Fashion in an era of 3D printing

3D printing has started making its way into the fashion apparel industry. A number of designers are making use of the additive manufacturing technology to produce one-off complex designs; 3D printing services dedicated to fashion and design are emerging in the market, fashion schools are adapting their programs, incorporating laser-cutting and 3D printing and annual hi-tech fashion weeks are popping up around the globe. Such a technology, which refers to the layer by layer creation of physical objects based on digital 3D files, has been described as having the power to disrupt and transform the manufacturing system as we know it. 3D printing transforms the design and development process by expanding spheres of possibilities, enhancing design quality and limiting development costs. It also incurs great consequences for manufacturing as it reduces transaction costs, resolves the scale-scope problem and fosters zero-waste production. Using a technological innovation systems approach, this research attempts to understand the processes of diffusion of 3D printing technology, and the consequences this incurs for the usage patterns of resulting product and process innovations. More precisely, this research explores to which extent 3D printing transforms the design and production process for independent fashion designers and small fashion firms.