The Manchester Fashion Institute will soon come up with a fashion research facility to assist micro-scale fashion businesses to use robotic technologies for more sustainable production.
- The Robotics Living Lab (RoLL) that promises to enable new research into highly responsive sustainable approaches for UK garment manufacturers, is expected to challenge the way fashion is traditionally made and lead the way in helping to transform a sustainable future for the fashion manufacturing industry.
The Highlights: Fashion researchers, designers and manufacturers will be able to use RoLL to collaborate and make use of robotic technologies with a focus on creating high-value, low-volume fashion production in the UK.
- RoLL will conceive, test, and develop new tooling solutions—creating new stitching, cutting, pressing and repair tools - to support small fashion design businesses in using innovative manufacturing processes for more sustainable production.
- The facility will also encourage new forms of research partnerships, enable fashion research to inform policy on carbon neutral manufacturing, and support Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s 2038 target for net zero manufacturing.
- The lab will be equipped with ‘cobots’—collaborative robots designed to work alongside humans, with new end effector tools—devices used by cobots to perform a task.
- These tools will be designed in collaboration with fellows of a co-design residency programme to develop interchangeable stitching, cutting, pressing and repair tools.
- Development of design software for pattern cutting and garment construction sequencing will also allow for digitally enhanced design and manufacturing to take place.
Funding & facility: The RoLL was awarded £3.8m by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to build and equip the new facility.
- The funding was announced by Science and Technology Secretary Chloe Smith as part of £103m investment into digital research and infrastructure.
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is investing £103 million to expand and upgrade the UK’s world class research infrastructure, including digital infrastructure. The investments will support the sector and ensure UK researchers have access to the best labs and equipment they need to keep producing world-class research and innovation.
- Major renovations by Manchester Fashion Institute will see two office spaces repurposed and equipped for the Robotics Living Lab which will comprise a robotics lab and a work in progress (WIP) space, due to be completed by summer 2024.
WHAT THEY SAID:
Our world-class science and technology sectors are the engine room for growth in the UK economy, and the basis for scientific and technological advancements that will improve everyone’s lives. These sectors need continued, concerted and concentrated backing from the government and I am determined to provide it during my time as Science and Technology Secretary, through funding such as this, which will ensure our world class labs have the infrastructure and equipment to match their status.
— Chloe Smith
Secretary, Science and Technology
United Kingdom
I am delighted to have this funding from AHRC to facilitate the building and equipping of RoLL. The lab will enable fashion designers and manufacturers to work together using cutting edge technology. This will impact hugely on micro and SME businesses and together we will be able to impact positively on the industry.
— Susan Postlethwaite
Professor of Fashion / Director
Manchester Fashion Institute / Robotics Living Lab (RoLL)
