What is MOTIF?
Motif is the most basic unit of print design often consisting of geometric shapes, nature, technology and abstraction.
Textile printing involves the intentional application of color to create a motif applied to a garment in a variety of methods. Patterns reflect the technology of their period in addition to the mainstream trends within fashion in addition to other disciplines like art, interior design, graphic design and marketing.
From MOTIF to MATERIAL
Technology provides designers with the opportunity to develop complex motifs resulting in precise, multilayered prints ranging from an identifiable figure or shape to more conceptual patterns.
Flatbed screen printing, developed in the 1950s, applies various layers of color within a motif to fabric using machinery in a stamping method while transfer printing consists of adding color to paper that is then transferred to fabric by applying heat. In swimwear, sublimation printing, which is a type of transfer printing that employs a printer and heat press to apply the motif.
How are MOTIFS made today?
Today, surface designers incorporate design software, like Adobe Illustrator and CLO 3D to create complex designs that can be applied to a garment and modeled on the body digitally, prior to making a sample or developing a test print on fabric.
Designers are able to develop motifs digitally and print directly to fabric cutting down the time between development and production. While technology has advanced the design process significantly, test printing allows the designer to see how the motif will translate to a variety of textiles (Russell, 2022).
What are competitive swimsuits made of?
Historically, the majority of competitive swimsuits were made of tricot, which is a blend of nylon and spandex; this combination is ideal for swimwear as it holds its shape and resists fading from constant contact with chlorinated pool water.
Today, high performance materials provide a competitive advantage including polyester, nylon and spandex creating less drag and maintaining a close fit to the body.
