WEBVTT
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36C3 preroll music
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Herald Angel Noujoum: Hello and
welcome to our next talk,
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Why 3D printing clothes is NOT the future.
Short question to the audience:
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Who of you has already 3D printed anything?
Please raise your hand.
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That's what I thought, I estimate that's about
80 % of the audience in this hall.
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I am not surprised, it is the topic of this talk,
that's why you are here.
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Second question: Who of you
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has already tried 3D printing clothes?
Please raise your hand again.
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I see four people.
So, how did it go?
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One person indicates
that it worked out well,
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the others are showing hand gestures
of "not that well".
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Who of all the people that have
already 3D printed
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has thought about printing clothes?
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Ok, about 10 people have thought
about that.
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Our next speaker, Rebekka, will tell you
why it might not be the best idea
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to 3D print clothes.
On the internet
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and especially Twitter, Rebekka is known
by her nickname Kurfuerstin
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and she is a clothing technician. Her
research includes
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traditional apparel production, she has
worked in a fashion company,
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at the theater and at a tv show.
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Also, she is researching innovative
techniques such as 3D printing
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and virtual clothing simulation,
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meaning software that realistically
simulates clothes
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on a virtual avatar.
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Have fun with the talk ,
I hope you will learn a lot
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and please welcome Rebekka
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with a round of applause.
Thank you.
NOTE Paragraph
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applause
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Speaker Rebekka/Kurfuerstin: I just
received some mail really quick,
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but that won't stop me from giving
my talk. Welcome,
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nice to see you all here, in this hall
and on the live stream and...
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additional mail, okay, a lot happening
on this stage. I will maybe read that later,
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but it is great to know that the
post office system works!
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The title of my talk is "Why 3D printing
clothes is NOT the future".
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It will be about the properties of
3D printed clothes and
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what would need to happen in order
for it to be a serious alternative
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for everyday wear. I was just introduced
as a clothing technician.
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In case you don't know what this strange
combination of words means,
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clothes and technology,
a short explanation.
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When clothes are made, at one side,
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you have the design, the idea.
But the realization, the production,
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happens somewhere else entirely
and by some other person.
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In a simplified way, a person creates
the design for a dress
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and says: I designed this dress.
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So they have a nice picture from which
you can learn some information, but not much.
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And they go to a factory and say:
please make this dress.
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The production will kindly ask:
where is the table of information?
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Because the production site wants to
have all the information about the dress.
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And the designer then asks: what?
And the production then asks: what?
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And that would be the end of it.
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Because the factory wants to know,
which fabric do we need for the dress,
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and how much? Which sizes will be made,
and how many dresses in which sizes?
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Which machines do we need for that, what
text will be on the care instruction labels
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and what will be the exact position of the
labels on the side seam in cm?
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All those questions cannot be answered
by the illustration of the dress.
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And that is where clothing technology comes in,
as the intersection between design and production.
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It's about the technical feasibility and
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what needs to be done
to manufacture clothes.
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It's about materials, quality,
prices and locations.
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Where should the production take place,
and when?
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All these questions need answers
and that is the responsibility
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of clothing technicians.
And this kind of reality check,
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the perspective of feasibility, is the perspective
I also chose to examine 3D printing.
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If you search for the words "3D print" and
"clothes", you will get headlines like these.
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For example: 3D printing will bring
flexibility into the fashion industry.
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Or: The fashion of the future. Or: Will the
street wear of the future be 3D printed?
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Or: Can 3D printing fundamentally
change the fashion industry?
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A few years ago, the headlines were
even more sensational.
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They were predicting that by 2020, we
would print a sweater in the morning,
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melt it down in the evening and then
print a new one the next day.
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Nowadays, the predictions have
become a bit more careful,
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at least with a question mark at the end.
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But even from these headlines,
you get the sense that something
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will fundamentally change the
fashion industry.
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There is also the hope of
a sustainable production
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with the argument, that the procedure
of 3D printing is sustainable.
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Sustainability is a major topic
in the fashion industry.
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The question is if 3D printing
might be the solution.
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Clothes have already been 3D printed,
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it's not even that new or unrealistic.
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There are entire 3D printed collections and
I will show some examples now.
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In Israel, Danit Peleg printed her entire
final collection of five outfits.
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In Israel, Danit Peleg printed her entire
final collection of five outfits.
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One example is the two piece outfit on
the right, a top and a floor length skirt.
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The skirt has been printed using
only desktop printers,
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meaning that it consists of
modules of A4 size
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that have been connected afterwards.
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It is flexibel, because it was printed
with a flexible filament,
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but also because it made up
of a zigzag structure
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that allows for it to pull on it.
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If you pull it up, it bounces up and down.
