- With science and technology, textile businesses are seeking alternative materials and production methods that can help make the industry more sustainable.
- By taking a 3D scan of the body, garments can be designed to exact specifications and then 3D printed to achieve precise measurements.
- Over the past five years, companies like Balena have been developing fully recyclable materials that break down in less time and leave no hazardous waste behind.
Balena and Lemon Jelly’s NYSSA Bag, crafted from BioCirflex, a compostable material made from castor beans and polysaccharides. (Image courtesy Balena)
By Mark Davis
Introduction
The fashion industry has been grappling with issues like sustainable production and consumption for quite some time. Due to the prevalence of fast fashion, many articles of clothing are mass produced but soon end up in landfills or incinerators. On a global basis, millions of tons of textile waste are discarded each year. Many garments are difficult to recycle because they are made with multiple fabrics. Conventional garment dyeing practices also consume an enormous amount of water and often rely on chemicals that can pollute waterways.
Fortunately, some of today’s brands are working to curb water use during the production process, switching from synthetic fabrics to natural ones, and promoting eco-friendly consumer habits to facilitate a circular economy. This article discusses the sustainability challenges that persist in the fashion industry and explores how modern printing and scanning techniques may lead us to a more eco-friendly future.
3D Scanning/Printing to the Rescue
Although ongoing improvements to production processes and recycling practices have helped the fashion industry become more environmentally friendly, fast fashion continues to have a detrimental effect on the labor market and the environment. The good news is that with science and technology, textile businesses are seeking alternative materials and production methods that can help make the industry more sustainable. In addition to researching and developing more eco-friendly dyes and shifting toward biodegradable materials, some of today’s businesses are turning to new technologies that reduce the impact of mass production on the environment.
During a recent edition of the BBC’s Inside Science program, Mark Miodownik (Professor of Materials & Society at University College London) explained how he was harnessing 3D scanning and printing technologies to overcome traditional hurdles associated with the disposal of unwanted clothes. These technologies also made it possible for clothes to fit better, particularly for people with disabilities. Miodownik asserted that by taking a 3D scan of the body, clothes could be designed to exact specifications and then 3D printed to achieve a garment’s precise measurements. In addition, because 3D printers can use biodegradable materials to produce an article of clothing, those clothes could then be composted when they were discarded.
Miodownik has also been experimenting with inserting sensors in the fabric of clothing to offer extra support when it is needed. If someone has an impairment in their arm, for example, a sensor could tighten the fabric when the arm is stretched and then loosen it when the arm muscles are relaxed. The impact of these sensors would be further enhanced for the user as a 3D scan of their body would enable the creation of a garment that is specifically designed to meet their needs.
Professor Miodownik is not alone in his efforts. Over the past five years, companies such as Balena—a material science specialist working on biopolymers—have been developing compostable materials like BioCirflex 3D, which is made from castor beans and polysaccharides. These materials are fully recyclable and break down in less time than traditional oil-based fibers, leaving no hazardous waste behind. Balena has also partnered with the 3D print label Variable Seams to highlight the durability and wearability of biodegradable fabrics.
Some consumers might be concerned about how durable and fashionable these materials are, but firms like Balena emphasize that the science world and fashion world can work together to produce fashionable, made-to-measure garments that are still environmentally friendly. By partnering with designer labels such as Stella McCartney, Lemon Jelly, and Good Man, Balena has revealed the efficacy of its offerings.
As these technologies become more affordable, they will likely become more widespread in the mass consumer market. Even so, it will take time for them to become viable alternatives to mass-produced fast fashion. Production practices will need to undergo dramatic changes before the scanning and printing technologies become robust and cheap enough to produce clothing on scales that we are currently used to. The good news is that other brands are also taking steps toward 3D scanning and printing. For example, footwear brands like Vivobarefoot and Puma are using 3D scanning and printing to produce custom-fitted shoes that are made from compostable materials.
The Bottom Line
3D scanning and printing can help to produce sustainable garments, protect the environment, and hopefully change consumer habits in the process. More sustainable alternative materials are being developed all the time, and the industry is considering the potential that 3D scanning and printing can bring by investing in and partnering with facilitators of these technologies. In time, additional brands will likely follow the example of Balena and its partners.
As a Research Associate for Keypoint Intelligence’s Content & Publishing Group, Mark Davis is responsible for producingBLI A4 Lab Test Reports, InfoCenter deliverables, and blogs for the company’s public site. He is a graduate of The Universityof Winchester (MA, Critical and Creative Writing) and The University of Westminster (BA Hons, English Literature, First-Class Honours), and he is currently working towards a Ph.D. in English Literature at The University of Westminster.
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