MIT startup develops technology for blazers on demand

Ministry of Supply, a startup founded by MIT students, has launched first machine designed to 3-D-knit personalized blazers on demand. The machine carves out a blazer in almost 90 minutes after which it is kept in the store for final touches. This new process saves about 30 per cent of the fabric waste of traditional cut-and-sew methods.

According to MIT News, “Gihan Amarasiriwardena ’11 has always been a hacker, but not the traditional kind. He hacks clothing and outdoor gear. Since adolescence, he’s cobbled together custom waterproof jackets, heat-trapping sleeping bags, and performance dress shirts. In 2012, that hobby led Amarasiriwardena to co-found, with other MIT clothing tinkerers, Ministry of Supply, a Boston-based innovator of high-tech fashion. The company has developed a rapidly growing science-based clothing line and the industry’s first 3-D robotic knitting machine.”

Normal blazer customizations such as size, yarn, buttons, and cuff color can be put into a computer at the machine. The final image is shown on an interactive display, and modifications can be made simultaneously.

Ministry of Supply collaborated with the manufacturer, Shima Seiki, to modify the machine to make blazers. The first 3-D-knitted garments were a rage and sold out in a day, and the machine has since become popular with customers.