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The jacket is the first
3D printed ready-to-wear
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article of clothing that
you can order online,
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in limited edition of 100 pieces.
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It costs 1500 $.
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You can choose the color and
some writing on the back
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and then the jacket will be
printed in 100 hours.
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Another example is from the
design collective Nervous System,
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who have developed the Kinematics System.
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It consists of triangles
that are connected by hinges,
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making the whole structure flexible.
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But it is made of a hard material.
It can move, but it is not elastic
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and it rattles a bit when you move.
They also developed an opaque version.
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The dress on the right is based
on the same triangle structure,
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but there are some kind of
petals on top of it.
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So the dress is opaque.
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A third example is the Pangolin Dress
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which is also made of a structure
of interlocked modules
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that can move on top of
and into each other,
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thus making the structure flexible.
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You can move in the dress and the
dress adjusts to your movements.
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One of the people working on it is
Travis Fitch, a designer working in New York.
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I contacted Travis and said: I am a
clothing technician, I love numbers.
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How do you know if a newly developed
structure is suitable for a dress?
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How do you know if the elasticity
is high enough
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to use it in a piece of clothing?
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Do you do laboratory tests?
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And he answered, well, I pull at it and then
I either say it is okay or not.
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So the clothing technician in me
came through and said,
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well how about numbers? So I offered
to test some of his structures,
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to conduct some laboratory experiments
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in order to examine how the properties
can be expressed in numbers and units.
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Those were only three examples.
There are many more
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on catwalks and in fashion shows. It is clear
that those examples are not everyday wear.
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They are special made-to-order products,
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it takes months to create them,
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they consist of 300 different pieces
that need to be assembled.
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But the headlines about fundamentally
changing the fashion industry
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are about everyday wear.
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Custom-made items on a catwalk
do not change the whole industry.
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Something needs to happen
before that applies to everyday wear.
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That is why I ask, what kind of properties
do clothes need to have
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in order to be everyday wear,
meaning clothes
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that we can wear every day and
for every occasion?
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First of all, clothes need
to be comfortable.
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There are four aspects of wearing comfort.
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First, the psychological wearing comfort
which is about fashion trends,
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societal norms and individuality.
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The fact that I am standing here
in a t-shirt and a hoodie
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is particularly apt for this congress.
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On another business conference I might
have worn something different.
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And that people are driving around
in onesies and goose costumes
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is also very specific for this group right here.
laughter
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What I mean by this is that people feel
comfortable wearing this in this specific context
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and might not feel at ease
in another context,
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although the clothes themselves
have not changed.
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That is the psychological wearing comfort.
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The next-to-skin-comfort is about
the feeling of something on the skin.
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Surfaces can be soft or scratchy,
they can also cause allergies.
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So it is about the direct contact
on the skin.
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The physiological wearing comfort is very
important as well. It's about the climate control
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of the body and about how clothes can keep
us warm but also allow for moisture to evaporate.
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The human body has this amazing system
of protecting us from overheating.
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We start to sweat and
the moisture evaporates.
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But the evaporation has to happen
through the fabric of our clothes.
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Some clothes allow for better evaporation
than others.
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This aspect is incredibly important for our
comfort when wearing clothes.
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The fourth aspect is the
ergonomical wearing comfort
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which is about freedom of movement
and that is what I examined in detail.
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Freedom of movement in clothes is
achieved by the fit of a piece of clothing,
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mainly meaning how tight it is on the body.
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Secondly, it is achieved by the elasticity
of the materials used.
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This is very important because there are parts
of our body where we need 50% stretching,
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for example at our knees and elbows.
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If you move your arm like this, then the
clothes need to allow this movement
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without tearing apart.
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Without elasticity,
the sleeve would be destroyed
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or would change its form and create buckles.
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If we have a very tight sleeve
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made from a material that is not elastic
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the sleeve at the elbow would take
the shape of our elbow.
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So we need a material with
the capability to rebound.
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After we have moved the arm like this,
the sleeve at the elbow
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will go back to its original shape.
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So if a material is not elastic,
it is not that suitable for clothes.
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It is possible, but then it needs to be
compensated by the cut of the clothes,
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in that case, it cannot be too tight.
If a piece of clothing is loose fit,
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the elasticity of the fabric
is not that important.
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I wanted to examine the influencing
factors on the elastic properties
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of 3D printed structures in order
to actively influence the elasticity.
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This could be used
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to enhance the wearing comfort
of 3D printed clothes
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and thereby get us a bit closer to
3D printed everyday wear.
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Elasticity in textile structures, fabrics,
is achieved by two aspects.
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First, a material itself can be elastic.
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In fabrics, this is mostly elastane.
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Elastane can be stretched 300%
and will return to its original length.
