Gallery: This Dress Is Made From 3-D Printed Plastic, But Flows Like Fabric

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    A new software tool called Kinematics makes it easy to turn plastic into posh duds.
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    Boston-based design studio Nervous System, led by Jessica Rosenkrantz and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg developed Kinematics after previously working on a similar project for Google.
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    This little black dress is made from tiny, interlocking bricks of plastic.
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    "Frankly, when you work on something complex like this in a completely digital world for so long, the biggest surprise is that it actually works as intended, from the compressing to the fit, draping, and movement," says Rosenkrantz.
  • The Kinematics software breaks the model down into triangular segments of varying sizes which are outfitted with builtin...
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    The Kinematics software breaks the model down into triangular segments of varying sizes which are outfitted with built-in hinges. Designers can control the size, placement, and quantity of the triangles and preview how the changes will impact the polygonal pinafore.
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    An X-Ray of the chain mail like material reveals the hidden hinges.
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    The printing process takes over two days and results in a boulder-sized block of dusty plastic.
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    Technicians excavate the dress hidden in the mass of plastic.
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    At $3,000 a pop, don't expect to see Kinematics clothing on bargain racks, but it is making a mark on fashion and tech.
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