ClassX Video Lessons Subjects Art Forget shopping. Soon you’ll download your new clothes – Danit Peleg
Recently, I’ve been traveling for extended periods with just a single suitcase of clothes. One day, I was invited to an important event and wanted to wear something unique. However, my suitcase didn’t have anything suitable. Luckily, I was attending a technology conference with access to 3D printers. I quickly designed a skirt on my computer, uploaded the file to the printer, and let it print overnight. The next morning, I assembled the pieces in my hotel room, and now I’m wearing that very skirt. (Applause)
This wasn’t my first experience with 3D-printed clothing. For my final project in fashion design school, I decided to create an entire collection using 3D printing from home. The challenge was immense, as I had limited knowledge of 3D printing and only nine months to produce five fashionable outfits. I always felt most creative working from home, experimenting with new materials and techniques to craft unique textiles. I often visited old factories and quirky stores to find leftover materials for my projects, much to my roommates’ dismay. (Laughter)
Eventually, I moved on to using larger machines that couldn’t fit in my living room. I enjoyed the precision and customization offered by various fashion technologies, such as knitting machines, laser cutting, and silk printing. During a summer internship in New York at a fashion house in Chinatown, we worked on two stunning 3D-printed dresses. However, they were made from hard plastics, making them fragile and uncomfortable for models to wear.
Despite the creative freedom 3D printing offered, designers were still reliant on large, costly industrial printers located far from their studios. Later, a friend gifted me a 3D-printed necklace made with a home printer. This revelation made me realize that home printers were more affordable and accessible. I thought, “If I can print a necklace at home, why not my clothes?” The idea of designing and printing my own fabrics at home was thrilling.
I found a small makerspace where I learned everything about 3D printing. They provided access to their lab, allowing me to experiment late into the night. The main challenge was finding the right filament for printing clothes. Filament is the material fed into the printer. After a month of experimenting with PLA, a hard and brittle material, I discovered Filaflex, a strong yet flexible filament. With it, I printed my first garment, a red jacket with the word “Liberté” — “freedom” in French — embedded into it. This word symbolized the empowerment and freedom I felt when designing and printing garments from home.
You can easily download this jacket design and customize the word to something personal, like your name or a loved one’s name. (Laughter) The printer plates are small, so I had to assemble the garment like a puzzle. I also wanted to print textiles that could be used like regular fabrics. I found an open-source file from an architect with a pattern I loved, which I used to print a beautiful lace-like textile. I modified and experimented with the file, creating numerous versions. To complete my collection, I needed to print for another 1,500 hours, so I brought six printers home and printed continuously.
Although this process is slow, remember that the Internet was much slower 20 years ago, and 3D printing will also speed up. Soon, you’ll be able to print a T-shirt at home in just a few hours or even minutes. Would you like to see what it looks like? Audience: Yeah! (Applause)
Rebecca is showcasing one of my five outfits. Almost everything she’s wearing, including her shoes, was printed at home. Audience: Wow! Audience: Cool! (Applause) Thank you, Rebecca. (To audience) Thank you, everyone.
I believe that in the future, materials will evolve to resemble the fabrics we know today, like cotton or silk. Imagine personalized clothes that fit your measurements perfectly. Just as music transitioned from physical CDs to digital downloads, fashion might also become digital. Our clothes could be downloaded, just like this skirt. Thank you so much. (Applause)
Explore the basics of 3D modeling software to design a simple accessory, such as a bracelet or necklace. Use online resources or tutorials to guide you through the process. Once your design is complete, print it using a 3D printer available at your university or a local makerspace. This activity will help you understand the design process and the capabilities of 3D printing technology in fashion.
Investigate different types of filaments used in 3D printing, focusing on their properties and suitability for fashion applications. Prepare a short presentation to share your findings with your classmates, highlighting the advantages and limitations of each material. This will deepen your understanding of material science in the context of 3D-printed clothing.
Organize a visit to a local makerspace to see 3D printers in action. Engage with the community to learn about their projects and experiences with 3D printing in fashion. This hands-on experience will provide you with insights into the practical aspects of 3D printing and inspire your own creative projects.
Form small groups with your classmates to design and print a piece of clothing or accessory. Use collaborative tools to brainstorm ideas, assign tasks, and manage the project timeline. Present your final product to the class, discussing the challenges and successes you encountered. This collaborative effort will enhance your teamwork and project management skills.
Write a short essay or create a multimedia presentation on the potential future developments in fashion technology, focusing on 3D printing. Consider how advancements in materials, speed, and accessibility might impact the fashion industry and consumer behavior. This forward-thinking activity will encourage you to consider the broader implications of technology in fashion.
