The Self-Assembly Lab at MIT has developed a technology that provides a clever solution to the problems of mass customization. The collaboration between Ministry of Supply and the Self-Assembly Lab approaches the problem from a different perspective: Their sweater, coming to stores within a few months, can be mass-produced in standard sizes. The customization process happens in-store, instead of during the production process.
The fabric shrinks when exposed to heat, thanks to both the structure of the knit and the combination of materials used. The researchers say that the shape-shifting technology depends on the way that two different off-the-shelf materials interact together when they’re exposed to heat.
Mr Skylar Tibbits, the founder and co-director of the Self-Assembly Lab said, “People want to make smart garments and shoes, but they’re always putting batteries in your shoes. We want them to be active and smart, but passive in the sense that it’s all based on materials.”
His team is working with Ministry of Supply to turn their discovery about permanently changing a garment’s shape using heat into a full-fledged commercial product, starting with the company’s forthcoming in-store sweater customization experience.
