Instead of sewing or knitting, scientists at the startup Simplifyber are fundamentally rethinking how clothing and shoes are made. To make their products, the team pours liquid cellulose into a single 3D printed mold. What comes out is a fully completed shirt or sneaker. The final products are biodeg
radable, and the whole process reduces waste.
“Everything we’re doing is different, from start to finish,” says Maria Intscher-Owrang, cofounder and CEO of the startup, who previously worked as a designer at fashion houses, including Alexander McQueen and Vera Wang. “We design differently, in 3D. Our molds are 3D printed. Then we pour our liquid slurry that ultimately becomes a fabric-like material into those molds.”