Fabbing Fabrics

Technothreads is an exhibition taking place in Dublin, Ireland from 26 April to 25 July 2008. The purpose of the exhibition is to offer a glimpse into the future of fabric, both from a design and technical point of view. From their website:

• Conceptual Couture concentrates on the use of science by fashion designers at a conceptual level. This will range from garments using the simplest of mathematical forms to the use of fabrics with a raised surface based on Braile and semi-living garments using biotechnology.
• The Aesthetics of Science will look at fashion that demonstrates the impact of science as aesthetic. This will include Space, Cyborgs and Camouflage.
• Fabric Laboratory looks at the very latest in advanced textiles. Though predominately garments, some fabric lengths will also be shown in this area. Exhibits will include a spray on dress, garments made using three dimensional fabrics and one made using a three dimensional printing process

Another report from Georgia Tech describes the 3D fabric printing attempted at Technothreads:

... focused on the budding technologies of textiles and how they are being applied in the fashion industry. There were some very interesting techniques for designing fabric and clothing, such as using 3D printing technology (pretty strange). One of the coolest sections was the 'biological clothing.' Among this display were two garments created from red wine and Guinness beer. They were made by slowly layering films of alcohol on top of each other (like when a film forms in an old bottle of wine). They smelled a little and seemed prone to deteriorate, but our guide assured us the technologies were in the development stage.

Via GateChadMissions and Science Gallery