The committee is chaired by MP Bhartruhari Mahtab. o encourage entrepreneurship and generate employment, a Parliamentary panel on Thursday recommended to the textiles ministry to expedite the Design Innovation Incubator Project under NIFT and operationalise it within the timelines. Member of Parliament Bhola Singh presented the report of the Standing Committee of Labour on the functioning of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), under the Ministry of Textiles, in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The committee is chaired by MP Bhartruhari Mahtab. Developing cutting-edge technologies and gaining expertise as well as gaining super specialisation in intricate areas and aspects of the fashion would "undoubtedly" put the Indian fashion industry on a level playing field, said the report. It said NIFT as a pioneering fashion institute has an even greater role to play. NIFT should leverage and expand the courses and programmes which are in line with global standard so as to cater to high expectations of the nation and rise further on the global fashion map, it said. Product development under the NIFT Design Innovation Incubation (DII) Project through innovative technology in an enabling environment has been envisaged with an expected deliverable of 50-60 entrepreneurial set ups having capacity to generate employment employment of over 1,500 people, it said. "The committee have recommended the Ministry to expedite the Design Innovation Incubator Project so as to make it operational within projected timelines for achieving the expected outcome deliverables," the report said. It will encourage more entrepreneurs and enhance employment generation in the fashion sector, the committee said. However, it expressed concern that NIFT degrees are not recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC), despite several communications from the ministry to UGC. The "same has not been done" on the plea that any degree which is not specified under Section 22 of the UGC Act, 1956, shall render it "invalid", said the report. "The committee have desired the ministry to take up the pending issue of due recognition to NIFT degrees by UGC alongwith other constraints faced by the institute at appropriate levels," it added.
Source: Business Standard
To overcome the challenges being faced by handloom weavers due to Covid-19 pandemic, the Government has taken the following steps for their welfare:
This information was given in a written reply by the Minister of State for Textiles Smt. Darshanab Jardosh in Rajya Sabha today.
Source: PIB
Earlier, supply chains were designed to keep costs low. In the post pandemic era, supply chains are being reworked to reduce the risks of future disruptions. The international community is looking to move towards relocating supply chains away from China to India and Vietnam. A major impact of the US-China trade war and the global pandemic has been disruption of traditional global supply chains originating from China. The disruption of international trade has necessitated a rethink on the supply chain. Earlier, supply chains were designed to keep costs low. In the post pandemic era, supply chains are being reworked to reduce the risks of future disruptions. The international community is looking to move towards relocating supply.
Source: Economic Times
New protectionist measures limit competitive choices and restrict expansion in bilateral trade, says US. India "remains a challenging place" to do business, the US has said, urging it to foster an attractive and reliable investment climate by reducing barriers to investment and minimising the bureaucratic hurdles. The State Department, in a report '2021 Investment Climate Statements: India' released on Wednesday, said that India remains a challenging place to do business and also referred to the removal of the special constitutional status from the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). New protectionist measures, including increased tariffs, procurement rules that limit competitive choices, sanitary and phytosanitary measures not based on science, and Indian-specific standards not aligned with international standards, effectively closed off producers from global supply chains and restricted the expansion in bilateral trade, the report said. In its report, the State Department said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's first 100 days of its second term were marked by two "controversial" decisions. The removal of special constitutional status from J&K and the passage of the CAA, it said. India maintains that the CAA was its "internal matter" and that "no foreign party has any locus standi on issues pertaining to India's sovereignty". India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was its internal matter. The State Department report said that protests followed the enactment of the CAA but ended with the onset of COVID-19 in March 2020 and the imposition of a strict national lockdown. The management of COVID-19 became the dominant issue in 2020, including the drop in economic activity and by December 2020, economic activity started to show signs of positive growth. The BJP-led government has faced some criticism for its response to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, it said. The State Department said that in response to the economic challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting national lockdown, India enacted extensive social welfare and economic stimulus programmes and increased spending on infrastructure and public health. The government also adopted production linked incentives to promote manufacturing in pharmaceuticals, automobiles, textiles, electronics and other sectors. These measures helped India recover from an approximately eight per cent fall in GDP between April 2020 and March 2021, with positive growth returning by January 2021, it said. Noting that the Indian government continued to actively court foreign investment, the report said that in the wake of COVID-19, India enacted ambitious structural economic reforms, including new labour codes and landmark agricultural sector reforms, that should help attract private and foreign direct investment. In February 2021, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to raise USD 2.4 billion through an ambitious privatisation programme that would dramatically reduce the government's role in the economy. In March 2021, Parliament further liberalised India's insurance sector, increasing the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limits to 74 per cent from 49 per cent, though still requiring a majority of the Board of Directors and management personnel to be Indian nationals, the report said.
