Novel Digital Weaving Application Development

Project timeframe
1 October 2020 - 30 September 2022
Research area
Textiles
Amount awarded
£201,000
Funder ID
UKRI

Project leader: Ken Ri Kim

Novel digital weaving application development to innovate the current woven textile coloration by developing an optical yarn colour mixing system is an AHRC Early Career funded project in partnership with Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

The project aims to explore the aesthetic value of digital Jacquard textile designs by developing systemised novel weaving applications and colouring methods. The project applies various theories about colour science, weaving technology, digital image processing. 

In conventional modern Jacquard weaving, the application of yarn colours is limited by the performance characteristics of existing electronic Jacquard machinery. As one or two colours of warp is set in continuous style, colours of an artwork are realised by a small number of weft yarn variety. Therefore, when attempting to reproduce a complex pictorial image, the designer is constrained by a limited selection of colours that can be employed at the same time.

However, at present there is no relevant weaving method and colour system available to overcome the current limitation. Therefore, this research is aimed to develop unique/novel digital weaving applications/methods by establishing an optical yarn colour mixing system.

Image © Ken Ri Kim 2021.