Thanks to a donation from the Technology Innovation Agency, CPUT now boast the latest 3D design technology software for clothing product development.

This cutting-edge technology is revolutionizing clothing production, by helping the industry to cut down on prototype cost.

The software, which is housed at the Technology Station in Clothing and Textiles, allows a designer to develop a pattern on a CAD system and then develop a 3D simulation of a garment that can be shown on a virtual mannequin. 

Head of the station, Shamil Isaacs says the new software will allow them to provide innovative support to SMMEs.

And to ensure staff has the know-how, Prof Michael Ernst of the University of Niederrhein in Germany recently spent a week showing the station’s staff along with their colleagues from the Fashion and Clothing and Textile Technology Departments how to operate the software.

Prof Ernst, who holds the chair in Textile Product Development at his university, says the software is being used across the word and is proving to be a success.

He says the possibilities are endless, allowing users to do various adjustments on the virtual mannequin before producing a product. Users can change styles, sizes and even the type of materials.

Prof Ernst says the software will make a huge impact on teaching and learning at CPUT.

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News
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The Clothing and Textile Technology Station is gearing up to introduce new technology to the local industry after it acquired three hi-tech machines. These include a 3D body scanner, an ultrasonic welding machine and a jet pocket machine.

Of the machines, the body scanner is the most sought after in the local and international clothing industry.

Donated to CPUT by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the body scanner has the ability to gather the exact measurements of an individual in a couple of seconds.

This data can then be used to improve the sizing and develop more accurately fitting patterns of clothing.

Researcher Reena Pandarum, from the University of South Africa, who recently trained CPUT staff members on how to use the machine, said there are many problems in the industry with regards to sizing as each company is using their own research data to determine body sizes.

Pandarum, who has conducted extensive research using the body scanner, said with no specific sizing model in South Africa, companies are also using the American and British sizing models.

She said these models do not take in consideration the different shapes and body profiles of the diverse South Africa population.

Pandarum said the scanner will play a vital role in addressing this current problem.

In order to obtain measurements, an individual steps into a chamber, similar to a clothing cubicle that houses the scanner.

The scanner then projects white light on to the individual in order to obtain the exact measurements. It then puts together a computerised image of the individual.

Manager of the station, Shamil Isaacs, said with the scanner located in Cape Town, they are now in a position to assist the local clothing and textile industry with improving their sizing models.

Isaacs said the ultrasonic welding machine and jet pocket machine will be an extension of their technology platform and will play a vital role in the services offered to industry by the station, especially to SMMEs.

The ultrasonic welding machine, which was imported from the United States, is one of the latest developments in the industry.

Instead of utlising thread to sew garments, the welder generates heat from within the fabric, and makes use of a specialised wheel to weld the garments together.

Isaacs said it is ideal for the manufacturing of outdoor and medical wear.

The station is also working with the Engineering Department to develop different wheels for the machines. Several well-known clothing producers have also visited the station to test the machine.

The impressive jet pocket machine has also caught the attention of industry. Isaacs said to manufacture pockets manually takes 13 minutes, whereas the machine takes seven seconds.

He said all the machines will also be utilised for research purpose by CPUT staff members.

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News
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An innovative method of determining body measurements will help South African clothing manufactures to develop garments with a better fit.

South Africa’s first portable 3D body scanner has been set up at CPUT’s Technology Station Clothing and Textiles (TSCT) and was recently unveiled to industry.

This innovative device was acquired from Germany, thanks to sponsorship from the Technology Innovation Agency.

Director of the TSCT, Shamil Isaacs, says the machine will revolutionize the country’s clothing industry, helping them to produce better sized garments for a diverse consumer base.

Instead of relying on the traditional measuring tape, the scanner uses infrared technology to measure, generating up to 44 different measurements in a few seconds. The scanner is also portable and can be set up in just 30 minutes.

Isaacs says the scanner will allow them to conduct large scale measurement exercises that could result in the development of the first sizing chart for the South African population.

“A current sizing survey undertaken in Mexico, where about 109 million are living, will at least have to measure 18 000 people to get an accurate chart. Here in South Africa we need to measure at least 6 000 people for us to get an accurate size chart,” he says.

Prof Michael Ernst of the University of Niederrhein in Germany who demonstrated the machine’s capabilities, says it has multiple applications, ranging from sizing surveys to virtual product design.

The machine generates avatars from the data recorded and also allows clothing manufacturers to conduct virtual fittings, says Ernst, an adjunct Professor at CPUT.

Clothing manufacturers, big or small, who would like to make use of the services offered by the TSCT can contact them at 021 959 6826 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

An impoverished community, which used to have a thriving clothing, industry may see a resurgence in the trade thanks to a CPUT intervention.

The Technology Station: Clothing and Textile along with corporate assistance from the National Screen and Digital Supplies company recently trained a group of unemployed young people from Atlantis the art of screen printing.

The 26 individuals were trained over a two day period on how to use every day, cheap materials like a table, wooden board, the sun and a simple squeegee to transform basic items into desirable products like conference bags, branded T-shirts and pillows.

Trainer Patrick Nolan says there is a gap in the screen printing industry because most labourers aren’t properly trained to do the job.

“You have a scenario where someone works his way up into a screen printing job and is trained by co-workers but they pick up bad habits and there is no proper training,” he says.