Source: Business Standard
India Inc is likely to see a surge in overseas borrowings, potentially creating a new record, as multiple companies raise funds for the first time in the coming months amid a sustained need for durable project financing. India Inc is likely to see a surge in overseas borrowings, potentially creating a new record, as multiple companies raise funds for the first time in the coming months amid a sustained need for durable project financing. “Based on the pipeline, we are likely to cross the $20 billion overseas fundraising record that India witnessed in 2019,” Chetan Joshi, managing director and head of debt finance, HSBC India, told ET. There is acquisition activity in the pipeline by financial sponsors. The demand from Indian companies for fresh funding or refinancing projects in sectors such airports, ports, energy, oil and gas and telecom remains strong,” said Joshi. To be sure, the pace has slowed in the second quarter of this year, and he attributed that to front-loading of capex plans by the borrowers instead of a demand taper. “As the second wave (COVID) hit, the offshore bond markets behaved very maturely - we saw spreads widen a little bit and then start retracing. The offshore bond market has continued to form a very supportive backdrop to issuance, which would lead to acceleration of overseas fundraising activity from this quarter,” Joshi said.
Source: Economic Times
Ministry of Textiles has launched following programmes to enhance the wages of workers in textile industry: SAMARTH (Scheme for Capacity Building In Textile Sector): To address the shortage of skilled workers in the Textile sector, Government has launched Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector (SCBTS) to provide demand-driven, placement oriented skilling programme. It incentivizes the efforts of the industry in creating jobs in the organized textile and related sectors. Besides, it promotes skilling and skill upgradation in the traditional sectors through respective sectoral divisions/organizations of Ministry of Textiles. It helps to provide livelihood to all sections of the society across the country. The Scheme sets a target to train 10 lakh persons. Under Scheme for Integrated Textile Park (SITP), 24 greenfield parks have been completed. State wise list of completed park is given as Annexure-I. SITP is being implemented with a view to increase investment, generate employment opportunities and to boost exports in the textile sector. The primary objective of SITP is to provide financial assistance to a group of entrepreneurs to establish state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities in a cluster for setting up their textile units, conforming to international environmental and social standards, SITPs are expected to mobilize private investment in the textile sector and generate fresh employment opportunities. The Scheme targets industrial clusters and locations with high growth potential. The scheme provides that for skilling the manpower required, the units in the textile parks can avail benefits under the “SAMARTH”- The scheme for Capacity Building in Textile sector.
