It’s still quite early in its lifecycle, but Stratasys’ new Connex3 color 3D printing technology is beginning to have an affect on one application: fashion.
South Africa’s Michaella Janse Van Vuuren, whose work has previously been featured as our design of the week, has had early access to Connex3 and produced the startling work above that was featured in 3D Printshow’s NYC fashion show.
If you look closely, you’ll see a variety of colors used and that’s not something you’d typically see on a 3D print. But with the Connex3, designers can select colors from a series of palettes to produce colorful – and flexible – 3D prints. Van Vuuren says:
These pieces could not have been created in any traditional method. The Stratasys multi-material printer prints the different shades and material strengths in one go. In one design I can incorporate rubbery and hard parts with different properties, adding a dimension and functionality to the designs that is absolutely fascinating. The engineering team from Stratasys have also been an integral part of the project – it’s a dream come true to have materials experts to bounce ideas off before you start designing.
This might be one of the first colored and flexible 3D fashion prints, but it certainly won’t be the last.
Via Nomili