For thousands of years, personalized knitwear has been handcrafted from a single thread. Since the 16th century, knitting machines have accelerated this process and introduced the cut-and-sew principle. The digital transformation of the fashion industry offers new possibilities—but what does that look like in physical form? In this Living Lab, we use a Shima Seiki Whole Garment Knit machine to produce garments directly from the machine in full three dimensions.
A sweater that tells a story; personal, yet also resonates with the group or stage of life you're in. Taking the "Dutch fisherman's sweater" as a starting point, the "Keeping it Local" project explores the influence of identity and local production on the experience and appreciation of garments, with the aim of contributing to a more sustainable fashion industry.
Het 3D KNIT Robtlab biedt Studenten en docenten en alumni de mogelijkheid om zich te verdiepen in de nieuwste technieken van 3D breien met de Shima Seiki breimachine, waarbij de focus ligt op lokale productie zero waste productietechnieken en co-creatie, om zo overproductie te voorkomen en de lokale gemeenschap te versterken.
Tijdens de NewTexEco Knit Winterschool verkennen textielprofessionals en studenten een week lang de mogelijkheden van geavanceerde breitechnologie. Met de Garmin 3D-breimachine werken zij in gemengde teams – technisch en creatief – aan een kledingstuk dat hun identiteit als community weerspiegelt. Het resultaat? Unieke ontwerpen waarin samenwerking, innovatie en duurzaamheid samenkomen.
Check out the latest news from the 3D Knit Robot Lab
The experts at the 3D Knit Robot Lab
Designer and knitting expert 3D Robot Knitting Lab Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
Troy Nachtigall is a highly experienced Designer and Design Researcher who leads research at the intersection of fashion and technology. He actively seeks out strategic partnerships that will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the textile, clothing, fashion, and footwear industries. Troy is a core member of the Erasmus+ Fashion and Textile Transitions project and the New Textile Ecosystems (New Texeco) Research Community. His practical background in Design and ICT fuels his passion for exploring the data-material relationship through wearable items.
