Dynamic digital prints; sustainably sourced base materials; zero-waste patterning & multi-functional garments-- these are only some of the aspects that make the Thomas Jefferson University x Mimaki Design Competition so cutting-edge. For a second year, Mimaki USA hosted a design competition for Thomas Jefferson University junior- graduate level fashion design students, complete with a $1000 prize for the winning design.
Inspiration for this competition focuses on the Mimaki microfactory concept. This concept looks to increase sustainability and decrease production time by allowing all garment and textile production processes to happen under one roof. In this competition, students design engineered prints and custom repeats using Procreate and Adobe software. Using the industry-leading Mimaki textile printers, students are able to print these digital files directly onto fabric, including photo-realistic imagery. This year, sustainable and recycled fabric bases for printing were provided by Greentex America. After printing, the fabrics are washed and processed according to industry-standard, and students can begin to create their designs.
Industry guest judging for this competition was provided by:
- Victoria Harris- Mimaki USA
- Mark Sunderland- Designer, Hemp Black
- Tessa Zwizanski- Visual Web Team, Urban Outfitters
- Myrna Guttierez- Print Designer, Maen Studios
- Coral Heffron-Heuhold- Print Designer, Anthropolgie
Check out all of this year's project below:
