My work is going in a really exciting direction at the
moment. Through an RSA - The Great Recovery project,
I have been using FabLab London as my base and source of all 3D printing
knowledge. Since July I've been developing 3D printed materials that are based
on woven structures, with the circular economy model ever present in
every stage of the design process.
Using the 3d printing facilities I am developing
material samples that aid my research into creating shock absorbing textiles
solely from one component. Cutting out any excess waste and additional
materials usually required for spacer/ shockproof fabric. Using a 3d printer to
create textiles enables me to transform traditional weave structures from the x
and y axis into the x,y and z. It frees one from the constraints of a loom and
adds a third dimension to the fabric.
Developing textiles for the circular economy is
achievable through the use of a 3d printer. A traditional weaving loom creates
waste at the start and finish of each warp and a selvedge along the edges of
the fabric that is then discarded. A 3d printer has none of this excess waste
textile.
