Revitalization of the embroidery industry using advanced technology in Saudi Arabia

The purpose of this study was to revitalize the traditional embroidery industry of the Hejaz region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) by evaluating the possibility of using advanced technology, such as three-dimensional printing (3DP), in its manufacturing process. A mixed method methodology underpins this research in terms of collecting, processing and testing the data. An initial literature review revealed that factors such as an inability to meet current fashion trends, threats from global brands, lack of support from government and insufficient consumer interest are key challenges facing the traditional embroidery industry. Further qualitative evaluation pinpointed a lack of development in the manufacturing techniques of traditional embroidered clothing in the KSA as a key threat. An evaluation of existing technologies revealed that embroidery sewing machines attached to computer-aided design (CAD) software is the technology currently in use in the industry. However, due to inflexibility in adjusting to the demands of customization, it has not been able to mark any significant change. To this end, the current study proposed the use of the 3DP technique in the manufacturing process of traditional embroidered clothing but found that although 3DP has been used in the fashion industry, its use has been questioned because of wearability and quality concerns. An evaluation of responses collected from 16 manufacturers attending the Souq Okaz Festival in the city of Taif, along with 45 responses from customers of traditional embroidered clothing in three different universities in the KSA, found that both sets of stakeholders showed concerns regarding the wearability of 3DP garments. The manufacturers also shared their concerns regarding the ease of use of the technology. As a backdrop to these findings, two experiments were conducted: a washing test and a peel tensile test. The washing test revealed that 3DP embroidery designed and printed on silk, cotton and organza showed no impact from washing upon their brightness, roughness, shape or edge. However, the peel test revealed that, due to its irregular texture and shape, organza showed inconsistent adhesion of 3DP material comparative to cotton and silk. This led to the conclusion that 3DP embroidery objects present good long-term wearability, as long as the printing parameters are set up to meet the fabric architecture. Suitability, acceptability and feasibility in relation to the financial, human resource (ease of use) and supply chain aspects of 3DP embroidery clothing were also substantiated.