Personalized Knit Masks
Self-Assembly Lab, MIT
Self-Assembly Lab Team: Lavender Tessmer, Skylar Tibbits, Wendy Wu
Ministry of Supply Team: Oye Ajewole, Gihan Amarasiriwardena
This project was generously supported by the MIT Department of Architecture.
This project explores a new process for garment customization that does not rely solely on software-based pattern generation, and instead focuses on material properties and tailored activation, demonstrating an alternative workflow for customization and production. Balancing repeatability with the potential for variety, the proposed solution leverages the efficiency of scalable garment production using industrial knitting machines coupled with programmable material fibers to produce fully customized objects through temperature activation. The customization of fit is achieved using heat postprocessing with a robotic toolpath that is translated from each wearer's individualized face measurements. This approach allows for the full speed and efficiency of industrial knitting machines and standardized files which are widely used in the apparel industry total, while still enabling a fully tailored and personalized textile product through a post-process material transformation.