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It is used in a majority of clothes,
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mostly in the ratio 98% cotton and 2% elastane.
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2% are enough to make a shirt
elastic enough to easily put it on
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while at the same time being tight
and not starting to buckle after wearing.
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The second possibility is structural elasticity.
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In clothing, this is mainly achieved
by creating knitwear.
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If you pull at knitwear,
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the loops will change their shape.
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In this manner,
you can create an elastic structure,
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even with materials with low elasticity.
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For example, cotton fibers are
not very elastic. But if you create a knitwear
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made of cotton threads,
the fabric can be very flexible and elastic.
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In 3D printed structures,
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an elastic material can be used as well,
for example TPU.
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TPU is short for thermoplastic polyurethane.
Polyurethane is a primary part of elastane, too.
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So TPU and elastane have very similar
properties based on their chemical composition.
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Structural elasticity is also possible.
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It is possible to print meshes,
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but you can also create different shapes
like curves, arches, helices or springs.
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In short, shapes that you can
compress or pull at,
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so that you will first pull at the structure
before pulling at the material itself.
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However, the design depends
on the printing method. There are several
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different methods and not all of them are
equally suited to create certain shapes.
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For my research, I focused on two of them.
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First, the FLM,
short for fused layer modeling,
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sometimes also called FDM,
short for fused deposition modeling.
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You heat a thermoplastic filament
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and push it through a nozzle
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The nozzle then lays the strand of material
on the printing bed.
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All layers on top of each other
make the object.
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If an object has an overhang
like the shape on the left,
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you need support structures.
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In every layer, the extruder will also
build the supporting columns.
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When the object is finished,
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the support structures can be removed.
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This is not a problem for hard materials,
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you can easily break it off
and sand the surface.
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But for elastic materials,
it's a different situation.
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If you pull at it, it will not break off,
but simply stretch.
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So if you want to print elastic shapes
with overhangs or interlockings,
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this method is not recommended.
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The support structures
cannot be broken off,
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they would have to be cut off
with scissors,
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so that would take a long time.
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Interjection: Water soluble support structures!
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Speaker: Yes, good idea, unfortunately
that does not work for TPU yet.
00:17:47.345 --> 00:17:49.890
Waterbased support structures
are usually made of PVA.
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you can remove them with water afterwards.
00:17:54.392 --> 00:18:01.730
But the melting temperatures
of PVA and TPU do not match.
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TPU requires a very high temperature,
I printed with 215°C.
00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:10.564
At this temeprature, PVA is already decomposing,
its melting temperature is lower.
00:18:10.564 --> 00:18:16.960
So it is a good idea, but at the moment
it does not work yet.
00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:21.390
I am sure that something will be developed
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to solve this problem, though.
00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:30.410
The other method is SLS,
short for selective laser sintering.
00:18:30.410 --> 00:18:34.500
An entire layer of powder is laid
on the build plate.
00:18:34.500 --> 00:18:40.391
A laser melts the fine grain powder in order
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to create the desired shape layer by layer.
In this case,
00:18:44.370 --> 00:18:50.001
the powder itself is the support structure,
so you do not need to print
00:18:50.001 --> 00:18:56.480
supporting columns. In the end, the entire
printer is filled with a block of powder
00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:00.794
and somewhere in there,
the object can be found.
00:19:00.794 --> 00:19:06.970
The powder is removed and can be reused.
00:19:06.970 --> 00:19:13.570
For my research,
I examined several structures.
00:19:13.570 --> 00:19:17.929
The ones on the left and in the middle
are created from powder.
00:19:17.929 --> 00:19:25.380
So it was possible to create some height
and chain-like shapes.
00:19:25.380 --> 00:19:32.400
I had different sizes.
00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:36.909
The smaller size is much more flexible,
00:19:36.909 --> 00:19:43.070
you can easily move it and fold it.
00:19:43.070 --> 00:19:46.470
The modules can be shifted
into each other.
00:19:46.470 --> 00:19:51.239
You can compress it and pull at it
and the structure is very flexible.
00:19:51.239 --> 00:19:57.667
As I said, for the other 3D printing method,
the possibilities in shape were limited.
00:19:57.667 --> 00:20:01.850
This structure is based on a pattern of rhombs
that was extruded.
00:20:01.850 --> 00:20:08.780
If you pull at it, the shape
of the rhomb changes
00:20:08.780 --> 00:20:13.264
before the material itself is strained.
00:20:13.264 --> 00:20:16.620
Again, I had different variations in size and height
00:20:16.620 --> 00:20:21.600
in order to examine the influencing factors
on the elastic properties.
00:20:21.600 --> 00:20:26.279
in order to examine the influencing factors
on the elastic properties.
00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:30.489
How can you examine
elastic properties at all?
