Digital printing 3D printing: 3D printing is a process for making a physical object from a threedimensional digital model, typically by laying down many successive thin layers of a material. The negatives of 3D printing has to be the cost of it because it’s expensive due to the creativeness which is also a positive because of how creative the 3D printing is. Another negative to 3D printing would be, under privileged countries would miss out on the new technology as its too expensive and also demand for natural printing may not be needed. It is used in the contemporary fashion industry because it is a quick production and also a cheap manufacturing. It also has better quality and less waste which is why it is used in the fashion industry. As well as having a better quality and less waste it also has sustainability and new shapes and structure which would attract new customers. Victoria Secret’s used 3D printing to create these two looks for the fashion show in November 2013.
Laser cutting: Laser cutting is a technology that uses a laser to cut materials, and is typically used for industrial manufacturing applications, but is also starting to be used by schools, small businesses, and hobbyists. Laser cutting works by directing the output of a high-power laser most commonly through optics. The positives of laser cutting is it can eliminate the need for machining on many engineering jobs enabling the customers to reduce their manufacturing costs. Alexander McQueen designed a few dresses using the laser cut in the images below and showed them off and the fashion show.
Digital printing: Digital printing Digital refers to methods of printing from a digital-based image directly to a variety of media. It usually refers to professional printing where small-run jobs from desktop publishing and other digital sources are printed using large-format and/or high-volume laser or inkjet printers. Pros of digital printing is it doesn’t take too much time, less expensive and it allows for frequent changes to your printed material. The cons of digital printing unable to colour match, cracking in the folds, fewer material options and more expensive in higher print runs. Basso and Brooke are designers who use digital printing for their dresses. Images show the designs on the dress are all unique and different to each one.
3D body scanning 3D body scanning is a custom fitting apparel, sizing standards development, 3D product development. 3D body scanning allows you to see the outfits you’re either wanting to buy or wanting to wear but you can’t physically feel what it is like to wear it. The fashion industry would use this because it would save time and money on thinking about so many ideas and creating the garment when they can visually see what the garment would look like. Iris Van Herpen uses the body scanner and says "Everybody could have their own body scanned and just order clothes that fit perfectly." Van Herpen also says “I’m really happy that 3D prints finally act with the movement of the body," she said. "[My] last show was really a big step forward because it was totally flexible and the jacket we created, for example, you could put in the washing machine."
CAD software (i.e. Adobe Photoshop, illustrator and creative apps) CAD software is a variety of different programmes that let you edit pictures in any way you want, whether you are just adding a filter onto the picture or you fully edit the photo by lowering the brightness, adding a number of effects to it to make it different to the original picture. The pros of using CAD software programmes is they’re simple to use. It adds different effects to your pictures and saves time. You also get consistent results and have fun whilst doing so. The negatives to CAD software is people like to overuse the programmes to give themselves an impossible image of who they really are. The media like to use Photoshop to shrink models and make them look flawless and skinny, giving people the wrong mind set of “perfect”. The fashion industry would use CAD software for different effects on the designs to get different outlooks on one dress as well as editing photo-shoot pictures for fashion magazines.
Customised printing Costumed printing is something you create personally by yourself whether is a t-shirt or a pair of shoes. Positives of customised printing is it is personal to you, which makes it unique as not many people will have it. It is also an accurate design, what you design is what you get and it is eco-friendly. The only negatives of customised printing would be the cost due to it costing too much depending on the creation and it is very limited as to what is designed. Example; Nike allow you to design your own air max and t-shirts were as other brands like new balance don’t allow you to design anything yourself. I went on to create my own pair of air max trainers which came up to the cost £145. This would be used in the fashion industry to attract more customers and give them the chance to create something more personal and unique to them giving them an idea on what they prefer in their style of clothing/shoes.
Summary The impact digital printing will have on the future will have the result of people becoming lazy as they will relay on technology to do things for them instead of doing it by hand like they used to. Couture does everything by hand and doesn’t believe in doing anything digital which would end up having Couture no longer existing or having a new generation into the digital work. Children in different generations will be born into the world with all the digital printing being used and not have normal working skills like the older generations would have. The impact this would have on our skills may increase technology wise but become lazier in lacking of natural working skills as the machines would be able to do everything for you there and then without any effort from others. The impact it will have on the underprivileged countries would be them missing out on the new generational technology as it would be too expensive for them to afford any of it. Underprivileged countries would be doing everything by hand which would also mean they will be behind on everything as it is a lot slower working process than the digital printing.
My Design Ideas and Pattern Development
Range Plan Design Developments:
Final collection
Inspiration board
This is my laser design I didn’t get a chance to actually do my laser design as I was off sick and other peoples design got corrupted
Evaluation of laser cutting The strengths of laser cutting are is it visually effective with the detail and gives it an accurate look. It also has a weakness as the design could be distorted and appear to be squashed. The opportunity for it to not be squashed is to hold down the shift not the process. Threats would be that some fabrics cant be used as they would set on fire or melt. More strengths of the laser cutting would be: it is fairly easy to use, unique individual designs, CAD designs are a lot quicker to create and combe techniques i.e. digital prints and laser cut. More weakness: You can only use illustrator but learn new skill. Its not always bespoken which means it has less value due to mass production. It is also restricted by the process as it must be a stencil effect pattern. Lastly it is also expensive to start as the equipment costs a lot as well as training people to use it. But then it quickly pays for itself. The opportunities promise exclusivity also use digital prints and other fabrics to enhance it. Threats to laser cutting would be light colour fabrics and larger and more detailed designs takes a lot longer. Other threats could be the machine could break which then you have no other way to laser cut or a staff member who is trained to use it could be off sick and no other member of staff may not know how to use it therefore the process of the laser cut would be longer.
Evaluation of digital printing The strengths of digital printing are it doesn’t take too much time, less expensive and it allows for frequent changes to your printed material. The weakness would be you don’t have control over your final print because some of the colours are unable to match, there is cracks in the folds as well as fewer material options. The opportunities with digital printing is that you save money on expensive print shops. You can also use digital printing for things such as business cards, stickers etc. The cost is one thing that is effective, it is easy to do reruns which means you can redo it again and it can be transferred by email as its portable and suitable for downloads. However the threats with digital printing is that designs could and can be damaged or blocked when printing but can also be used again.