Author(s): Runqi Lu, Timothy Aranas
STYL3D is a student-led group with the goal of examining how advancements in print can positively impact the fashion industry (read more about us here). As Graphic Communications Management students who share an interest in design and print, we use this passion to propel our search for sustainable alternatives and solutions to combat the problem of fast fashion. We will be sharing with you the value of variable, on-demand printing in relation to fashion, more specifically, digital textile printing and 3D printing.
Fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life.
– Bill Cunningham
Beyond physiological need, fashion has been, and will continue to be, a means of celebrating individuality, creativity, and self-expression. Despite its importance, for most of us, little thought goes into what goes into the clothing that we wear each morning. Currently, the United Nations estimates that the fashion industry accounts for 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions. As we aim to reduce our carbon footprint, we look to different means of production that lends itself to crafting the styles that we know and love but have the benefit of being sustainable for the health of our planet.
Digital Textile Printing
Digital textile printing is the fastest-growing segment in textile machinery. Typically, digital textile printing is performed on a wide-format inkjet printer. Unfortunately, there is no single jack-of-all trades ink that can print on any sort of fabric. Instead, digital textile printing uses different types of inks, including reactive dyes, acid dyes, disperse dyes, and textile pigments, on different types of fabric with an inkjet-receptive coating to allow for proper colour and fixation.
As fast fashion becomes the increasing norm, digital textile printing can compete with the convenience appeal that fast fashion offers by meeting the demand for faster turn-around times. Although digital textile printing is better suited for short runs, it offers a higher standard of quality, offering higher resolution for fine patterns and unlimited combinations that traditional production means have been unable to achieve. Due to its short runs and fast turnarounds, digital textile printing is able to offer flexibility in producing stock as needed, preventing waste incurred from unsold or unused inventory.
3D Printing in Fashion
3D printing is an additive manufacturing process using filament to produce 3D objects based on a digital model. Normally, fashion and clothing are the furthest thing on our minds when the topic of 3D Printing is brought up. These days, more and more large clothing brands are beginning to incorporate 3D printing into their collections, such as Nike and Adidas. While it’s some ways off from becoming the fashion norm,3D printing has already made a name for itself in runway styles, accessories, furniture, and more.
3D printing can reduce waste produced fabric, which is especially important when you note that textiles emit methane when they break down. Moreover, its production process is significantly less water-intensive, reducing energy usage. The filament materials are recyclable and can be melted down and reused. 3D printing allows for quick, customized, on-demand printing, a quality that has become more valued as accessibility and individual expression are highlighted.
So, if all of this sounds of interest to you, join us on our journey as we share more with you about how 3D printing and digital textile printing can positively impact all of us by checking out our weekly blog updates.
Sources
Benckhuysen, B. (2019, March 5). Digital textile printing, a win win for the environment and producers alike. FESPA. https://www.fespa.com/en/news-media/blog/digital-textile-printing-a-win-win-for-the-environment-and-producers-alike
Flynt, J. (2019, September 22). 3D Printing Fashion: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Future. 3D Insider. https://3dinsider.com/3d-printing-fashion/
Kornilova, K., Kruze, E., & Samuel, R. (n.d.). How Print-On-Demand Is Making the Fashion Industry More Sustainable. Printful. https://www.printful.com/academy/lessons/how-print-on-demand-is-making-the-fashion-industry-more-sustainable
McQuilken, T. (2021, April 6). How Digital Printing is Changing the Fashion Industry. Wide Format Impressions. https://www.wideformatimpressions.com/article/how-digital-printing-is-changing-the-fashion-industry/
Terlizzi, M. (n.d.). Understanding the Basics of Digital Textile Printers. ITNH. https://itnh.com/blog/basics-digital-textile-printers/
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