The role of 3D printing is constantly evolving in the fashion industry. Designers have identified the potential in 3D printing and have shown notable interest in the technology. The interest is coming from all spectrums of fashion i.e from high end to low end and everything in between.
There is a lot of hype around 3D printing these days. it is a technique that only a few people have mastered. But, sometime in the future, we might be able to print a T-shirt from the comfort of our home. 3D printing is the future of fast-fashion.
Advantages of 3D printing over traditional techniques
3D printing allows designers to think beyond traditional boundaries of design. It has become a mean of turning most challenging design concepts into reality. This technology has endless possibilities.
Textiles and material development
With 3D printing, a textile can be grown 2 dimensionally rather than using the traditionally making the pattern and then sewing the textiles together.
A specific material can be created with 3D printing which is opaque, waterproof, flexible and then all the properties can be combined to make one unique material.
Designers have the freedom to create complex geometric designs that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also offer unique functionality.
Mass market manufacturers
3D printing can prove to be very useful for brands that cater to the mass market. It can be a qualitatively consistent and cost-effective way of manufacturing large quantities. It can also help companies to adapt to the trends very quickly. Just by making a small change in the digital file, brands will be able to come up with a new design altogether. This, in turn, will speed up the manufacturing process by not having to change the entire design process. Different colors, patterns, sizes can be easily developed with this amazing technology. It will also reduce the risk of stock for manufacturers by only producing whats ordered.
Sustainability
Other than that clothing can be printed to measure and can also be customized to fit every size and curvature of the body with 3D printing. This will lead to zero waste in production which is a major concern right now in the fashion industry. It is a sustainable way to manufacturing since waste like plastic polymers can be recycled to create 3D printed textiles.
Iris Van Herpen is a Dutch designer that has pioneered the art of 3D printing. She not only makes beautiful garments using 3D printing but also designed a jewelry collection by 3D scanning each model’s face. The scans were used to understand the shifts and contours of every individual face. The final result was a lace-like mask worn by the models on the runway.
Conclusion
3D printing is a technology that has the potential to revolutionize the fashion industry since it will bring a lot of flexibility to the industry. Brands are struggling to find sustainable and flexible technologies as millennial consumers are huge on sustainability and adapting trends quickly. 3D printing can be suitable for both in a cost-effective way. This is eventually lead to more and more companies adopting this technology and it will only grow from here.