00:20:30.489 --> 00:20:36.215
How can you examine
elastic properties at all?
00:20:36.215 --> 00:20:41.211
With a so-called tensile test.
00:20:41.211 --> 00:20:47.370
You don't test a piece of clothing,
you only test a fabric swatch.
00:20:47.370 --> 00:20:53.060
The swatch is clamped into a tensile test machine
which then pulls with constant velocity.
00:20:53.060 --> 00:20:57.501
The corresponding software automatically
creates a diagram like the one on the right.
00:20:57.501 --> 00:21:03.480
It shows the elongation in %,
00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:08.250
meaning how long the fabric swatch
has been stretched,
00:21:08.250 --> 00:21:12.230
and on the other axis
the tensile strength in N,
00:21:12.230 --> 00:21:18.090
how much strength is needed in order to
achieve this elongation of the fabric swatch.
00:21:18.090 --> 00:21:23.370
This diagram shows the elongation,
the elasticity and the tensile strength.
00:21:23.370 --> 00:21:26.820
I need to stress that elongation and
elasticity is not the same.
00:21:26.820 --> 00:21:33.160
You can stretch something and it
might have just gotten longer.
00:21:33.160 --> 00:21:37.490
If I stretch something
00:21:37.490 --> 00:21:41.179
and it returns to its original length,
it is elastic.
00:21:41.179 --> 00:21:45.730
So that is a different property,
00:21:45.730 --> 00:21:51.190
which you can also gather
from the stress-elongation-diagram.
00:21:51.190 --> 00:21:57.030
I tested all of my structures this way.
00:21:57.030 --> 00:22:01.110
Of course, you need to test several specimen
in order to generate average values.
00:22:01.110 --> 00:22:05.656
So I had my numbers and units.
00:22:05.656 --> 00:22:09.650
But what do I do with that?
00:22:09.650 --> 00:22:17.059
I still need to know if these numbers are
good or bad. There is a recommendation
00:22:17.059 --> 00:22:22.799
by the Dialog Textil Bekleidung in cooperation
with the German Fashion Mode Verband,
00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:27.860
It is not a standard or a law,
clothes do not have to have these properties.
00:22:27.860 --> 00:22:32.350
But it is a recommendation, what stretch properties
clothing should approximately have
00:22:32.350 --> 00:22:37.640
and what kind of forces
they should withstand.
00:22:37.640 --> 00:22:41.370
This is a small extract.
It is divided by products,
00:22:41.370 --> 00:22:46.020
so trousers and skirts have different
specifications opposed to underwear.
00:22:46.020 --> 00:22:50.299
If it is far from the body, meaning loose fit,
lower tensile strengths suffice.
00:22:50.299 --> 00:22:54.514
If a piece of clothing is loose fit,
00:22:54.514 --> 00:23:00.610
the stretching properties
are not that important.
00:23:00.610 --> 00:23:03.270
So I compared these numbers to mine
and I found
00:23:03.270 --> 00:23:08.039
that the elongations of my structures
were great.
00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:13.591
But the maximum force was not reached.
00:23:13.591 --> 00:23:18.040
So I can stretch my structures just fine,
00:23:18.040 --> 00:23:24.340
but I do not need a lot of force to tear
them apart and that is a bad result.
00:23:24.340 --> 00:23:28.850
If I bend my elbow
and the sleeve is destroyed,
00:23:28.850 --> 00:23:32.520
I do not want to use this structure
for clothes.
00:23:32.520 --> 00:23:35.870
So the tensile strength of the
3D printed structures is lower
00:23:35.870 --> 00:23:41.180
than the recommended
properties for clothes.
00:23:41.180 --> 00:23:45.279
I also wanted to examine the influencing
factors on the elastic properties.
00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:51.090
From my results, I could see that the size of
the modules influences the properties.
00:23:51.090 --> 00:23:56.929
The larger sizes show higher values
than the smaller variations.
00:23:56.929 --> 00:24:01.864
However, the larger variations do
not feel and move like fabric.
00:24:01.864 --> 00:24:07.018
The smaller variations are
more fabric-like,
00:24:07.018 --> 00:24:11.115
but they didn't show very good
tensile strengths.
00:24:11.115 --> 00:24:15.240
Aside from that, there was another
influencing factor: the slicing software.
00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:23.300
The slicing software has two main tasks.
00:24:23.300 --> 00:24:29.299
Firstly, it slices the object into layers. Secondly,
it transfers the information to the 3D printer,
00:24:29.299 --> 00:24:34.590
where the extruder has to be in order to
create the shape of each layer.
00:24:34.590 --> 00:24:39.210
For example, if you want to print a vase
like the one on the left, the first layer
00:24:39.210 --> 00:24:43.789
would be filled completeley, because we want
to fill the vase with water and it should not leak.
