Sustainable 3D-Printed Fabrics

DefeXtiles is a Flexible Textile Made from an FDM Printing Defect

References: & media.mit.edu

DefeXtiles addresses the concerns about the ethics of textile production with its sustainable fabrication. A significant portion of fabrics and produced in sweatshops and require intricate labor for insufficiently low pay. Another issue with the textile industry is the lack of sustainability. Some companies have opted for upcycling old clothes and fabrics as a solution.

Another solution is DefeXtiles. The ambitious approach to sustainable textiles is a tulle-like printed fabric compatible with all common 3D printers. The textiles are flexible, versatile, and durable. DefeXtiles intentionally exploits a commonly known 3D printing defect. Known as under-extrusion, the process adds gabs to fused deposition modeling (FDM) printing. The defect proved effective for the purposes of this textile, making for a sustainable fabric alternative.