State wise list of completed parks
Sl. No. Name of the Park
1 Brandix India Apparel City Private Limited
2 Gujarat Eco Textile Park Limited, Surat
3 Mundra SEZ Textile & Apparel Park Limited, , Kutch,
4 Fairdeal Textile Park Pvt. Ltd., Surat Ltd
5 Vraj Integrated Textile Park Limited , Ahmadabad
6 SayanaTextile Park Ltd.,Surat,
7 Surat Super Yarn Park Limited, Surat
8 RJD Integrated Textile Park, Surat
9 Doddabalapur Integrated Textile Park, Doddabalapur
10 Metro Hi-Tech Cooperative Park Limited, Icchalkaranji,
11 Pride India cooperative Textile park Limited, Icchalkaranji
12 Baramati Hi Tech Textile Park Limited, Baramati
13 Deesan Infrastructure, Pvt Ltd., Dhule
14 AsmeetaInfratechPvt Ltd , Thane
15 Islampur Integrated Textile Park Pvt Ltd., Sangli
16 Latur Integrated Textile Park Pvt Ltd, Latur
17 Lotus Integrated Tex Park, Punjab, Barnala
18 Next Gen Textile Park Pvt Ltd , Pali
19 Jaipur Integrated Texcraft Park Pvt Ltd, Jaipur
20 Palladam Hi-Tech Weaving park, Palladam
21 Karur Integrated Textile Park, Karur Park
22 Madurai Integrated Textile Park Ltd, Madurai
23 Pochampally Handloom Park Limited
24 Komarpalayam Hi-Tech Weaving Park
This information was given in a written reply by the Minister of State for Textiles Smt. DarshanaJardosh in Rajya Sabha today
Source: PIB
National Small Industries Corporation, a PSU under the Ministry of MSME has a B2B MSME Global Mart Portal and efforts have been made to further strengthen activities under it. The salient features of the portal include online registration, web store management, multiple payment options, customer support through Call Centre and enhanced security features. Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), a statutory body under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has ekhadiindia.com for B2C outreach, which enables all businesses to have a global reach with Interactivity, Immediacy and Ease of Adaptation. The revenue generation from the portal depends on membership of the portal. This information was given by Minister for Micro. Small and Medium Enterprises Shri Narayan Rane in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
Source: PIB
IIT Delhi startup SWATRIC has collaborated with the Flag Foundation of India to develop a top-notch and advanced textile solution for the national flag of the country IIT Delhi startup Swatric has collaborated with the Flag Foundation of India to develop a top-notch and advanced textile solution for the national flag of the country which will allow Indians to fly the national flag the year around without needing to worry much about wear and tear due to climatic factors. An MoU was recently signed between the FITT, IIT Delhi and the Foundation to execute the associated research and development activities via the startup.
Why is an advanced textile material needed for the national flag? On January 26, 2002, the Indian citizens were permitted to fly the national flag throughout the year. In a historic judgment on January 23, 2004, the Supreme Court of India held that the right to fly the national flag freely, with respect and dignity, is a fundamental right. Given India’s diverse climatic and geographical conditions, designing and developing engineered fabric for the flag is a big challenge. The flag’s materials have to be selected and designed specifically to make it durable for extreme weather conditions without being too heavy. Prof. Bipin Kumar, Textile and Fibre Engineering Dept., IIT Delhi and Mentor, SWATRIC said, “It is the need of the hour to help manufacturers with a proper standardization and core subject knowledge or skills on technical yarns and fabrics to improve the quality of the flag fabric.”
About Flag Foundation of India The Flag Foundation of India is a non-governmental organization, registered under the society’s registration act of 1980. It has a primary vision to popularize the display of the Tiranga (tricolor flag) by more and more Indians, with a great sense of pride. Speaking of the MoU with IIT Delhi, Major General (retd.) Ashim Kohli, CEO, Flag Foundation of India, said, “We have always been facing a challenge of obtaining good quality flags. It is indeed a proud moment for us to work with IIT Delhi’s experts on developing appropriate technologies, which are relevant to the country’s pride.”
About IIT Delhi’s Swatric Swatric, the startup by the researchers from the IIT Delhi’s Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering, is working to develop state-of-the-art technologies to help Indian domestic textile and garment industries in commercializing new and competitive categories of the smart and functional products. Prof. V Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi hailed the collaboration between the IIT Delhi researchers and the Flag Foundation of India and said, “India has the potential to be the global leader in technical textiles.” “The Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering at IIT Delhi has been constantly working in the field of smart and functional textile projects, actively supporting the National Technical Textiles Mission to empower Indian Textile sector through 'Make in India' technologies for various applications ranging from geotextiles, defence, sportswear, smart wearables, medical, composites, transport, protection, packaging, etc.,” he added.