00:24:43.789 --> 00:24:48.460
The path of the extruder could look like this,
it would go in rows
00:24:48.460 --> 00:24:52.100
from one side to the other in order to
completely fill the circle.
00:24:52.100 --> 00:24:55.600
The second layer would be a ring
and the extruder might
00:24:55.600 --> 00:25:00.970
take a path like this, but a different
path is also possible.
00:25:00.970 --> 00:25:07.121
There are many different slicing programs
with many setting options.
00:25:07.121 --> 00:25:12.539
I took a closer look and I found
that the extruder
00:25:12.539 --> 00:25:17.820
took a very specific path for
my rhomb structures.
00:25:17.820 --> 00:25:23.450
It went to the intersection and then
turned around. Under the microscope,
00:25:23.450 --> 00:25:27.620
you can see that this is exactly the place
where the structure was torn apart.
00:25:27.620 --> 00:25:33.190
The extruder did not cross the
intersection even once.
00:25:33.190 --> 00:25:37.190
At this point, the strands of material
are only connected when a new,
00:25:37.190 --> 00:25:40.989
hot strand melts a little bit into
the other, already cold one.
00:25:40.989 --> 00:25:45.309
But due to the fact that the extruder
did not cross the intersection, it created
00:25:45.309 --> 00:25:52.930
a predetermined breaking point. That
is exactly where the structure was torn apart.
00:25:52.930 --> 00:25:57.970
In another variation that was based on the
same shape, the slicing software decided
00:25:57.970 --> 00:26:01.960
something else. The extruder took the path
to the bending point of the rhomb.
00:26:01.960 --> 00:26:07.490
Consequently, this is the point
where it was torn apart.
00:26:07.490 --> 00:26:11.870
That is why the test samples look
differently after the tensile test.
00:26:11.870 --> 00:26:18.850
That also explains the low tensile
strength of the structures.
00:26:18.850 --> 00:26:21.932
The tensile test machine did not pull at the
material as much as at these connection points
00:26:21.932 --> 00:26:28.340
and depending on how strong these are,
00:26:28.340 --> 00:26:33.549
the structure can be torn apart easily.
00:26:33.549 --> 00:26:37.680
This means that the method itself
limits the tensile strength.
00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:42.809
Now, I tested eight different structures,
eight different variations.
00:26:42.809 --> 00:26:46.309
You might ask now how I came to the
conclusion that 3D printing clothes
00:26:46.309 --> 00:26:53.075
is not recommended in general.
00:26:53.075 --> 00:26:58.750
Maybe a different structure would show
a higher tensile strength.
00:26:58.750 --> 00:27:03.610
Yes, maybe. But the method itself creates
limitations concerning the properties.
00:27:03.610 --> 00:27:09.900
We have to go deeper and look
at the molecules.
00:27:09.900 --> 00:27:16.581
Textile fibers naturally have a
very high tensile strength.
00:27:16.581 --> 00:27:24.290
On the inside, natural fibers like cotton,
wool or linen show a regular
00:27:24.290 --> 00:27:30.241
arrangement of molecular chains.
00:27:30.241 --> 00:27:36.300
There are amorphous parts
and crystalline parts.
00:27:36.300 --> 00:27:42.159
The strands that you can see on the
right depict molecular chains.
00:27:42.159 --> 00:27:46.620
The amorphous parts,
where the molecules are
00:27:46.620 --> 00:27:51.000
tangled like a plate of spaghetti,
are not stable.
00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:57.630
The crystalline parts, where they show a
regular arrangement, are stable.
00:27:57.630 --> 00:28:03.862
Natural fibers show a high degree of
crystalline parts which translates
00:28:03.862 --> 00:28:09.040
to a high tensile strength. Fibers naturally
show higher tensile strengths
00:28:09.040 --> 00:28:13.856
than my 3D printed structures
could ever have.
00:28:13.856 --> 00:28:17.510
And for synthetic fibers, there are
measures we can take to even influence
00:28:17.510 --> 00:28:24.130
and increase the tensile strength.
00:28:24.130 --> 00:28:30.542
There are several ways to spin a fiber,
at least one of them is very similar to 3D printing.
00:28:30.542 --> 00:28:37.400
You melt synthetic material and press it
through a nozzle.
00:28:37.400 --> 00:28:40.978
The extruded strand is the fiber.
00:28:40.978 --> 00:28:45.320
The difference is that you have several
possibilities to influence the property
00:28:45.320 --> 00:28:48.823
of the extruded strand or fiber.
00:28:48.823 --> 00:28:53.880
The degree of crystallinity depends on
the rate of controlled cooling.