In the past few months, I’ve been traveling for weeks at a time with only one suitcase of clothes. One day, I was invited to an important event, and I wanted to wear something special and new for it. So I looked through my suitcase and couldn’t find anything to wear. I was fortunate to be at a technology conference that day, where I had access to 3D printers. I quickly designed a skirt on my computer and loaded the file onto the printer. It printed the pieces overnight. The next morning, I assembled the pieces together in my hotel room, and this is actually the skirt that I’m wearing right now. (Applause)
This wasn’t the first time I printed clothes. For my senior collection at fashion design school, I decided to try and 3D print an entire fashion collection from home. The challenge was that I barely knew anything about 3D printing, and I had only nine months to figure out how to print five fashionable looks. I always felt most creative when working from home. I loved experimenting with new materials and developing new techniques to create unique textiles for my fashion projects. I enjoyed visiting old factories and unusual stores in search of leftover materials to experiment with. As you can imagine, my roommates didn’t appreciate that very much. (Laughter)
So, I decided to move on to working with larger machines that didn’t fit in my living room. I love the precise and custom work I can do with various fashion technologies, like knitting machines, laser cutting, and silk printing. One summer, I came to New York for an internship at a fashion house in Chinatown. We worked on two incredible dresses that were 3D printed. They were amazing, but I encountered a few issues. They were made from hard plastics, which made them very fragile. The models couldn’t sit in them, and they even got scratched from the plastics under their arms.
With 3D printing, designers had so much freedom to create the dresses exactly as they envisioned, but they were still dependent on large, expensive industrial printers located far from their studio. Later that year, a friend gave me a 3D printed necklace made with a home printer. I realized that these printers were much cheaper and more accessible than the ones we used at my internship. I thought, “If I can print a necklace from home, why not print my clothes from home too?” I loved the idea of designing and printing my own fabrics directly from home.
I found a small makerspace where I learned everything I know about 3D printing. They gave me access to the lab, allowing me to experiment late into the night. The main challenge was finding the right filament for printing clothes. Filament is the material you feed into the printer. I spent about a month experimenting with PLA, a hard and brittle material. The breakthrough came when I discovered Filaflex, a new kind of filament that is strong yet very flexible. With it, I printed my first garment, a red jacket with the word “Liberté” — “freedom” in French — embedded into it. I chose this word because I felt empowered and free when I could design and print a garment from home.
You can easily download this jacket and change the word to something else, like your name or a loved one’s name. (Laughter) The printer plates are small, so I had to piece the garment together like a puzzle. I also wanted to print textiles that I could use like regular fabrics. I found an open-source file from an architect who designed a pattern I loved. With it, I printed a beautiful textile that resembled lace. I modified and played with the file, creating many versions. I needed to print another 1,500 hours to complete my collection, so I brought six printers home and printed around the clock.
This is a slow process, but let’s remember that the Internet was significantly slower 20 years ago, so 3D printing will also accelerate. Soon, you’ll be able to print a T-shirt at home in just a couple of hours or even minutes. So, would you like to see what it looks like? Audience: Yeah! (Applause)
Rebecca is wearing one of my five outfits. Almost everything she’s wearing was printed from my home, including her shoes. Audience: Wow! Audience: Cool! (Applause) Thank you, Rebecca. (To audience) Thank you, everyone.
I believe that in the future, materials will evolve to look and feel like the fabrics we know today, such as cotton or silk. Imagine personalized clothes that fit your measurements perfectly. Music was once a physical thing; you had to go to a record shop and buy CDs, but now you can download music directly to your phone. Fashion is also a physical thing, and I wonder what our world will look like when our clothes become digital, just like this skirt is. Thank you so much. (Applause)
3D Printing – A process of creating three-dimensional objects from a digital file, often used in art and technology for prototyping and manufacturing. – The art department recently acquired a 3D printer to allow students to experiment with creating sculptures and models directly from their digital designs.
Fashion – The art and practice of designing and creating clothing and accessories, often reflecting cultural and technological influences. – The fashion design course explores how technology, such as digital fabric printing, is revolutionizing the way garments are produced.
Technology – The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry, and its influence on art and design. – The integration of augmented reality in art exhibitions is a prime example of how technology is enhancing the viewer’s experience.
Design – The process of envisioning and planning the creation of objects, systems, or structures, often combining aesthetics and functionality. – In the design studio, students learn to use software tools to create innovative product designs that blend form and function.
Materials – The substances or components used in the creation of art, design, and technology projects, often chosen for their specific properties. – The course on sustainable materials encourages students to explore eco-friendly options for their design projects.
Garments – Articles of clothing, often designed with consideration of aesthetics, functionality, and technology. – The fashion technology lab allows students to create smart garments that incorporate wearable electronics.
Customization – The process of modifying something to suit a particular individual or task, often used in art and design to create personalized experiences. – The new software enables the customization of digital art prints, allowing artists to offer personalized editions to collectors.
Makerspace – A collaborative workspace equipped with tools and technology for making, learning, and exploring, often used by artists and designers. – The university’s makerspace is a hub for students to experiment with digital fabrication and traditional crafting techniques.
Textiles – Types of cloth or woven fabric, often used in art and design for creating garments, installations, and other creative works. – The textile design class focuses on the intersection of traditional weaving techniques and modern digital printing technologies.
Innovation – The introduction of new ideas, methods, or products, often driving progress in art, design, and technology. – The innovation lab encourages students to push the boundaries of traditional art forms by incorporating cutting-edge technology.
