Cybertale

3D-Printing Haute Couture: Exploring customized 3D printing techniques for garments, integrating fabrics with various materials to form complex self-forming mechanisms.

Team

Junke Zhao
Siyuan Zhang
Xiangping Zhang
Pingsi Dai

Duration

Jun 2022 - Jul 2022

Contribution

Clothes Design
Printing Experiment
Fabricating
Testing

Background and Concept

Emerging 3D printing technologies are forging entirely new types of fabric, and they are a significant impetus for architects to engage with custom fashion design. In particular, flexible TPU printing and FDM combined with textiles open up novel possibilities for fashion silhouettes and fabric texture. Many fabric printing experiments end in failure or flaws, yet interacting with the fabric directly by hand or against the body reveals how to adjust its geometric structure or the printing technique itself.

Designers strive to produce fabrics that meet predefined characteristics, but the iterative process of experimentation can also lead to entirely new ideas. In this sense, design research and manufacturing experiments complement each other. The development of 3D fabrics grounded in computational design spans architecture, fashion design, information technology, and automation, and it draws equally on cultural ethos, artistic sensibility, mathematical logic, and practical craft. We believe it will become an intrinsic part of fashion design practice.

This project focuses on customized 3D printing techniques for garments, exploring how fabrics can effectively integrate with various materials to form complex self-forming mechanisms. It involves digital adjustment of the fabric's texture, performance, and appearance, innovating fashion design through customized processes.

Design Process

Design Workflow

The team first used CLO3D for paneling and styling after conceptualizing the design. The pattern and fabric models were then imported into Rhino and parameterized using Grasshopper to create the digital model. The digital model was then sliced and printed.

Workflow: Concept Design → CLO 3D → Rhino & Grasshopper → Slicing → Printing & Fabrication

Style and Layout Design

Clo3D Layout Design

Pattern Design & Generation

The patterns were imported into Rhino and parameterized using Grasshopper to create detailed 3D models. This allowed for precise control over the geometry and enabled parametric adjustments to the design.

Prepare for Printing

Printing Experiment

We ran a series of printing experiments to test different materials, patterns, and techniques. Using an Ender 3D printer, we created intricate patterns directly on fabric substrates to explore the possibilities of combining flexible TPU with traditional textiles.

Design Output

Physical Prototype

The final physical prototypes were assembled on dress forms, showcasing the integration of 3D printed elements with traditional fabric construction. The geometric panels and origami-like structures demonstrate the potential of computational design in fashion.

Rendering Display

High-quality renderings showcase the envisioned final design, combining metallic structural elements with intricate printed textures on a digital mannequin.