00:28:53.880 --> 00:28:59.750
The slower a fiber cools off the more
time do the molecular chains have
00:28:59.750 --> 00:29:04.007
to arrange themselves regularly.
00:29:04.007 --> 00:29:07.850
That is why the spinning chambers
are really hot
00:29:07.850 --> 00:29:12.690
in order to allow for a very slow rate
of controlled cooling
00:29:12.690 --> 00:29:18.740
so that the fibers show high degrees of
crystallinity, resulting in high tensile strengths.
00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:22.500
We do not have this opportunity
in 3D printing.
00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:26.779
We can use a heated build plate. But that
00:29:26.779 --> 00:29:30.880
only influences the first few layers.
00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:35.299
Besides, we need the printed strands to
00:29:35.299 --> 00:29:40.291
cool off quickly so that they keep their shape.
00:29:40.291 --> 00:29:46.809
We can only print the next layer
00:29:46.809 --> 00:29:49.179
if the layer underneath
has already hardened.
00:29:49.179 --> 00:29:54.159
We cannot keep a constant high temperature
like we can in the spinning chamber.
00:29:54.159 --> 00:29:58.470
The SLS method allows
for better conditions
00:29:58.470 --> 00:30:03.223
concerning the tensile strength
00:30:03.223 --> 00:30:07.150
and the structures did show better values.
00:30:07.150 --> 00:30:11.409
We have a second possibility to increase the
tensile strength of synthetic fibers
00:30:11.409 --> 00:30:15.271
which is by stretching them
after spinning.
00:30:15.271 --> 00:30:21.020
The fibers are guided through cylinders
and subjected to tensile forces.
00:30:21.020 --> 00:30:31.460
This increases the degree of
crystallinity even more.
00:30:31.460 --> 00:30:36.380
The molecules are forced
to align even more.
00:30:36.380 --> 00:30:40.179
This decreases the fiber diameter and
makes the fiber more fine, softer
00:30:40.179 --> 00:30:45.840
and at the same time stronger.
00:30:45.840 --> 00:30:50.700
That explains why textile fibers have
much higher tensile strengths
00:30:50.700 --> 00:30:56.309
while at the same time being much finer
than anything you can 3D print at the moment.
00:30:56.309 --> 00:30:59.977
Furthermore, textile fibers have the advantageous
capability of warming us by isolating air.
00:30:59.977 --> 00:31:03.700
Every little chamber that can entrap air
turns a fabric into a warming structure
00:31:03.700 --> 00:31:09.100
when worn on the body.
Fabrics consist of threads
00:31:09.100 --> 00:31:13.834
and threads consist of fibers,
00:31:13.834 --> 00:31:18.170
as you can see on this microscope picture.
00:31:18.170 --> 00:31:21.559
It's not a picture of a carpet,
it's fabric
00:31:21.559 --> 00:31:29.139
and the little single fibers would not be
visible with the naked eye.
00:31:29.139 --> 00:31:33.779
The gaps between the fibers
isolate air.
00:31:33.779 --> 00:31:38.000
At the same time, the gaps are important
for the transportation of moisture.
00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:41.130
Sweat can evaporate and go through the fabric.
In conclusion,
00:31:41.130 --> 00:31:46.220
fabrics can warm us and at the same time
protect us against overheating.
00:31:46.220 --> 00:31:51.350
At the moment, we cannot 3D print such fine
miniature fibers. We are still quite limited
00:31:51.350 --> 00:31:58.429
when it comes to fineness. We cannot efficiently
3D print chambers to entrap air
00:31:58.429 --> 00:32:04.059
like the ones we can find in fabrics
made of textile fibers.
00:32:04.059 --> 00:32:08.970
Some things cannot be done yet
in 3D printing. But what can we do
00:32:08.970 --> 00:32:15.220
in 3D printing instead? We have an immense
freedom of design that can be applied
00:32:15.220 --> 00:32:20.679
mostly in shoes and accessories,
00:32:20.679 --> 00:32:24.649
for example bracelets, necklaces
or glasses.
00:32:24.649 --> 00:32:29.450
The benefits can be used for costumes.
00:32:29.450 --> 00:32:34.998
For example, in the movie "Black Panther",
several crowns were 3D printed.
00:32:34.998 --> 00:32:39.520
Theoretically, the process is sustainable,
00:32:39.520 --> 00:32:44.076
just because it is additive manufacturing.
00:32:44.076 --> 00:32:48.059
Material is only built where it is needed
for the desired shape.
00:32:48.059 --> 00:32:53.909
This is in stark contrast to the
production of clothes.
00:32:53.909 --> 00:32:58.620
When you cut the fabric, you can achieve
a utilization ratio of maybe 90%.
