For fashion designers, all beauty-related competitions are very important; especially in beauty pageants, contestants' outfits indirectly affect the success or failure of the competition. This is an example of how SLS 3D printing technology helped Ciska Barnard (swimsuit designer for the Bambshell® clothing brand) create unique accessories that allowed Miss South Africa to advance successfully.
Bambshell® is an exclusive swimwear brand founded by Melinda Bam, who was also crowned Miss South Africa in 2011.
"The contestants fully expressed the beauty of Africa, showcasing colorful cultures, African festive colors, and bold and strong contrasting prints; each print was custom-made for this theme, combining ethnic, tribal, and modern fashion styles, and complementing the smooth curves of the swimwear." -- Melinda Bam said.
The 3D prints produced by the Sinterit Lisa 3D printer are very soft and comfortable, suitable for wearing. As swimwear accessories, they must be flexible and lightweight like a second skin. Thanks to technology, the properties of Flexa Black's TPU (flexible) material can achieve a smooth and comfortable surface effect.
【How did it start?】
Fashion always comes with technology, thus allowing it to develop and expand. Humans started weaving 20,000 years ago, and it was still very time-consuming and required manual processes until the 19th century; this is why women in the 18th century had only a few clothes in their wardrobes – not even more than two dresses. The invention of the loom completely changed the future and greatly reduced the time required for production. However, the structure of textiles did not change for 150 years, until after World War II, when international trade conflicts between Asia and the United States caused a shortage of raw material supply, which made innovative synthetic materials very popular in the 1980s; but we are now focusing on returning to nature and using sustainable materials.
Designers are loyal to using the best fabrics, but sometimes they are limited by the material properties; for example, some shapes cannot be formed through natural textures, and 3D printing is the best solution.
【From Couture to Ready-to-Wear】
Regarding the application of 3D printing in fashion, we still focus on many external demands, such as haute couture; but it is less common in ready-to-wear. Why? For many years, technical limitations have hindered designers from more widely applying this technology. In FDM 3D printing, the most common and cheapest materials are very rigid; even flexible elastic materials are not like fabric, which is why clothes made with it look somewhat like armor. On the other hand, SLS technology, which can print flexible materials, is still too expensive even for trial printing; however, everything changed after the SLS patent expired in 2014, and the first desktop 3D printers emerged on the market. Thanks to devices like Sinterit Lisa, it is now possible to print delicate objects attached to swimwear.
【Fashion Needs Flexibility】
"Most customers choose hard materials like PA12, which has become a habit in many industries; but the fashion industry needs more flexible solutions," said Konrad Głowacki, one of Sinterit's co-founders. "However, finding a flexible, strong material that perfectly matches fashion and can be used in a 3D printer is not easy; in the past few years, only a few people believed that SLS technology could become a desktop 3D printer for every company, and now we will launch a wider range of different materials. After several months of testing, we are pleased to offer two reliable products: Flexa Black and Flexa Gray." -- Głowack emphasized.
【A New Era is Coming】
Since the time of Chanel, the working field of fashion designers has not changed much, so emerging materials like 3D design are becoming increasingly popular. Top universities are also adding new digital courses such as basic CAD/CAM or 3D design printing, and these will develop more widely in the future.
Twenty years ago, no one thought that people would buy and download music files online, rather than buying CDs at a music store; and in the near future, the same transformation will sweep the fashion industry, if not entirely, at least in accessories.
This project was made possible thanks to Build Volume, a company that integrates 3D printing into the public; and undoubtedly, some important accessories related to South Africa.
"Due to the rapid development of 3D printing, 3D scanning, and modeling software, 3D printing is becoming more exciting and affordable for individuals. With 3D printing, anything is possible," said Don Vermeulen, CEO of Build Volume and the user who personally printed this series of patterned accessories.
Customized 3D printed products have provided his company with steady growth.
Now, thanks to the commercial size of the Sinterit Lisa, we can use advanced laser sintering technology at a reasonable price; through SLS, almost any original shape can be printed, whether hard or flexible materials. The company has extensive experience in other areas and recently launched the Sinterit Lisa Pro and updated 3D printing equipment.
【About Sinterit】
The first manufacturer of desktop laser sintering 3D printers, expanding into the global market by providing innovative SLS technology; focusing on convenience and practicality to quickly catch up with the future. The company was founded in 2014 by former senior Google employees, providing reliable and precise 3D printers to global customers and has printed thousands of 3D printed products within three years.
We are happy to share all kinds of creations related to 3D printing, and this is undoubtedly a project where the Sinterit Lisa has successfully broken through in different fields; if you want to know more about related products, you can also get more information on our website.
Original link: https://www.sinterit.com/pressroom/becoming-miss-south-africa-with-3d-printed-fashion/