Help us to build a remake machine for clothes

From a historical viewpoint, we have been good at extending the lifespan of garments that have already been made by patching, repairing and sewing them. It is a handicraft that we are now beginning to value again, but which most people no longer master. Imagine if we had a machine that could do the job for us ...

The Mikrofabriker project (Micro-factory) is looking for companies and people who want to be involved in developing a remake machine for clothes. A machine that can identify defects on garments by itself and automatically repair them so that the garment is given new life. A prototype is currently being developed will be used and displayed in Do Tank Center at Science Park in Borås.

“The sustainable future is already here. We have the knowledge, experience and the entrepreneurs who can make it happen,” says Erik Valvring at Science Park Borås. By combining automation and textile production, we hope to solve some of the problems that we have created ourselves during the past 30 years.

The prototype combines automation from industry using technology from clothing manufacturing. The idea is to test solutions such as vision systems, automatic sewing machines, smart dyeing machines and AI solutions for garment design. In parallel with the development of prototypes, various business models will be explored and developed.

“The Mikrofabriker project was created because we saw opportunities to implement flexible automation to create customised products with a circular business model,” says Elin Asplund, Project Manager, Automation Region. We will use the business model as a strategic tool to develop competitive services and products.

The manufacturing of clothing and footwear accounts for 10 per cent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. This is more than the combination of all international air and sea transport. By encouraging the development towards local production with a high degree of automation and small, customised collections, jobs, competitiveness and sustainability can be created.

“Sweden can be a leader with automated solutions for repairs, remakes and second-hand fashion,” says Elin Flybäck, Project Manager for Mikrofabriker at Science Park Borås. “Thereby we can create the conditions for competitive companies in a future industry worth billions.”

Would you like to get involved and develop a remake machine?

Take the opportunity to explore automation solutions together with automation and fashion companies. Register your interest by emailing elin.asplund@automationregion.com.

The Mikrofabriker project investigates how textile and clothing manufacture can become more flexible and sustainable through automation and digitisation. The goal is to develop technology and manufacturing processes for circular flows and production concepts. During the project, operators from the textiles sector collaborate with automation companies and develop concepts such as micro-factories – small, flexible production units with a high degree of automation.