Source: India Today
Ministry of Textiles is conducting training programmes for handloom workers through 28 Weavers’ Service Centres (WSCs) functioning in the country which are under administrative control of the Ministry. Since 2015-16 to 2020-21, skill upgradation training has been imparted to 56,934 weavers, of which 5,498 weavers belong to Uttar Pradesh. Following schemes are being run by the Ministryof Textiles for the overall development & promotion of handlooms and welfare of handloom weavers across the country: -
1. National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)
2. Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS)
3. Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS)
4. Yarn Supply Scheme (YSS)
Under the above schemes, financial assistance is provided for raw materials, purchase of looms and accessories, design innovation, product diversification, infrastructure development, skill upgradation, lighting units, marketing of handloom products in domestic as well as overseas markets, getting loans at concessional rates, etc. Skill upgradation is a continuous process. Need-based skill upgradation programmes for handloom workers in technical areas viz. weaving, dyeing, designing, etc. were earlier conducted under National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP), Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS) and now under SAMARTH- Capacity Building in Textile Sector. This information was given in a written reply by the Minister of State for Textiles Smt.Darshana Jardosh in Rajya Sabha today.
Source: PIB
Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), an organisation for driving scalable solutions for apparel and footwear industry, has started feasibility research for implementing its Clean by Design programme in apparel manufacturing facilities in California, US. It aims to create a tailored version of the programme to increase efficiencies and renewables in the state. To fund the feasibility study, Aii turned to the leading sustainable bank in the US, and another San-Francisco based institution, Bank of the West. The BNP Paribas subsidiary has committed a $100,000 grant to launch the project, Aii said in a press release. Developed in 2010 by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and focussed on energy, water and chemical management, Clean by Design rests on a decade of experience and results in scaling efficiencies in the apparel supply chain in China, Vietnam, India and elsewhere. The project will begin with assessing the current state of production and identifying apparel industry brand/retailer partners, shared suppliers and opportunities for involvement. “The Clean by Design programme works because it can be tailored to meet the needs of individual manufacturing facilities,” said Lewis Perkins, president, Aii. “We look forward to exploring how it can help manufacturers in this state, where protecting the environment is top of mind for many citizens.” For Aii, it makes sense to pilot in a state where philanthropic and other forms of capital are available to transform the local apparel supply chain and take a leadership position, particularly considering that Los Angeles has been a fashion leader for decades. The feasibility stage of this programme will provide more insights into the long-term role Aii can play, not only within the wet processing and other manufacturing stages of apparel products in greater Los Angeles, but to look across a more holistic farm to closet value chain. The Clean by Design California project kicked off in May 2021. The feasibility phase, which takes four to six months, will uncover the specific interventions and best practices that will suit California manufacturing.
Source: Fibre2fashion
A new report has found that 68% of people have experienced or witnessed discrimination based on appearance or beliefs in the fashion industry. The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Textiles and Fashion (T&F APPG) released its latest Representation and Inclusion in the Fashion Industry report on 20 July. The survey of 337 fashion industry professionals and consumers conducted between 15 September 2019 and 1 Sept 2020, covered three areas of diversity and inclusion: disability, race and LGBTQ+. More than two-thirds (68%) of those surveyed had experienced or witnessed discrimination in the fashion industry based on appearance or beliefs. Furthermore, 88.1% believe images produced by the fashion industry do not represent a spectrum of different bodies and identities, while 87.5% do not feel represented in advertising campaigns, fashion shoots and on the catwalk. Most (83%) believe that the government should play a role in demanding better representation and inclusion in the fashion industry. Lisa Cameron, chair of the APPG for Textiles and Fashion, said: “This report looks at the role of the fashion professional and the impacts which a lack of diversity and inclusion has, not only on the individual, but also the economic impacts on the business revenue of a brand and on the wider economy. But this is not just an economic impact, it has social and far-reaching implications, all of which this paper not only outlines, it offers solutions to address. "It is my hope that this paper is read widely, both by industry and government, and that our recommendations serve as a roadmap towards a more inclusive, representative and successful UK fashion industry. "The fashion industry has a massive impact on our culture and our cultural expectations particularly for young girls. All sectors of society should feel that they have a space within fashion.” The T&F APPG’s Representation and Inclusion Advisory Committee, alongside Fashion Roundtable, conducted five parliamentary evidence sessions, which included submissions from designers and creative directors, models and model agents, and fashion educators. Written submissions were also collected as part of the evidence gathering. In addition, the Are You Represented campaign, which was launched at London Fashion Week in September 2019, gathered data from 337 survey respondents, ranging from fashion professionals to students and consumers.
