How 3D Printing is Revolutionizing Fashion

As 3D printing increases in popularity and becomes more common, many industries are evolving to include the technology. A great example of this that many people do not normally consider is the fashion industry. As a user who was unfamiliar with 3D printing in the beginning of this class, I understand people might not grasp the impact 3D printing plastic can have on fashion. However, 3D printing has major implications for design, texture and innovation for fashion designers. 

A great example of this is LabeledBy a design studio in the Netherlands that works to incorporate innovation into their textiles and garments. The studio strives for personalization and sustainability within the fashion industry. LabeledBy says they have been able to use Ultimaker and 3D printers to make personalized garments that uniquely fit a person’s body. During their interview, LabeledBy explained that the 3D printer they use has been optimized for garments and textiles. The 3D printer can print all materials and they are making even more changes so they can print with more experimental and biodegradable materials. They also make sure to use materials that are suitable or the washing machine! LabeledBy is a great example of a company that is innovating the fashion industry with 3D printing. 

Another great example of 3D printing in the fashion industry is within movie props and costumes. In the movie Black Panther, the costume designed for Queen Ramonda was created with a 3D printer (see picture below). The technique used to create this design was SLS or selective laser sintering. It involved using lasers to heat a powder and fuse the particles together. The particles were fused layer by layer and then the excess filament was removed. A CAD software was used to create the 3D costume and was then tailored for the actress’s specific measurements.

The designer of the costume, Julia Korner, had previously worked on 3D printed designs for Haute Couture collections (including items for Chanel and Herpen). Haute Couture is the most exclusive, expensive segment of the fashion industry. This segment is so high fashion many people have never even heard of the designers. Even celebrities don’t normally participate in the Haute Couture fashion segment. This segment is meant for true fashion enthusiast who spend millions on a single piece only to never wear it and to save it to be admired for generations. Therefore, it is absolutely crazy to think that 3D printing is invading the Haute Couture fashion segment. This really has the ability to decrease the exclusivity of a fashion piece and allow it to be affordable or within reach for average consumers.  

3D printing has also disrupted the luxury fashion industry and caused many concerns for designers. Luxury fashion is what is still a very high end fashion segment but includes more well-known brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Gucci and Burberry. There is some overlap between luxury fashion and Haute Couture (example Chanel), but a brand can meet luxury fashion criteria and still not be high end enough for Haute Couture. The biggest concern of luxury brands with the introduction of 3D printing is intellectual property rights infringement. Global import of counterfeit goods is already over $500 billion a year however, with 3D printing luxury brands expect this number to grow. However, the article mentions how it is still important for luxury brands to embrace 3D printing and view the technology as a way to create a personalized product for an affluent customer. 

Personally, I view this shift in the industry as positive and I wish luxury brands would embrace affordability. (I understand this counterattacks the idea of it being a luxury brand.) I believe if everyone has the opportunity to access “luxury” fashion (even if it is 3D printed and “counterfeit”) socioeconomic disparities based on fashion would reduce. Sometimes people are quick to judge based on the clothing and brands a person wears. However, that isn’t fair in my opinion; just because someone does own a Chanel purse it doesn’t mean they are any less of a person. 

3D printing is also helping to increase the sustainability of the fashion industry. Currently, the fashion industry is highly criticized due to large amounts of clothing that end up as waste in landfills. However, with 3D printers’ designers are able to print new designs and create less waste. Designers are also looking into biodegradable clothing that could be 3D printed. According to St. Catherine University researchers, 3D printing has the potential to change the entire fashion industry and allow ready to wear fashion companies to create less waste. Within the shoe industry, 3D printing allows designers to easily prototype and reduce waste associated with making multiple shoe models. 

In class, we were able to understand how 3D printing applies to the fashion industry when we visited the Fab Lab in Champaign, IL. We actually were shown a fabric that had 3D printed thorns on it for a costume. This is only the beginning of the capabilities 3D printers can have for the fashion industry. As people continue to experiment it will be interesting to see how the fashion industry innovates with this technology.