Expect 3D printing your favorite clothes in the near future

Sep 10, 2015 11:48 GMT  ·  By

3D printing, much like drones, is everywhere. From buildings, to animal horns to curing arthritis, humanity starts to leave crafting behind and just starts 3D printing everything.

Now is the time for clothes to have their share of 3D printing glory until they probably become so common that nobody will give a damn about 3D printed clothes.

Apparently, this trend is started by designer Francis Bitonti who managed to create a seamless 3D-printed dress for burlesque dancer Dita von Teese. Afterwards, fashion brand Pringle of Scotland began incorporating laser-sintered nylon fabric into garments used for its Autumn Winter 2014 collection that were shown at London Fashion Week.

The fashion brand worked together with material scientist Richard Beckett to create a series of 3D-printed fabrics for the collection SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) with an EOS Formiga P100 system that prints material at a high definition, being, it seems, one of the few systems that would allow enthusiasts to build such complex movable parts at this size.

It seems that to produce textiles that could look more like traditional clothes, Richard Beckett chose specific machinery that could create small nylon parts that would keep the material flexible. According to Dezeen, 3D printed clothes have appeared before in other fashion collections by designers like Iris van Herpen, but it seems Pringle of Scotland wants to be considered the first to use this technology.

Using SLS printing designers can build interesting materials
Using SLS printing designers can build interesting materials

3D-printed materials look un-organic (4 Images)

Using SLS printing designers can build interesting materials
Using SLS printing designers can build interesting materialsUsing SLS printing designers can build interesting materials
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