3D printing is taking the world by storm. People are using 3D printing to print prosthetics, rocket ship parts, fabrics and all things related to fashion. A store in London has made its fashion store entirely out of 3D printing. The store, Bottletop, opened its flagship store in London’s Regent Street. It claims to promote sustainable luxury and is working with AI Build and Krause Architects, to design an outstanding experience with a completely 3D printed interior of the store.
Even the name is ‘green’ inspired
The name Bottletop is inspired by the range if clutches and bags which have been upcycled from used ring pulls. The bags are manufactured in Brazil and they take time between four hours to a few days to crochet. The design aesthetic of the shop is inspired by the way the bags join together.
3D printed interiors make it unique
Image Source : 3dnatives.com
Bottletop’s interiors match the wares on sale, as the 3D printed plastic meshes printed by AI Build with the help of a filament sourced from Reflow, resembles the pattern of the joining of the bags. The filament is made from plastic waste and is a beautiful example of how construction waste, as well as fashion, can be combined in a sustainable way.
The mesh has a 3D printed pattern, which spans the whole ceiling, and from the mesh, a whopping 5,000 empty cans are hung. This design is not new for Bottletop as they had featured it earlier in their pop up stores. But it used to take a long time to assemble as the cans had to be
suspended individually from strings. Besides, it’s tough to get the height right.
3D printing the frame by AI Build means the design could be customized for the store. Also, the pop-up stores can be made faster too, and the design can be customized to fit the new stores.
The possibilities of 3D in design
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3D printing is a process which involves very little waste. In every other manufacturing process in the fashion industry, a lot of waste is generated. But in 3D printing, all the materials are used up to make a physical object. This means that only the material which is required is used.
AI Build had made waves with their sophisticated 3D structures built meticulously with the help of Kuka robots, as well as machine vision algorithm. Their ‘Daedalus Pavilion’ made people sit up and take notice in a conference at Amsterdam. The incredible 3D structure was made of 48 parts and was completed in just 15 days.
Incorporating sustainability in the fashion industry
AI Build has collaborated with Bottletop to include some sustainability in the traditionally unsustainable fashion industry. They made their products and interiors for the store from upcycled materials. The project shows how state of the art technology can be the solution for a major problem like environmental pollution.
The interior of the shop was completed using 3D printed recycled materials. The company AI Build is supporting zero waste designing philosophy and circular economy, by converting plastic waste from Africa and India into amazing construction with their partners, such as Bottletop.
The Bottletop store is being designed with the help of Kuka robot, boat motor and so on, and being placed in the window display, is a big crowd puller. It also makes people aware of what could be done with waste, and how it could be converted into something useful and beautiful.Â
The material is translucent white made out of recycled plastic. Their plan is to cover the walls of the shop completely in contoured printed panels using 3D, which creates a futuristic experience for customers who come into the store. The panels would also have stylish hooks from which merchandise can be hung.
Unique experience
Bottletop commissioned the famous perfumer named Timothy Han to design a special store perfume. They also got record producer Mario C, to create a customized playlist for the store. This gives customers a completely unique experience when they come inside, ranging from the decor, the merchandise, the music and even the scent. The store would also have videos about 3D printing running on the walls which would educate people about the process.
Projects like the Bottletop store can play an important role in providing information about 3D printing and sustainability, which might inspire people to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.