Source: Drapers Online
The Kingdom exported $4.7214 billion worth of garments, footwear, travel products (GFT) and other finished textile goods in the first half of 2021, up 0.9 per cent year-onyear from $4.6813 billion, according to the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia. Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia secretary-general Ken Loo told The Post that the textile and apparel market is an ever-growing market buoyed by booming population growth and increasing per-capita wealth. Of note, he said, the retail market has driven a change from a mass production system, to what he called a “small batch, short life-cycle, fast fashion” set-up, through consumer pressure, influence from the burgeoning online shopping culture, and more recently, the Covid-19 pandemic. “This year we are lucky to receive some orders shifted from Myanmar. We should have grown bigger if there hadn’t been a February 20 community outbreak,” Loo said. Cambodia Chamber of Commerce vice-president Lim Heng noted that the political crisis in Myanmar and the escalating Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh have led to a significant rise in orders, as buyers flock to the Kingdom. Myanmar and Bangladesh are among the Kingdom’s most direct competitors in garments, he noted. “The growth of garment exports has gained traction, especially to the EU, US and UK. I believe that the garment sector will continue to do well for Cambodia moving forward,” Heng said. China is one of Cambodia’s main sources of raw materials for garments and footwear, accounting for 60 per cent of domestic supply. In a recent interview with Bayon Television (BTV), Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian highlighted China’s role in the Kingdom’s economic recovery from Covid- Wang remarked that the Kingdom has struggled to secure a steady supply of raw materials for its garment and textile sector. “The Chinese side is pleased to continue to strengthen practical cooperation with Cambodia in all areas to help revive its economy,” he said. In 2020, the Kingdom’s exports reached $17.21537 billion, up 16.72 per cent year-on-year from $14.74874 billion, and imports stood at $18.59048 billion, down 7.84 per cent year-on-year from $20.17181 billion, the Ministry of Commerce said in its 2020 annual performance report. The total value of Cambodian international trade rose by just 2.54 per cent over 2019 to $35.80585 billion, and the trade deficit narrowed 74.64 per cent to $1.37511 billion in 2020, from $5.42307 billion in the previous year.
Source: Phnom penh Post
In recent years, 3D printing has become growingly everpresent. From medicine, aerospace, to design, and construction — every day there’s news about breakthroughs, innovations, and developments in the additive manufacturing industry. However, in one particular industry, it’s still pretty quiet regarding developments around 3D printing. We’re talking about the fashion industry. It cannot be denied that the first experiments and advances in 3D printed clothing have only been recorded relatively recently. Yet, if you have followed these developments in fashion a little more closely, you may have noticed that these are high-end fashion, i.e. clothing created for the runways and red carpet and not for everyday wear. The reason why the combination of 3D printing and clothing seems so difficult is quite simple: The materials used in 3D printing, mostly plastic, and metal, are not flexible enough. To counteract this problem, some fashion and 3D enthusiasts have been looking into suitable options and ultimately honed in on one solution: 3D knitwear. But, what exactly is 3D knitwear? How does its production method differ from additive manufacturing and conventional textile production? Will 3D knitwear be available as ready-to-wear for ordinary consumers in the near future? We got to the bottom of this topic in more detail and we clarify all of these questions with the help of various expert opinions from the industry. In order to understand the principle of 3D knitwear and its differences and similarities to 3D printing, it is first necessary to take a look at the definitions. Gihan Amarasiriwardena, co-founder and CEO of the Ministry of Supply, defines 3D printing as follows: “In 3D printing, molded products (such as plastics) are produced by adding a layer of material (often plastic or synthetic) according to a given digital Design is ‘printed’.” Rosanne van der Meer, designer and founder of New Industrial Order, offers a broader definition: “3D printing is the production of a three-dimensional shape on the basis of a filament that is formed by a machine.“ In fact, 3D printing is all about computer-controlled machines creating three-dimensional objects and building them up layer by layer. The question now remains whether 3D knitwear is made according to the same principle.
