When one thinks of ways in which technology is
changing the way we do things, the first things that come to mind are
smartphones and computers. It’s not hard to imagine how technology affects
those industries directly related to it; but how about industries that seem
disconnected from it, how about fashion?
For decades now, fashion designers have been using
CAD software to create their designs, but the actual construction of the final
product relied mostly on manual labour. However, this is slowly changing with
the introduction of the 3D printer to the fashion industry.
Industrial 3D printers have been around since the
1980’s, but lately, advances in technology are making this fabrication method
more accessible to smaller businesses and even individuals.
Designers
are turning to 3D printing for rapid prototyping of samples or even as a main
means of creating their final product. 3D printing allows the designer to
create shapes which until recently were not possible by any other means.
Furthermore, the time required to create products has been reduced from weeks
and even months to a couple of hours. Once the design is finalized with the
help of CAD software (some of which is available free of charge), it is as easy
as hitting the print button and waiting for your creation to appear before your
eyes. 3D printers can be purchased for as little as $450 dollars;
alternatively, you can simply upload your file to companies such Shapeways and wait
for your product to arrive in the mail. Shapeways has been referred to as “The
ETSY of 3D printing”. Shapeways and other similar companies allow users to
create and/or sell their 3D printed products. There are currently over 10,000
vendors, and this number is growing every day.
But 3D printing is not just a geeky way of getting your ideas to come to life; the
technology has been recognized by designers of the likes of Michael Schmidt, who created the dress (shown
above) for Dita Von Teese.
As the materials
and the technology used in 3D printing advance, creating 3D designs will be
easier and more affordable. So next time you have an idea, design it, and let
3D printing bring it to life. Here are a couple of links you may want to look
at:
And some more info HERE
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