00:32:58.620 --> 00:33:03.262
Just because pattern pieces
have many different shapes,
00:33:03.262 --> 00:33:07.280
10% of the fabric is thrown away.
00:33:07.280 --> 00:33:15.017
3D printing is more sustainable
in this aspect.
00:33:15.017 --> 00:33:17.899
Also, the materials can be reused.
00:33:17.899 --> 00:33:20.870
Recycling is another problem
in the fashion industry.
00:33:20.870 --> 00:33:24.440
So it is a good thing that you can
reuse the powder after printing.
00:33:24.440 --> 00:33:30.270
3D printing is also very suitable for
made-to-order production.
00:33:30.270 --> 00:33:34.530
In the fashion industry, made-to-order
items always lead to high costs.
00:33:34.530 --> 00:33:38.909
Also, it is possible to create different
material properties in the same product.
00:33:38.909 --> 00:33:42.764
When I have the shoulder
00:33:42.764 --> 00:33:47.279
and want it to be a bit more firm,
00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:50.797
I can already prepare that in the
3D model. I can decide
00:33:50.797 --> 00:33:54.620
to create more layers. If I created the same
piece of clothing in fabric,
00:33:54.620 --> 00:33:58.320
I would need to have a seam, I would reinforce
it with another fabric
00:33:58.320 --> 00:34:02.440
or another layer of fabric. Using a 3D printer,
this could happen in the same step.
00:34:02.440 --> 00:34:07.050
Theoretically, it is also possible to
integrate additional functions
00:34:07.050 --> 00:34:13.290
like cables, LED or sensors.
00:34:13.290 --> 00:34:18.440
There is still a question mark
behind that.
00:34:18.440 --> 00:34:22.530
First of all, this would not
be everyday wear,
00:34:22.530 --> 00:34:28.790
and secondly, this is not
state of the art yet.
00:34:28.790 --> 00:34:33.170
Another benefit might be to create the
whole garment in one step.
00:34:33.170 --> 00:34:36.769
Right now, a fabric is created out of
threads out of textile fibers.
00:34:36.769 --> 00:34:39.330
Then, the fabric needs to be cut, the
pieces need to be sewn together,
00:34:39.330 --> 00:34:42.070
maybe it is dyed after that.
Different processes,
00:34:42.070 --> 00:34:46.370
executed at different locations.
With 3D printing,
00:34:46.370 --> 00:34:52.090
everything could happen in the same step.
00:34:52.090 --> 00:34:56.118
But only if the garment can fit into
the build volume of a printer.
00:34:56.118 --> 00:35:00.230
If we print A4 sized pieces and
assemble them afterwards,
00:35:00.230 --> 00:35:04.550
we are still in the same situation of
having to connect many pieces.
00:35:04.550 --> 00:35:11.230
The software developed by Nervous System
is a smarter solution.
00:35:11.230 --> 00:35:15.286
The software digitally folds the dress.
The dress is then printed in the folded state,
00:35:15.286 --> 00:35:20.030
significantly reducing
the needed build volume.
00:35:20.030 --> 00:35:25.960
The dress is hidden somewhere
in the block of powder.
00:35:25.960 --> 00:35:29.810
The powder is removed,
a bit like in archeology,
00:35:29.810 --> 00:35:34.094
the dress will get cleaned off
and opened.
00:35:34.094 --> 00:35:37.411
This is a good option to really
use the benefits of 3D printing.
00:35:37.411 --> 00:35:46.520
The disadvantages or challenges are
00:35:46.520 --> 00:35:51.190
the insufficient tensile strength,
resulting from the process itself
00:35:51.190 --> 00:35:56.180
and there is not a lot we can
do about it. We are still very limited
00:35:56.180 --> 00:36:03.340
in terms of fineness. The standard nozzle
diameter is 0.4 millimeters.
00:36:03.340 --> 00:36:08.695
Fiber diameters are more
in the micrometer range.
00:36:08.695 --> 00:36:13.556
That is a significant difference. The fineness
is very important for the next-to-skin-comfort,
00:36:13.556 --> 00:36:17.920
for the transportation of moisture and for
the capability to warm us.
00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:24.720
This is fundamental and without it,
the aspects of wearing comfort
00:36:24.720 --> 00:36:31.258
cannot be guaranteed
when we 3D print textile structures.
00:36:31.258 --> 00:36:36.119
Time and costs are still
quite problematic in 3D printing.
00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:40.650
It takes af long time
and it is very expensive.
00:36:40.650 --> 00:36:45.095
Again, this is not suitable for
everyday wear, only for individual pieces.
00:36:45.095 --> 00:36:48.014
We also still have to discuss
care instructions.