Production of 3D Knitwear
The manufacturing process of 3D knitted fabrics is quite similar to other 3D objects. Both begin on a computer: CAD software is used to create the design and ultimately to obtain a programming language. The digital codes are then forwarded to the machine, which then begins the manufacturing process. However, the machine used is where knitwear and traditional 3D printing diverge. The primary difference from additive manufacturing is that the machine is not a 3D printer that processes filament or powder through extruders, rather, a knitting machine that can produce a three-dimensional garment in a single pass by uniting it thread by thread. Consequently, it should be noted that the principle is essentially the same both are based on software and are additively manufactured, but the material creates a big difference between the two methods. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that industry experts agree in saying that 3D knitted goods are not manufactured using 3D printing, but rather, 3D knitting is a technology in its own right. Gerard Rubio, co-founder, and CEO of Kniterate, a company that sells 3D digital knitting machines, adds the following about his company’s machines and the use of the word 3D in connection with the production method: “These machines are capable of 3D knitting. But these machines are not necessarily 3D knitting machines.” This is because flat, single-layer garments like scarves can also be printed with a Kniterate machine, which eliminates the additive manufacturing aspect. Rosanne van der Meer adds that she deliberately uses the term ‘3D printed knitwear‘ for her products in order to make a clear distinction between 3D knitwear and conventionally produced knitwear
Compared to Conventional
Textile Production Now that the differences and similarities between 3D knitwear and 3D printing have been outlined, the question remains whether and, if so, why 3D knitwear should be preferred to traditionally manufactured clothing. In order to provide a reasonable answer to this, conventional textile production must first be examined more closely. This is still a touchy subject, with so few companies keeping their value chains and production methods transparent. Obvious and ongoing issues such as child labor, low wages, and inadequate protective measures in low-cost manufacturing countries are joined by the astronomically negative impact the industry has on the environment. From the cultivation of cotton, whereby both the use of pesticides and an enormous waste of water are recorded, to transit once the material has been broken down, and shipped to be processed into yarn and ultimately fabric in another country — this phase alone requires much examination for improvement. Then, we have the woven fabric being sent back to be bleached or dyed at another factory. The harmful substances used in this process mostly end up in the wastewater, which in turn leads to the pollution of rivers and oceans. Lastly, the garment is sewn, knitted, and finished again in a different facility, with a large amount of material being wasted in the manufacturing process. The finished products are sent to the various branches around the world. The unbelievably long transport routes, which significantly increase Co2 emissions, rounds out the disadvantages of conventionally produced clothing. Although there are of course also smaller manufacturers who pay attention to sustainable, fair, and regional production, large-scale fashion producers that use traditional production channels still dominate the clothing market. These social and environmental problems are primary focuses for CEOs Gerard Rubio, Gihan Amarasiriwardena, and Rosanne van der Meer, which is why they all pay attention to sustainability in the development of their companies and in the manufacture of their products. Awareness begins with the procurement of materials: While more than half of all clothing is produced using man-made fibers, mainly polyester, but also nylon, elastane, and acrylic, which are obtained from fossil fuels and therefore have a negative environmental impact; new industrial methods use merino wool which is obtained sustainably and as a natural fiber which generally has a smaller footprint compared to synthetic fibers. Rosanne van der Meer also adds that she relies on high-quality yarn in order to achieve the best possible results and in order to not run the risk of the thread breaking in the middle of the knitting process and thus having to restart production. A special feature here: even if the thread were to break, the half-finished knitted part could be recycled since the knitwear is designed in such a way that it can be separated again. This means that the material used can be recovered — another sustainability factor. As far as the material is concerned, large savings can be made using 3D knitwear, as the machines produce additively In just one pass and therefore only requires the threads that will be used, thereby eliminating numerous production steps and saving a lot of time and costs. Gihan Amarasiriwardena confirms this statement: “With 3D-printed knitwear, only the required fabric is used. This results in approximately 30% less material waste”. Sustainability also plays a role at Kniterate. Gerard Rubio relies on plant-based yarns, which can be recycled, so items of clothing that are no longer wanted can be disposed of properly and not end up in a landfill. Since 3D knitwear is on-demand production, problems such as overproduction and inventory waste can also be avoided. Large-scale fashion producers are not able to react flexibly and quickly to changes in the market mainly due to long supply chains, which results in overproduction and overstocking. This is a fatal flaw in today’s fast fashion industry, where new collections and goods hit stores nearly every week. And where should the “old” items of clothing go that have not been bought? These resource and energy-intensive manufactured textiles mostly end up in the garbage or are partially incinerated. On-demand production that takes place on-site/in-house could be a solution here. Not only are transport costs and emissions saved as a result, but practically significantly less waste is produced. This goes hand in hand with Rosanne van der Meer’s motto: “The starting point for a better climate balance in the fashion industry is less consumption. If you have timeless clothing that fits you really well, you will also consume less.” Thanks to 3D technologies, it is also possible to personalize 3D knitwear. Since the designs are created digitally and every needle stitch is equivalent to a pixel, patterns can easily be modified and adapted to customer requirements, which allows a lot of freedom. A special program from the startup Shavatar also helped New Industrial Order to improve the accuracy of fit of their 3D knitwear without a 3D scanner – an essential aspect when it comes to buying clothes. With the help of the open-source system and the knitting machine from Kniterate, users are obviously also open to all creations and personalizations. Last but not least, the typical problems such as the exploitation of workers through in-house, regional productions are also eliminated.
