Program Overview

Introduction to Functional Textile Design and Sustainable Manufacturing

Overview

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) knitted products have become increasingly prevalent in everyday life over the past few years, manifesting in domains that are both design-oriented (sweaters and shoe uppers) and engineering-oriented (seat covers and vehicle chassis preforms etc.). Using design inputs, the machine's loop-by-loop formation enables users to create shaped geometries with different localised properties in a single manufacturing step. Thus, this broadens the design freedom to create a variety of technical textiles with functional properties that can be used for different industries. Moreover, this additive manufacturing technique presents a sustainable method of creating textiles without depending on conventional cut-and-sew processes.

Course Details

• Course dates: 22 – 24 July 2025
• Duration: 3 days, 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM

Target Audience

• Personnel, working or studying in a textile or textile-related field, who are interested to know more about CNC-knitting and how to design for functional textiles using this manufacturing system.
• Personnel who want to have a first-hand experience in designing and manufacturing using the Kniterate system.

Course Description

This course introduces participants to digital textile design, with CNC knitting of technical textiles as the main focus. It shares how different properties (i.e. mechanical, shape-change, electrical etc.) can be imparted to the knit and the various basic CNC knitting principles of how to achieve them. It will also include sharing sessions from industry specialists to give insights of how they are incorporating sustainability in their business operations.

Course Structure

The latter half is a design workshop to let users have a hands-on experience of how to design a functional knitted textile with variable localised properties. It allows participants to explore using the Kniterate system to design and manufacture these textiles.

University Programs

Pillars, Clusters & Programmes

• ASD: Architecture and Sustainable Design
• DAI: Design and Artificial Intelligence
• EPD: Engineering Product Development
• ESD: Engineering Systems and Design
• HASS: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
• ISTD: Information Systems Technology and Design
• SMT: Science, Mathematics and Technology

Admissions

• Programmes:
  • Undergraduate
  • Graduate
  • Continuing Education (SUTD Academy)
  • 42 Singapore

Campus Life

Student Experience

• UxOP
• Student life
• Global experience and exchange
• Career development
• Student well-being

Campus

• Academic facilities
• Housing
• Sports and recreation centre
• F&B and services
• Library

Research and Innovation

Design·AI Research

Overview

• Research news
• Research centres
• Research programmes and fellowship

Research Administration

• Research integrity
• Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Design·AI Innovation

Innovation Ecosystem

• Future of Innovation
• Educational technology
• Fabrication lab

Innovation Showcase

• Book of Innovations

Innovation for Community

• STEAMunity
• Design Innovation (Consultancy & Training)

Innovation in Education

• daVinci@SUTD Experience
• STEAMxD Immersion Programme
• Digital Learning Capability Centre (DLCC)

Design·AI Enterprise

Partnering Corporates

• Research collaborations
• Technology licensing
• Translational Research Lab (DesignZ)

Supporting Entrepreneurs

• Venture and incubation experience