On Demand Production aims to demonstrate how new forms of value creation can become a reality for the local economy. Better customer orientation, nearshoring for greater flexibility, and eco-friendly textile finishing create a resilient and sustainable way of doing business. To achieve this, the module On Demand Production focuses on the following areas:
- Individualized and customer-specific product development
- Automated garment manufacturing
- Technological solutions for sustainable textile finishing
Individualized and customer-specific product development
Customers increasingly want products tailored to their individual needs and preferences. In the textile industry in particular, there is a demand for clothing that is customized both in terms of fit and appearance according to personal preferences. So far, there are only a few economically viable solutions for this on the German market. This is exactly where the module comes in: it develops processes and systems that enable the individual production of single items or small batch sizes.
Automated garment manufacturing
In addition to solutions for individualized products, processes are also needed for the production of standardized products that can be manufactured automatically. For such never-out-of-stock items, e.g., classic T-shirts, standardized production solutions must be developed. In order to implement local production economically and profitably, the textile industry must take the step toward automation. Using robotics, procedures are being developed and tested across various production stages – from cutting and assembling to sewing – that can be executed fully or partially automatically. The goal is to demonstrate solutions for different sectors and companies of varying sizes within the textile industry, offering significant cost-saving potential for defined garment production processes.
Technological solutions for sustainable textile finishing
The finishing of fully manufactured garments offers the possibility to respond flexibly to customer demands with a standardized product range – even in small batch sizes. Technological solutions that reduce chemical use, employ bio-based and innovative textile auxiliaries and dyes, enable low-temperature processes, and prevent wastewater contamination are particularly crucial for production in Germany. Textile Factory 7.0 aims to demonstrate how technological solutions can provide flexibility to German manufacturers while making ecological benefits economically feasible.