Bespoke suits are usually very expensive, but will this always be the case? The 4D Knit Dress it's the concept of a new type of clothing that a robot could selectively shrink to fit the wearer, perhaps directly in the store.
This innovative technology, developed by MIT's Self Assembly Lab promises to change the way we buy and wear clothes. What is it about? Let's see together.
Tailored and high-tech clothes within everyone's reach
The 4D Knit Dress is made from a special yarn that shrinks when heated above a certain temperature. This means that a robot with a heat gun can strategically shape clothes by creating pleats, darts and a cinched waist exactly where you want them. The result? Made-to-measure suits, created in a few minutes, at a price accessible to all.
How exactly does this technology work – The secret lies in the concept of 4D printing, in which the "fourth dimension" of the manufacturing process of an object is self-assembly over time. In practice, the dress is initially knitted in one piece by a computer-controlled industrial knitting machine, incorporating the active yarn. When the “unprocessed” garment is placed on a mannequin, the robotic arm uses the heat gun to strategically heat the garment, causing the fabric to shrink to the right size and in the right places. Depending on how the active yarn is distributed in those areas, it can shrink to form its peculiar characteristics.
An always fashionable dress
The benefits of the 4D Knit Dress don't end with customization. Do you know what happens if you get tired of the dress in its current form? You take it back to the shop and the “robot tailor” adds new features to it. This way, tailor-made suits will stay fashionable longer than a regular suit.
No more wardrobes full of clothes that we no longer wear because they are outdated: with the 4D Knit Dress you will be able to have clothing that is always new and in step with the latest trends.
Do we want to talk about sustainability? Think about it: if every dress is made to measure, there will no longer be a need to produce huge quantities of different sizes and models, with the risk of many remaining unsold. Less fabric waste, fewer resources used, less pollution. Drastically reduced environmental impact.
The future is fast fashion
The 4D Knit Dress is just the beginning. The researchers of MIT they are already working on other clothing based on the same technology. Maybe one day we can all have our own personal robot tailor at home, ready to create tailor-made clothes for us whenever we need it.
Or perhaps the stores of the future will be equipped with customization booths, where we will be able to see clothes take shape before our eyes.
Of course, it will take some time for this technology to become mainstream. But one thing is certain: the future will have personalization, sustainability and accessibility among the watchwords. In the future each of us will be able to express our own unique style, without compromise and without waste.
