Graduate design student Lingxiao Luo is putting out unique concepts in fashion with her combination printed knitwear. As a result, she’s created multiple designs where 3D printed elements pull together the fabric or even 2 disparate pieces of fabric. The colorful and comfortable designs provide a unique aesthetic while looking less plastic than other printed clothing.
Earlier, while studying at the London College of Fashion, Luo saw the advantages of 3D printing firsthand. This inspired her to explore the additional possibilities of mixing it up with more traditional fashion. She ended up buying her own home 3D printer and developed her process to integrate the two forms together.
“I usually have all my knitting done in the college workshop, and then build up the 3D file in my laptop and print them onto the knitting at home,” she explained to Design News. “It takes me ages to try the suitable yarns and filaments, and also [to figure out] how to apply all these samples on the body.”
3D Printed Designer Clothes
Luo uses 3 different functions for her 3D printing knitwear combinations. The first is in joining fabrics using 3D-printed patterns or combining two fabrics together. Another is printing onto loosely knit nature-fiber fabric and felt fabric after. This second one allows the shrinking during the felting process to change the printed patterns and create 3D structures. The third and final process involves the use of flexible filament to print into tightly knit elastic fabrics. This helps incorporate the print patterns into a 3D structure while forming elastic constructs.
“The techniques that I have investigated are unique, and the products made with my techniques have unique aesthetic and texture,” she says. “They’re much more playful and structural than traditional knitwear.” She said her designs “are less plastic-like” and “much more wearable at the same time,” as compared to other 3D printed clothing concepts.
The designs are practical, stable and washable. In the future Luo wishes to work with additive manufacturing companies to create sustainable fashion designs. She also wants to set up technical consultations for others and providing high-end products and services for the designer studios. As more and more companies and designers are joining the clothing printing business, she’s certainly got plans to keep her ahead of the pack.
Featured image courtesy of Royal College of Art, retrieved via Design News.
