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Eden Prairie Company Makes 3D Printed Dresses Worn At NY Fashion Week

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The future of fashion may come from a 3D printer. Stratasys Ltd., based in Eden Prairie, is bringing technological advances of 3D printing the runways of New York Fashion Week, which is happening September 6 – 14.

The Minnesota company collaborated for the third time with New York fashion line ThreeAsFour to make butterfly-inspired dresses for their 'Chro-morpho' line.

The designers at ThreeAsFour wanted to bring a butterfly wing to life and the Stratasys printers helped make their idea possible.

"We can do full color, clear, flexible, rigid, all in one print, so the opportunities are nearly limitless," said Ryan Schultz, the Vice President of Vertical Marketing at Stratasys, "[Our] 3D printing technology is the only technology that can print at such a fine level, multiple colors within clear, to get that iridescent shimmering effect you see in a butterfly's wing."

It took the machines just 17 hours to create the 3D material.

Stratasys is also partnering with designers for fashion weeks in Paris and Milan. They are starting to gain traction in the high fashion world.

"There was someone in attendance at our runway show from Vogue who commented and had some great things to say about the collection," said Schultz.

The public has a chance to see the 3D printed butterfly dresses. They'll be on display at the walker art center in September 2020.

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