This February in Las Vegas, Sourcing at Magic will focus on the most important topic for 2018 –digitalisation of manufacturing. Digital Apparel Micro Factories, which can create apparel on demand and in extremely short periods of time, gives designers and producers powerful ‘concept-to-creation’ capabilities. In five steps you can go from design to product – CAD/Design to printing to cutting to sewing. Christopher Griffin, President, Sourcing at Magic says, “Automation will ultimately change where and how all apparel is produced. We are at a tipping point in terms of the technology necessary to move this forward. Sourcing at Magic felt it was a very compelling focus category that all buyers, brands and factories are interested in and are seeking guidance.”
The Process: Create and prepare a garment prototype using 3D renderings; Convert designs into printing data and transfer to digital printer; Pick fabric using colour management software and you are now ready to digitally print. Send design to a ‘heat press’ which transfers the design directly onto fabric; and Automated cutters cut the patterns (sewbots).
Sourcing at Magic will host a micro-factory on the show floor, featuring live demonstrations of apparel production (the micro factory will produce T-shirts onsite). The micro-factory will consist of machinery from EFI, Optitex, EFI Reggiani, Klieverik, Zund and Eton System along with robots and sewing from Henderson. Several specialists will lead panels discussions on functionalities and the benefits behind automated technology.
