are employees who work with the most ordinary sewing machines. The dress itself is located on the next floor. Up close, the Pangolin bib, detached from the other parts of the dress, is somewhat reminiscent of a bicycle tire that has been cut to look like fish scales (it even wiggles like a fish tail). Such a deflection was not possible a few years earlier.

Asphor hands me a piece of another dress, a Harmonograph modeled after a sound wave. It was made from a rubber mesh that can expand and contract like a pillow-top mattress. The bottom of the dress shrinks when a person sits down and returns to shape when they stand up.

Harmonograph dress by ThreeASFOUR. Source: Instagram

With this flexibility, 3D wearers can now sit comfortably, although comfort is far from ideal. “Matter resembles artificial skin. It is not very pleasant to the touch and, in addition, sticks to the skin, ”says Rotenberg.

The idea of ​​making printed clothes gained popularity at the beginning of the 21st century, but developed rather slowly.

Few people know this better than Aaron Rowley, founder of Electroloom, a 3D printed clothing startup. At first, many well-known brands were interested in his work, but gradually, one by one, they left. “There was an idea that people could print tools at home,” says Rowley, referring to the days when there was a lot of hype around 3D printing. It was believed that clothes could also be printed, since wardrobe items are used every day and need to be updated regularly.

But progress has not gone far. “The process of creating fabric is fundamentally different [from 3D printing],” says Rowley.

“Textiles are an advanced technology,” says Scott Hudson, a researcher at Carnegie Mellon University who has worked with Disney on soft print materials. Calling the textile industry a technology, he was not exaggerating: some experts believe that the loom is an early version of the computer. In the middle of the 18th century, Joseph Marie Jacquard figured out how to save a fabric pattern on a punched card, which made it possible to set the machine to work and automate the process.

3D printing technology is not that polished yet. “You have to find a compromise between stiffness and strength,” says Hudson. 3D printers create an object by layering, and this process is very different from how fibers are turned into fabric.

Rowley took fabric raw materials and created blends that resemble existing fabrics. However, the 3D printer has created something that looks like a "chaotic web". It took a long time before they got a soft, stretchy, foldable and lightweight material that at first glance resembled fabric. But even the final version was not suitable: the material was torn as soon as it was pulled harder.

“Fibers that are physically connected, as in the case of 3D printing, remain stationary, while woven fibers move smoothly relative to each other,” Rowley explained. Electroloom shut down last October.

Until the material issue is resolved, the printed garment will look more like a work of art than a piece of clothing. A year ago, threeASFOUR dresses were featured at the Met Gala-sponsored Costume Institute show. The Manus x Machina show in 2016 also emphasized the role of technology in the fashion world: stars and celebrities dressed in silver at the show, and Zayn Malik appeared in a suit with robot arms.

Oscillation Dress by ThreeASFOUR. Source: Instagram

This year, threeASFOUR has introduced another novelty: a white and blue lattice dress, pictured above, it hugs a mannequin in their studio. The dress consists of 30 pieces, which are first printed and then carefully assembled.

“We are looking for new technologies,” says Asfor. “I believe that in the near future we will have a unique opportunity to move in this direction.”

At the same time, the quality of other garments (such as jewelry or sportswear) printed on a 3D printer is much higher. Nike and Adidas use 3D printing to create shoe padding and soles, which are usually made from foam. NASA is developing a project similar to Pangolin - a printed "chain mail" designed to protect astronauts from the impacts in space.

Maybe not only astronauts. Although T-shirts and pants are still made in the traditional way, protective armor will soon be printed. It will come in handy in case there is a revolution, aliens attack or you need to flee abroad.

Source.

Related materials:

“Print me food!” – what printing technologies of the 21st century are capable of

Smart home in Russian: how 3D printing helped create a cool gadget

A service for creating models for 3D printing inside virtual reality is launched

Ford is testing 3D printing of car parts

Where to go to learn and work with 3D printing?

3D digital clothing collection presented in St. Petersburg (Photo)

In the creative space of the Concept Group RASKROI in St. Petersburg, a digital clothing collection was presented, which was developed by young designers using 3D visualization, prototyping and 3D printing.

Works are freely available to everyone at the exhibition RASKROI FABLAB REVIEW.

The concept of the exhibition was based on the fashion industry's desire for sustainable production and a combination of digital and physical experience. 25 designers presented their works, who developed them for three months in the following areas:

3D-printed jewelry and accessories SENSIBLE SEA

When creating works, designers were inspired by Atlantis, the prerequisite for the death of which was the predominance of the material over the creative. All jewelry was 3D printed using pla plastic, which is made from cornmeal, a natural raw material.

In particular, the collection features the Qwatro telescopic bag, which combines modern 3D printing technology and traditional beading – the handles of the bag are made using the technique of three-dimensional tapestry weaving with cubic beads.

Visitors will be able to see bracelets in the shape of sea creatures, complete with magnets and LED lights, as well as a women's silk organza top, which is 3D printed with a 3D pattern of shells and ammonites.

INCEPTION Digital Clothing Virtual Show

Designers have been building on the continuous development of technology and their vision of the future of clothing in developing this line of work. When developing digital clothing, 3D modeling and physical simulation of fabrics were used.

As a result, the collection includes clothing-armor (simple in appearance, but at the same time multifunctional and protecting a person in conditions of possible climate deterioration), clothing using the Crasy Wool technique (creating fabric from waste from textile industries, when compressed pieces of fabric sewn together to form a fabric with a unique pattern), clothing made from mycelium (the vegetative organ of a fungus, which, after processing and drying, becomes similar in appearance to the skin and at the same time strong and flexible enough to be dyed and stitched).

Digital-fashion installation OVERDRESSED

As part of this direction, designers explored 3D textures and materials in one image using 3D animation and generative graphics. The main role was played by only one dress, for which various textures and images were invented without changing the shape. Thus, the designers rethought the concept of universality and worked out complex textures that cannot be physically repeated in reality.

Advertising on New Retail. Mediakit

“The trend for virtual images has existed for a long time, but it was the pandemic that became the impetus for the development of the digital clothing industry. And today we are one of the first in Russian fashion retail who have the opportunity not only to experiment with digital clothing, but also, with the help of our creative platform RASKROI, to give all interested designers the opportunity to create a variety of works and even full-fledged collections.

This direction seems to us promising, which can lead the industry to more conscious and environmentally friendly consumption,” commented the CEO of Concept Group Anastasia Nemaeva .

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