Sewbo is first robot to sew whole garment
Sewbo has developed the first robot capable of sewing an entire article of clothing. At scale, it is expected to shorten supply chains and reduce manufacturing costs. The company temporarily stiffens fabrics allowing robots better control of the material while sewing, before dissolving the stiffener in water at the end of the process.
(image: sewbo)

Sewbo Inc. recently announced that it has accomplished the goal of automated sewing through the use of an industrial robot. This is the first time that robotic technology has successfully sewed an entire article of clothing.

"Sewbo’s technology will allow manufacturers to create higher-quality clothing at lower costs. It will shorten supply chains and lessen the long lead times that hamper the fashion and apparel industries, helping to reduce the complexity of today’s intricate global supply network," reads their website.

How it works?

Automation has made little progress in clothing manufacturing due to the difficulties robots face when trying to manipulate limp and flexible fabrics. However, Sewbo avoids these hurdles by temporarily stiffening fabrics and allowing robots to easily build garments from rigid clothing, just as if they were working with sheet metal. The water-soluble stiffener is then removed at the end of the process with simple rinse in hot water.

Sewbo is now expanding its team and working towards commercializing its technology.