Wiivv Wearables, a Canadian 3D printing start-up, aims to revolutionize the way people shop. Their plan is to bring at end to ordering the wrong size clothes when shopping online. To do this the company have launched an app that allows the user to quickly scan their feet. The app also means that the price of the 3D printed insoles Wiivv Wearables produces will drop significantly from $300 to below $100.
The app is relatively easy to use, it can be downloaded and within approximately 10 minutes (after creating a profile via Facebook or using your own data) you will be guided through the scanning process. You need to roll up your jeans or trousers, find a piece of paper and a wall and then follow the on screen guide as it takes you through the measurement process. Five photos of each foot from different angles are all it takes to create an accurate model. The app then gives you the option to create a full or 3/4 length insole which will then be delivered to you.
The process is quite similar to New York based company, Feetz who launched a similar service in 2015.
Future plans for 3D printing fashion
For now, soles are all Wiivv Wearables produce but they have plans for clothing creation as well as sportswear. The scanning technique is processed by the company’s algorithms and could be expanded to other items of clothing, eliminating the need to visit a tailor and also potentially bringing the price of bespoke clothing down. 3D printing is often spoken about in terms of the ability for mass customization, so this is a fascinating example of putting this into practice.
We recently covered how high end fashion is looking at the use of 3D printing to create unique fabrics and how a 3D printed dress made its debut during New York fashion week earlier this year.
Featured image show insoles created by wiivv. Image via Wiivv.
