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3. Circular Open Source Fashion

Assignment

Learning outcomes

  • Research skills: the participant has acquired knowledge through references and concept development
  • Design skills: the participant has learnt through sketches & prototypes, material choices, 2D vector design
  • Fabrication skills: the participant acquired skills necessary for laser cutting, digital workflow, assemblying, material used and leftovers
  • Process skills: Anyone can go through the workflow, understand it and reproduce it
  • Final outcome: The assignment is assembled and either complete or tested
  • Originality: Has the design been thought through and elaborated?

Student checklist

  • Include some inspiration: research on artists or projects that work with modules and zero waste systems
  • Document, Design and prototype with paper and scissors modular configurations and interlocking connections
  • Document, Design and prototype digitally your modular configurations and interlocking connections in 2D
  • Document the process of testing and laser cutting your designs, including the machine settings, material type and thickness
  • Laser cut the modules. Create a modular or seamless garment, showing that the connection is well-designed and holds the pull/stretch. Document the assembly process and tests
  • Upload the fabrication PDF file at oscircularfashion.com, in 1:1 scale accompanied by 1-5 pictures (preferably in white background)
  • Submit some of the modules to the analog or digital material library of the lab. (Recommended size 20cm x 20cm) (extra credit)

Research & Ideation

This week's class made me think about the future of fashion and the clothes I should choose. The lecture covered the differences in licensing, not just for fashion, such as free, open, and public domain. Currently there are no patents for fashion (though there may be design rights). This is same as chef's recipes.
Since I am interested in the right of fashion, I researched NFT x fashion.

  • 1 is the first NFT digital fashion "Iridescence Dress"produced by The Fabricant in 2019. It sold $9500.
  • 2 is UNXD, which has become a marketplace specializing in NFT fashion.They also held a fashion week on the Metaverse.
  • 3 is Tiffany's NFT collection. All NFTs were sold out within a few minutes of being issued.　The feature is that the NFT itself and a physical pendant are a set.
  • 4 is Nike's first Metaverse shoe collection 'CryptoKicks' sells for $100,000
  • 5 is from the article. How to make NFT fashion by myself.

NFTxFashion's are more successful than expected. With the rise of the Metaverse, the value of digital fashion is probably increasing as well. There also seems to be a back and forth between digital and physical. Not only will digital fashion be combined with physical items like Tiffany's, but digital fashion will also be worn in real life like cosplay, and digital fashion trends will have an impact on real fashion.

References & Inspiration

I got a lot of inspiration from images on Pinterest. I like this kind of geometric pattern and shadow-like expressions(Link1,Link2)

I am also interested in Zero Waste design. I found many pattern on Pinterest. The left below is one ot the pattern. The right is Alve's amazing dress. He tried many cutting patterns to create the shape.

I also like Issey Miyake's environmentally conscious designs. His FUWA FUWA is a simple yet well-thought-out design that involves twisting and sewing together a single rectangular piece of fabric. His Origami dress is well known as zero waste design.

Tools

Process

Elastic, Inflate trial

First, I did small trial below. Left is normal pattern and the right one has elastic joints. It is intended to be used in areas that move, such as elbows.
Next,　I thought about Gaussian curvature and varied the darts and slits. I made one slit into two half-width slits, spaced them apart, and cut the dart in half at the center.　By doing so, the curvature of the previously flat texture changes and a bulge appears. These two darts can be inserted into a regular slit, so you can change the body part or design by making it flat or inflated.　　　　

Shadow-like design

Paper Prototype

I investigated using a paper prototype.

Pattern design

The design was done using Inkscape. As learned at class, I set grid pattern from the menu: File > Document Properties > Grids, then select Axonometric Grid.


To simulate the assembled result, I used three layers, Bottom black layer, Yellow layer, Upper black layer. The left below is assembled design. The difficulty with this pattern is that if you make the pattern like bad example, the black parts will be cut off at the green points. After many trials, I found a solution. I divided the darts area so that the red part is the darts and the blue part is the original black fabric to keep the shape.

Laser process

I tried SVGnest to reduce left over. Upload the pattern to the site by SVG format. In case of my patterns, the optimization was very slow. The result was not good one. Sonce my patterns were polygons that were easy to pack, such as hexagons, so I decided to use a pattern arranged in Inkscape.

Using trotec laser, patterns were cut. The fabric and parameter was:

  • Black: Furano 0.9mm /Wool90%, Nylon10%/ Vector, Power 85.00, Speed 5.00, Freq. 1000
  • Gray: Furano 0.9mm /Wool90%, Nylon10%/ Vector, Power 85.00, Speed 5.00, Freq. 1000
  • Red: Felt 1.4mm /Polyester100%/ Vector, Power 75.00, Speed 5.00, Freq. 1000H

Assembly

I assembled the parts and checked the strength of the joint. It didn't come off even when I lifted it or wrapped it around my neck, so the connection has the strength for garment.

Zero Waste trial

As an attempt to create zero waste garment, I designed from a single piece of cloth. This time, I kept it as simple as possible by cutting the center of the fabric and creating the collar variations using a grasshopper.


Using trotec laser, patterns were cut. The fabric and parameter was:

  • Fabric 0.39mm /Cotton 100%/ Vector, Power 40.00, Speed 7.00, Freq. 1000

My Learning Outcome

  • I learned and researched fashion for future, environment conscious, Zero waste, and License.
  • I learned how to design patterns of Modular fashion using Inkscape.
  • I learned how to cut fabric with a laser and how to assemble modular parts.
  • Through the class, my creativity expanded and I was able to produce output that was highly original and strong enough for garment.

Files

^1: Elastic, Inflate pattern
^2: Shadow Like pattern
^3: Zero waste pattern
^4: oscircularfashion.com