Goldwin trials algorithmic zero-waste design
A collaboration between two Goldwin-operated brands, The North Face Japan and Neutralworks, plus Keio University spin-out Synflux, which specialises in algorithmic zero-waste design, has resulted in activewear it is calling Syn-Grid.
A softshell jacket made with Gore-Tex fabric will be sold by The North Face, while a matching fleece sweater-and-joggers set has been produced for Neutralworks. The three articles, to be released later this month, have been engineered to reduce pattern-cutting waste by as much as two thirds versus conventional methods using Synflux's proprietary artificial intelligence technology, Algorithmic Couture.
The system is differentiated by its ability to import three-dimensional patten data and then turn this into two-dimensional patterns, based on a matrix of squares and triangles. Synflux says these machine-generated patterns can help its partners lower their factory-level cutting waste.
Realising commercial-ready patterns for Goldwin’s brands reportedly involved establishing an upper limit to the number of elements requiring sewing per design. The aim was to create activity-friendly apparel which leveraged the best of both human and computational design, the Tokyo-based group said. Ultimately, use of eco-friendlier dyestuffs and materials will not resolve the issue of wasteful (ie, unsustainable) production processes, it added.
Image: Synflux/The North Face Japan.