CPUT’s Shamil Isaacs says the university answered a government call to support small and medium enterprises by stimulating innovation capabilities and entrepreneurial spirit in impoverished communities.

“They can go out and sell these services to business. CPUT will then take it further by providing additional services like putting their prints on actual products thereby adding value and eventually they could earn a living from this,” he says.

“Atlantis still has a few clothing factories and there are many people who used to work in this industry years ago so this, combined with the fact that our local clothing industry is seeing a spike in interest, could see Atlantis become a clothing manufacturing hub again.”

One of the participants, Garth Blaauw, says he envisions the group joining forces to start a small business which could service local Atlantis businesses.

“These businesses and churches are paying other people lots of money for this service so we could do it and earn a living,” he says.  

Written by Lauren Kansley
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CPUT lecturers have contributed their own time and skills to assist disadvantaged individuals empower themselves with a saleable skill.

The Technology Station Clothing and Textiles (TSCT) along with the City of Cape Town Enterprise Development Unit have been visiting impoverished communities around the Peninsula, informing them about support they could provide.

On one of these visits the TSCT met up with a group of SMME’s (small, medium and micro enterprises) in Mfuleni that required support, says TSCT manager, Shamil Isaacs.

The TSCT developed a six-hour pull-on skirt programme, which enables the SMMEs to gain enough basic skills to develop and sew a basic pull-on skirt which they can make to sell.   

The main objective is to transfer knowledge through university resources to empower disadvantaged communities.

This will allow them to create opportunities for themselves and indirectly stimulate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

The programme was conducted over two half days.

Deidre Windvogel, the lab technician responsible for product development at the TSCT, provided instructions on how to make a pull-on skirt pattern and using simple techniques create individual designs and make fit adjustments. This was conducted at Lookout Hill in Khayelitsha.  

Norma Wagenaar, the lab technician responsible for garment technology in the Clothing and Textile Technology Department, took the participants through the paces of sewing the skirt and ensuring that a high, saleable quality standard was achieved. 

A total of 32 participants from Mfuleni received training and a more advanced programme is being planned for the future. 

The TSCT is based at the Bellville Campus and provides support to SMMEs in the Clothing and Textile sector

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Department of Clothing and Textile Technology Lecturer and Curriculum Officer, Dr Sweta Patnaik, and Manager - Technology Station Clothing and Textiles, Shamil Isaacs, have won an international e-learning Excellence Award at the ECEL 2022 21st European Conference on e-Learning.

The awards ceremony was conducted at the University of Brighton, United Kingdom, where they we were presented with their certificate.

The award is to showcase innovative examples of e-Learning use. These examples are presented through case histories which can be written by academics, teachers, business professionals or students. The pair have created an integrated project around sustainability in clothing and textiles and entrepreneurship for exit level third-year students. The students worked around the project throughout the semester and there were multiple activities they had to achieve and meet their learning outcomes, e.g. surveys, market research, polls, creating an artefact, multilingual digital storytelling videos, final report and presentation which was assessed by the community. They were expected to create sustainable consumer preferred products out of waste i.e., clothing offcuts and fabric swatches which were freely handed down by retailers… “For this award category we created a google sites page from scratch where all the information shared within is of low-tech data for anyone to access and learn. This is the link to the website with embedded YouTube videos,” Patnaik remarks.

She continues: “We had to create all this and go through three stages to be finally invited as a finalist and then there at the conference through two rigorous processes to be shortlisted, therefore this winning came as a big surprise, and we enjoyed every moment of it along with our students. We had 12 strong competitors from all over the world, Microsoft USA being one of them who have been shortlisted as finalists for two consecutive years. Overall, the project has augmented learning in various forms:

• Self-directed learning
• Peer to peer learning
• Collaborative and constructive learning
• Creating a community of practice
• Building in entrepreneurial knowledge.”

Reflecting on this feat, Patnaik says: “Milestones are accomplished over time from achievement after achievement. I feel very accomplished to have achieved this milestone in my life. It took a lot of work, but I am grateful that we not only achieved this but also touched on a very important aspect which speaks to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) goals such as sustainability. Not only this, but it has also helped in putting our department, faculty, and institution on the global arena all over again.”

Patnaik, who’s the first recipient within CPUT to win the DAAD UNILEAD Germany leadership course for the year 2021 and NMU rising star for the year 2020 adds that her students are the reason for her success “so all credit goes to them”. “If you ask me about my attributes to success then that must be the following: passion, optimism, persistence, creativity, self-discipline, a desire to Improve and a commitment to Learning.”

Issacs says they are using an e-learning platform and mode of delivery to teach students about Entrepreneurship within the framework of environmental sustainability, “in this case, adding value to waste material”.  “At the same time transferring this knowledge to disadvantaged communities as a means for them to generate an income,” Isaacs continues.

“Hopefully through these, students are spurred on to entrepreneurial endeavours and at the same time have an awareness of sustainability both from an environmental perspective and social /community perspective.  This award gives recognition to the role universities can play in transforming society.”  

Patnaik says the award gives her recognition and a platform globally to take the work to another level. “To the department of Clothing and Textile Technology as well as to the Technology Station, Clothing and Textiles it showcases the kind of work that we do and how it adds and enhances student exposure and knowledge. We are contributing towards CPUT’s Vision, its seven focus areas and its emphasis on SGDs, which we portray through our work.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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