00:36:48.014 --> 00:36:51.378
Can you wash a 3D printed garment
at all? If I wear a piece of clothing every day,
00:36:51.378 --> 00:36:54.589
I want to be able to wash it.
00:36:54.589 --> 00:36:58.082
When we talk about garments,
we also need to talk about fastenings,
00:36:58.082 --> 00:37:02.144
you need to somehow get inside
the piece of clothing.
00:37:02.144 --> 00:37:06.251
So, zippers, buttons, hooks, eyelets,
all of this needs to be thought of
00:37:06.251 --> 00:37:12.750
if we want to print
everything in one piece.
00:37:12.750 --> 00:37:17.090
In conclusion, the construction of fabrics
made from threads made from fibers
00:37:17.090 --> 00:37:23.170
is still unbeatable in regards of
wearing comfort.
00:37:23.170 --> 00:37:28.379
There are not yet applicable solutions
00:37:28.379 --> 00:37:40.370
to imitate the properties in 3D printing.
00:37:40.370 --> 00:37:44.478
At the current state of the art,
3D printed clothes are not only not the future,
00:37:44.478 --> 00:37:47.257
they aren't even the present.
Because the present means
00:37:47.257 --> 00:37:50.930
fabrics made of textile fibers and that
works really well for our wearing comfort.
00:37:50.930 --> 00:37:55.430
3D printed structure cannot
provide that yet.
00:37:55.430 --> 00:37:58.660
That does not mean that we
should stop the research.
00:37:58.660 --> 00:38:01.260
Whoever said before that they had
success when printing clothes,
00:38:01.260 --> 00:38:04.760
I am very interested to hear about that.
Maybe there are some aspects
00:38:04.760 --> 00:38:11.587
that I have not thought about.
But we should not forget
00:38:11.587 --> 00:38:17.460
the basic function of clothes. The 3D
printed clothes that I showed in the beginning,
00:38:17.460 --> 00:38:21.800
those are amazing artworks, I love
them and I want to see more of them.
00:38:21.800 --> 00:38:24.820
But I want to remind everyone that
clothes should warm us,
00:38:24.820 --> 00:38:28.170
that in general, it should be opaque
and that the climate exchange
00:38:28.170 --> 00:38:33.840
and the transportation of moisture has
to be guaranteed. I find it a bit difficult
00:38:33.840 --> 00:38:38.370
to put so much hope on 3D printing
00:38:38.370 --> 00:38:44.030
to fundamentally change
the whole fashion industry.
00:38:44.030 --> 00:38:49.371
Because the fashion industry has
a lot of serious problems,
00:38:49.371 --> 00:38:53.580
ecological problems,
00:38:53.580 --> 00:38:57.250
but also social and societal problems.
00:38:57.250 --> 00:39:01.229
But I don't think we should simply hope
to develop new technologies
00:39:01.229 --> 00:39:04.440
and tell us that the sustainability problem
can be solved by 3D printing
00:39:04.440 --> 00:39:09.850
all of our clothes. Please conduct
further research.
00:39:09.850 --> 00:39:15.830
But please don't forget the basic
functions of clothes and do not think
00:39:15.830 --> 00:39:20.323
that a new technology will solve all the
problems of the fashion industry.
00:39:20.323 --> 00:39:27.140
I advise everyone
to revolutionize the fashion industry.
00:39:27.140 --> 00:39:32.650
But please do not think that 3D printing
is the universal solution for that.
00:39:32.650 --> 00:39:36.782
And now I am finished with my
presentation and I thank you all for listening.
00:39:36.782 --> 00:39:47.155
applause
00:39:47.155 --> 00:39:49.912
Herald Angel Noujoum: Yes, thank you,
that was quite a precision landing, I'm afraid
00:39:49.912 --> 00:39:52.830
we don't have time left for questions, I am sorry
to everyone flocking to the microphones right now.
00:39:52.830 --> 00:39:57.330
But you can see here where you can
talk to Rebekka,
00:39:57.330 --> 00:40:01.409
you can find her and ask her questions
on Twitter under @Kurfuerstin.
00:40:01.409 --> 00:40:04.331
You can also talk to her right now after
the talk. Maybe not right here,
00:40:04.331 --> 00:40:07.330
but somewhere in the back.
She also needs to read her post cards.
00:40:07.330 --> 00:40:10.780
I'm sure there will be time
and the possibility
00:40:10.780 --> 00:40:14.600
to talk to her or each other about
3D printing and 3D printed clothes.
00:40:14.600 --> 00:40:17.556
Please give another round of applause.
00:40:17.556 --> 00:40:18.670
applause
00:40:18.670 --> 00:40:22.280
postroll music
00:40:22.280 --> 00:40:30.234
Subtitles created by c3subtitles.de in 2020.
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