11/10/2013

Reflection of Lecture3, 5. Design that Explores Cleaner/ Better Technologies



5. Design that Explores Cleaner/ Better Technologies


  Nowadays, there are many kinds of innovative technology that we did not expect 20 years ago. The technology has given a lot of impact on fashion and textile industry. 

 But I am a student, so I do not have actual opportunities to see and use the latest technology. I therefore want to research about what sort of new technology there is in fashion and textile industry, and discuss whether using the latest technology is more ethical and eco-friendly than using previous technology.



3D Print
3D print could be said representative of innovative technology.
Continuum Fashion is a design lab. and a brand to consider future fashion, and they have created interesting products using the latest 3D printer.



① D. Dress ( http://continuumfashion.com/D.php )



(Continuum Fashion, D.dress)

   In short, the "D" collection is actually a piece of software. The D.dress app lets you draw a dress, turns it into a 3D model, and exports a cutting pattern to make the real dress, sized to your measurements. A laser cutter or plotter cuts the pattern out of fabric, which is then sewn into the dress. All the designs are unified around the theme of the little black dress, and the triangulation used in the software. This allows basically everyone to create their own innovative dress design.






②CONSTRVCT(http://continuumfashion.com/constrvct.php)



(Continuum FashionCONSTRVCT)

CONSTRVCT is an ongoing endeavor, where we hope to add features to expand the freedom of design that people can achieve. We are striving to enable a pivotal innovation in design process, where the design interface seamlessly links up to pattern-making and materials. And where anyone in the world can make a design, share it across the web, and that design can be downloaded and made at any point on the globe. 



(Continuum FashionCONSTRVCT)



③N12 (http://continuumfashion.com/N12.php)




The N12 is named after Nylon 12 (WSF), the material in which the bikini is 3D printed.  Nylon 12 makes an ideal swimsuit material as it is innately waterproof. As well as being the first 3D printed bikini, it is also the first bikini that actually becomes more comfortable when it gets wet. 

(Continuum Fashion, N12)


The N12 was designed using Rhino 3D CAD software and specially written algorithmic script to create the structure of the 3D printed fabric. The algorithm uses a complex 'circle packing' equation on an arbitrarily doubly curved surface (the bikini). The size of the circles responds to curvature and edge conditions of the form, creating smooth edges and a responsive pattern. 





④ Strvct Shoes (http://continuumfashion.com/shoes.php)



(Continuum FashionStrvct Shoes)

3D-printed shoe collection,"strvct", uses innovative materials to create fantasy-inspired designs. 

strvct refers to structure. With 3D printed nylon, delicate looking forms are actually incredibly strong while also being impossibly lightweight. Continuum Fashion present a triangulated spin on the classic wedge pump, which brings to mind Cinderella's glass slipper in its transparency. Expanding on this idea, they created a sandal with a 3D printed base and origami tyvek butterflies. 

The strvct shoes are wearable. They are lined with a patent leather inner sole, and coated with a synthetic rubber on the bottom to provide traction.



Shoes Created Using 3D Printer


(Continuum FashionStrvct Shoes)







Advantages & Ethical Problems of 3D Print 


 the reason why 3D print can be said more eco-friendly than previous technology

3D printer is easy to make small-scale production. It means that 3D printer can                    produce necessary things only in the needed amount when needed without no waste.

・If there is a 3D printer, we do not always need to order a far factory to make products. And some large scale factories have minimum order,  but 3D printer does not require it. That is helpful for young designers who do not have a large amount of budget to create their design.

・Using 3D printer can reduce usage of water, electricity, and amount of dye compared to using present factories.  



  
  Personally, I think that 3D printing technology is not only affordable and cost effective because it reduces waste of water, electricity, and dye during the manufacturing process, it also cuts production time of complex parts dramatically by speeding up or eliminating completely the need for traditional molding and casting techniques. In this regard, using 3D printer could be said more eco-friendly than previous technology.


  However, there are some ethical concerns regarding using 3D printer that must be taken into account. The main problem that has the potential to arise is very similar to the problem that the entertainment industry currently is struggling with, copyright laws. 
  For example, in the future, after it is not uncommon for 3D printers to be in the average household. A conventional factory using old technology produces a product. People purchase that product, decide it is a good product, and come to the conclusion they want to have two of said product. Now people are faced with an ethical and legal dilemma. Do we simply scan and print another copy or do we go to the store and buy one? In fact, that is a very difficult question to answer. 


  I think that Engineers of 3D printer need to take a step back and analyze every aspect of a technology in order to assess what impact it will have on our world: ethical, environmental, economical, and social. Also people should have a full understanding of the implications of a technology before it emerges into the public. 






References
・Continuum Fashion, Internet]. Available from :<http://continuumfashion.com> [Accessed 10 November 2013].

・Lipson. H, Kurman. M (2013) Fabricated: The New World of 3D Printing, New York: John Wiley & Sons.





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