Dive Brief:

• The New York garment industry seeks a revival as the number of local manufacturers and workers has dropped to slightly over 22,000, the New York Times reported last week.
• The city views the drop-off with alarm, calling it a homegrown industry that supports countless families, and has fueled New York's reputation as a fashion hub of the world. With rents rising in the fashion district, the city supports a relocation to Sunset Park and is subsidizing space in the former Brooklyn Army Terminal.
• Small, local manufacturers are prized in the industry, as they're known for accepting smaller orders than larger overseas competitors. They're also open to new designers  and are closer to production. 

Dive Insight:

Collaboration has always been an important part of fashion. Now, with a variety of types of designers able to keep close quarters in Brooklyn, technology and fashion are harmonizing. The emergence of 3D printing in fashion offers new avenues for creativity, which include headdresses for backup dancers, gowns seemingly made of ice and a hat reflecting the state of the wearer's brain. The usage of 3D tech will lower operational costs, which will create more margin for garment companies looking to remain in business in a competitive environment.

3D printing also excels in producing prototypes, another indispensable aspect of fashion. Creating an original model that can be easily replicated without the investment of additional seamstresses helps to bring designers' visions to market. 

Finally, fashion and 3D printing have come together in even more unexpected ways. Addressing a ban on lace in Russia, designers began creating elaborately designed intimate apparel thanks to 3D printers. While no reports on comfort or washing instructions have yet been reported, appreciation is unparalleled.