Borrowing logic from the 3D printing industry, Kniterate lets users turn ideas and designs from digital files to one-off wearable garments in hours. Able to “print” shirts, scarves, sweaters, dresses and more, the machine is aimed at enabling customized creations as well as rapid prototyping.

Compact, portable and affordable, the gadget itself links into computer and mobile apps – creatives can build out ideas in Photoshop, build them in Kniterate’s device-specific application, then send them to straight to production with the touch of a button.

The application comes with a number of preset patterns that can be used but the intuitive interface is also designed to allow for easy from-scratch creations, even by people with limited digital design experience. Even in cases there the final product will be made via other methods or materials, this machine allows for iterative design experiments to test size, fit and styles.

The system is also designed to reduce waste from off-cut materials, printing with the exact amount of material needed to make a particular piece. The device can carry up to six yarns at a time to span an array of colors and materials – it is also made to be compatible with off-the-shelf yarns, making it more flexible and affordable than printers (often designed to make money from material sales rather than the machines themselves).

The golden age of hats – what George Costanza called a “bald paradise” – has long passed and along with it, so have hundreds of huge hat-making factories.

Located on the eastern shore of the Hudson River in Beacon, New York’s Byrnsville neighborhood, the Tioronda Hat Works opened in 1879 and closed (as the Merrimack Hat Company) in 1949. The brick buildings were used sporadically as warehouses over the succeeding decades and since about 2010 have been undergoing an agonizingly slow demolition. Kudos to Flickr user Ron Johnson (Ron EJ) for these exquisite photos of the former Tioronda Hat Works taken on May 5th of 2013.

Canada: America’s Hat

Hats were one of the chief reasons the European great powers sought to colonize northern regions of the New World: the place was practically overrun with beavers and beaver fur was essential for hat-making. Times and fashions change, and tri-cornered beaver fur hats are SO 18th century (or so 1966, if you’re a member of Paul Revere & the Raiders). This abandoned hat factory in Guelph, Ontario was visited by Flickr user Dave (creativephotography64) in early August of 2012. Not a hat in site, nor a single beaver. Dam.

Chillin’ In Chile

Abandoned hat factories can be found almost anywhere in the world including Villa Alemana, Chile, a few minutes drive from Valparaiso. The abandoned building above contains a host of salvageable hat-making materials and equipment though the locals appear only interested in ‘boarding on the work tables.

British Beanies

Parts of the abandoned Wilson & Stafford Hat Makers factory in Atherstone, Warwickshire, UK date back to 1828 but the company only acquired full ownership of the site in 1896. From then on it was clear sailing: Wilson & Stafford eventually became the UK’s last remaining felt hat maker before finally slipping into liquidation in 1999. The factory buildings are mostly empty these days but still exude abundant character and the redolent atmosphere of good times past. A tip of the cap to Flickr user Ben Garratt (mookie427) for these outstanding images of a factory without a cause.

Next Page - Click Below to Read More:
Blocked Out 10 Closed Abandoned Hat Making Factories

Created by an architect and landscape enthusiast, this limited edition series of custom textiles derives its geometries and colors from aerial views shot around the world.

Florian Pucher, an Austrian designer now based in Beijing, has long traveled by day to take in as many sights from the sky as possible. Since 2007 he has collaborated with graphic designer Sophia Liu Bo to redraw and abstract images shot from above, turning them into unusual rugs using high-quality New Zealand wool.

Each LANDCARPET creation is 1 of 88, signed and numbered in the spirit of traditional artistic prints.

The subjects cover the globe, from Europe and the USA to Africa and Asia, urban settings to rural sites.

There is a rich variety from one to the next, showcasing an array of lines, curves, organic land forms, urban topographies, and other natural and man-made patterns and features.

Each edition takes approximately five weeks to produce, combining real depth and hand-tufted textures.

The source images range from aerial photographs and satellite images to maps and other views from above. His work as an architect exposes Pucher to all kinds of site maps, master plans and other inspirational materials.