3D Printing

New flexible materials pave the way for 3D-printed clothing

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A bracelet made using i.materialise's flexible Rubber-like material
i.materliase is offering a flexible rubber-like material which opens the doors to new possibilities for designers
Although Rubber-like is squishy, i.materialise does not guarantee an object will last if squashed hundreds of times
The Rubber-like material is dyed black
A flexible piggy bank doubles as a coin purse
The material is rigid enough to maintain its shape but flexible enough to open and close
The Rubber-like material conforms to coins of different sizes
A hand bag made using i.materialise's flexible Rubber-like material
A bracelet made using i.materialise's flexible Rubber-like material
A bracelet made using i.materialise's flexible Rubber-like material
Shapeways is offering a flexible material called Elasto Plastic
The material could be used to make soft items such as clothing or accessories
A soft object made using Shapeways' Elasto Plastic material
Testing the flexibility of Shapeways' Elasto Plastic material
View gallery - 13 images

Most 3D-printed objects are made out of rigid plastic or resin materials that aren't necessarily ideal for every project. Now, for a limited time online shops like i.materialise are offering designers the chance to play with experimental materials that have properties akin to rubber. Currently these materials are only being offered on a limited basis, but they're already paving the way for new ideas, including one haute couture dress that paraded down the catwalk at Spring Fashion Week 2013 earlier this year.

The new material, which is dyed black and called Rubber-like, is priced at €2 (US$2.60) per cubic centimeter, which is more expensive than other options. However, this is one of the few materials available that frees designers to incorporate shock absorption and structural elasticity into their models, gadgets, and functional objects. One of the more exciting possibilities afforded by this material is 3D printed clothing, as can be seen in the following video.

The 3D-printed dress, created by Dutch designer Iris van Herpen with Julia Koerner, was fabricated by i.materialise on its Mammoth Stereolithography machines. "I find the process of 3D printing fascinating because I believe it will only be a matter of time before we see the clothing we wear today produced with this technology, and it’s because it’s such a different way of manufacturing, adding layer-by-layer, it will be a great source of inspiration for new ideas," says Iris van Herpen, who has designed sophisticated skirts, capes, and dresses that would be impossible to create any other way.

The company will offer Rubber-like until September 1st. Another online shop, Shapeways, is also offering an off-white flexible material called Elasto Plastic for $1.75 per cubic centimeter.

Sources: i.materialise, Shapeways via 3ders

View gallery - 13 images
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1 comment
f8lee
It's cute but I'm a bit disappointed that they had to produce the four quarters separately - I thought the entire dress would be from a single run.