After explaining the numerous advantages offered by 3D knitwear, the question now remains as to why it is not yet increasingly available in stores. What are the current challenges and what improvements may still need to be made? Will 3D printed clothing and especially 3D knitwear be the future of the fashion industry? Indeed, additive manufacturing of apparel faces a number of challenges. As mentioned earlier, the material is probably the biggest obstacle – which is why 3D knitwear is being resorted to. When a closer look is taken at previous projects involving 3D-printed clothing, such as products by fashion designer Danit Peleg, it quickly becomes apparent that the options are limited: The materials compatible with a 3D printer are mostly plastics such as ABS, PLA or the currently very popular and very flexible TPU. Although the latter can be used to create stretchy, movable 3D objects, it doesn’t begin to compare to the soft, comfortable texture of fabric. Although it could now be argued that the majority of conventionally produced clothing is also made of synthetic polymers, i.e. plastic, the problem lies with the texture. It makes a big difference what form the material is in: Fibers and threads have a filigree, elastic and flowing state, whereas filament has a comparatively thick, hard and rigid state. Furthermore, most 3D printers cannot produce fine enough details. Unlike 3D knitting, where the moving threads are processed by many small needles, the extruders of a 3D printer cannot produce anything comparable. The structure and texture of 3D-printed clothing is heavy and pitted, and the surface texture is likely to be quite cold and unpleasant. Gerard Rubio agrees, saying, “At this point, the materials are not developed enough. However, I strongly believe that 3D-printed clothing will be the future.” With regard to 3D knitwear, other problems are encountered. Rosanne van der Meer particularly emphasized here the difficulty of creating the digital codes for the knitting machine. That is why she relies on extensive databases, suitable non-fiction books and an open-source system. The latter should support New Industrial Order’s goal of creating a workflow that makes the codes for 3D knitwear accessible to all those who show interest. Gerard Rubio echoes this sentiment. He, too, describes developing the right parameters as a major challenge. The road from the prototype to the final, commercializable Kniterate machine, which is very complex, was long and difficult, according to him. Referring to the future, however, Rosanne van der Meer sees no problem in this regard: “The technology is already established and ready to function, but the current system works completely differently.” This is because on-demand production, which is the principle of most current 3D knitwear manufacturers, completely contradicts the market flow. The current fashion market is based on mass production and mass consumption. Changing longestablished systems and breaking habits is extremely difficult, which is why more sustainable companies specializing in on-demand production and customization face a major hurdle in entering the market. Also, in terms of production costs, 3D knitwear cannot compete with conventional clothing due to low market compatibility. Therefore, the current products from New Industrial Order and Ministry of Supply are still rather in the luxury segment in terms of price, within the framework of which customers are willing and able to spend a lot for personalization, sustainability and quality. However, the experts are confident that 3D printing will play a greater role in the fashion sector in the future and firmly believe that novel technologies will revolutionize it. Rosanne van der Meer summarizes: “Changes in the textile industry are slow. Yes: in the future we will find more additively manufactured clothing, but how far this progress is in the future cannot be said.”
Source: 3D Natives
