NMIS/ROCIO
A reinvented ROCIO handbag is due to debut at Paris Fashion Week in March after a research and development project with the Renfrewshire based research centre, operated by University of Strathclyde.
ROCIO, an environmentally sustainable fashion brand founded in Scotland, is renowned for their handbags that have interested many people with models Irina Shayk, Kate Upton and actress Susan Sarandon all being spotted wearing one.
Their decorative designs are traditionally individually sculpted from acacia wood over a 19-step long process, but the brand was eager to explore new ways to manufacture their products to make them even more eco-friendly.
It was interested to uncover the benefits of additive manufacturing, which is often seen as more sustainable than traditional manufacturing techniques, and this led to the collaboration of ROCIO and National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), combining the craftsmanship of the handbags design and the technological capabilities of additive manufacturing at NMIS together to develop the inner structure of the handbags that could be used as the basis for the fabric coverings.
Andrew Brawley, NMIS Research and Design Engineer said: “A core aim for NMIS is to engage with and support SMEs to facilitate a positive impact on the local economy and wider industry. We have a team dedicated to helping SMEs in their route to innovation and exploitation of new goods and services in response to industry needs.
“The collaboration with ROCIO is a prime example of this and we hope this will be the beginning of a long-trusted relationship with the team at ROCIO as this new exploration showcases the endless possibilities available.”
The 3D production process develops the product one layer at a time, allowing for customisation from various materials and for the design and production of lightweight, complex structures that would be impossible to create using other processes-reducing waste during the production development, saving time and money.
NMIS/ROCIO
Leather coated ROCIO bag with 3D printed prototype.
This incorporation of novel technologies into the manufacturing process opens doors to scale up operations to meet customer demand whilst also redeveloping the design process, allowing ROCIO to explore different materials and constructs.
The prototype created was then adopted by Atelier, a Spanish fashion business school, to develop a final fully structured leather design handbag. This was a first for the brand in comparison to their wooden structures, but the design still had the same art form of their other bags to keep in line with the aesthetic.
ROCIO Creative Director, Hamish Menzies said: “We are really taken aback by the results. We’re at the heart of sustainable fashion and take pride in each accessory being a uniquely creative masterpiece and the pieces produced are works of art and the unique leather handbag concept delivers outstanding beauty in a structured art form which I believe pushes the boundaries of design.”
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