Will the birth of 3D sewing leave brand clothing with nowhere to go?

In the Boston branch of the well-known clothing brand “Ministry of Supply”, a sewing machine almost as big as a piano is placed next to the cashier. This sewing machine is not ordinary. It can realize “3D sewing” and is designed to serve the high-end clothing brand market.

In the eyes of Aman Advani, a partner in the company, this behemoth heralds the future of the apparel industry. This sewing machine, manufactured by Japanese company Shima Seiki, can complete the knitting of customized clothing in one go without having to sew the pieces. This method is called “full-form knitting” in the industry. Because the principle of this technology is very similar to 3D printing, it is also called “3D sewing”.

This technology is revolutionizing the sewing machine industry: with richer software customization functions and more powerful hardware performance, the productivity of this machine cannot be underestimated. Importantly, it will become increasingly easier to operate.

In 2013, British startup Knyttan developed a software that allows sewing machines to knit almost any personalized pattern, reducing costs by nearly 50 times. Knyttan has raised a million dollars in venture capital to develop the project, and its current business includes selling sweaters and providing services related to sweater design software.

In 2016, Adidas also adopted this sales model. Adidas opened a pop-up store in Berlin, where customers can 3D scan their bodies, and then automatically design sweater styles. The finished products can be obtained within four hours, and the cost is only 200 euros (approximately RMB 1,468.6). The project ended in March, but Adidas believes the model is worth promoting.

Advani said that compared with hand-made jackets, 3D sewing machine-knitted jackets have a more beautiful appearance and are more comfortable to wear. In addition, the sewing machine starts manufacturing products after the customer places an order, which avoids the waste of textiles and reduces inventory risks for the company. Moreover, the retail price of a machine is only US$345 (approximately RMB 2,379). From this perspective It’s indeed a good deal.

Shima Seiki believes that the potential of 3D sewing technology is not limited to meeting existing clothing needs. At the end of 2016, the company signed a contract with Fast Retailing, a subsidiary of Uniqlo, to build a factory with this technology as the core for the mass production of clothing.

Let’s wait and see whether “3D sewing” can bring about a technological revolution in the clothing industry.

Source: DeepTech Deep Technology