Researchers at Kent State University in Ohio, USA, have demonstrated how digital flat knitting can create adaptable textile structures for applications spanning fashion, furniture and architecture. The interdisciplinary project, Soft Boundaries: Making Spaces, by Krissi Riewe Stevenson and Jennifer Meakins, was published in the International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI) Annual Proceedings.

The project explores how computer numerical control (CNC) knitting can combine digital fabrication with traditional textile knowledge to produce three-dimensional structures while minimising material waste. The researchers used double-bed digital knitting technology to develop a multilayered structure inspired by quilted puffer jackets. Its exaggerated knitted tubes can be filled to create volume, cushioning and separation from the body or surrounding surfaces.

Through iterative prototyping, computer-aided design and CLO 3D visualisation, the team adapted the same basic knitted construction into three products: a puffer jacket, a chair cushion and wall panels. The prototypes used REPREVE recycled polyester yarn from Unifi, made from recycled plastic bottles. The study highlights how properties such as stretch, strength, porosity and cushioning can be engineered directly into knitted structures.

The research also examines how clothing and built environments share functions such as protection, comfort and enclosure. By treating textiles as adaptable structures rather than single-purpose products, the approach could support modular designs, transformable interiors and longer product lifetimes. The researchers identify potential applications in educational and healthcare settings, where adaptable textile structures could help create more responsive spaces.