Advances in Sewn Product Technology

The fashion industry continues to contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. It is one of the biggest polluters, one of the most wasteful of all global industries and is under increasing pressure to address unsustainable practice. Emerging out of the pandemic era the fashion industry is also responding to a variety of complex industry challenges such as high return rates, customer demand for better fitting apparel, faster fashion, the drive towards personalisation and greater transparency and sustainability across the value chain. These factors along with increasing labour costs are furthermore exerting force on the industry to embrace nearshoring and reshoring. Based on extensive primary research involving oral histories methodology with leading industry professionals involved in the innovation of technological and digital solutions for the fashion industry, this book presents the latest advances in sewn product technology which offer solutions to many of the fashion industry’s current and emerging challenges whilst also informing how these developments are influencing fashion jobs of today and tomorrow. This book is therefore of value to fashion students, academics, researchers, and technicians as well as those working within the fashion industry involved in the design, development, manufacture, buying and retail of fashion apparel.

Features:

• Provides a comprehensive insight into the latest advances in sewing machine technology including advanced automation and robotics used in the manufacture of fashion apparel
• Provides a comprehensive insight into the latest industrial sewing threads and needles that can effectively support sustainable design practice
• Exclusively covers advances in digital technologies to support sustainable practice including advances in 3D body scanning and digital measuring systems, recent advances in digital pattern making and pattern design systems, recent advances in 3D fashion design software and the latest advances in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems used within the fashion industry
• Includes sections on advances in No-Sew Seam Bonding and ultrasonic welding technologies
• Provides an insight into advancements in 3D cloth simulation and prototyping for apparel design and gaming
• Enables readers to understand the impact of the latest advances in sewn product technology on the jobs of today and tomorrow
• Case studies that provide working examples of advances in sewn product technology

Anita Mitchell is Principal Lecturer and Head of the Fashion Section at Manchester Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University, which is one of the largest fashion schools in the UK and part of the Art and Design research centre which was ranked second in the UK for research power in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and holds both external examiner and principal external examining posts at other key fashion institutes in the UK. Having worked in Higher Education for nearly two decades lecturing in the areas of Fashion Product Development, Fashion Technology, Sewing Machine technology, Fashion Digital Technology and Automation, her interest in pedagogy led her to the role of Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning whilst leading on a variety of key projects such as the development of the fashion innovation lab within the Manchester Fashion Institute and a variety of Higher Education and curriculum related reviews. She is currently completing doctoral research towards an EdD whilst leading on a high-profile Digital strategy that is transforming Higher Education fashion curriculum and future proofing the graduate skills needed to support the ongoing digitalisation of the fashion industry. In terms of her writing and publication experience, Anita has contributed to a variety of fashion technology books and authored book chapters in areas that include Fashion Product Development, Fashion Technology and Advanced Joining Technology.

Anita began her career working as a designer for a well-known menswear brand in the UK and moved on as Product Developer for a leading British knitwear specialist whilst studying at London College of Fashion. This facilitated her career move to senior fit technologist and technical manager for one of the largest suppliers to the British Clothing Industry. Her product specialism spans light sewing, ladies & men’s formal wear, casual wear, sports, and leisurewear. She has been involved in developing a variety of highly technical apparel products such as pre and post cure non-iron apparel, and wet processing techniques in some of world’s most highly automated factories. She was also involved in trail blazing technologies such as seam-free bonding and welding technology and the use of 3D digital fit technology to support agile and sustainable product generation. She has developed apparel for brands such as Ralph Lauren, Ted Baker, and Hussein Chaylan. Her experience of offshore manufacturing afforded her the opportunity to work as a Technical Manager in many locations around the world, such as Portugal, Morocco, and Malaysia. Anita has also been fortunate to work alongside British Designers such as Katherine Hamnett when she supported the development of one of the first organic collections for Marks and Spencer Autograph range. This role also afforded her the opportunity to develop novel and innovative trims with some of the world’s leading trimmings suppliers.