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And weaving machines have not fully trickled down to citizens. You can not easily buy a weaving machine (there are some second hand ones) or easily go to your
by alexvoda 4y ago
And weaving machines have not fully trickled down to citizens.
You can not easily buy a weaving machine (there are some second hand ones) or easily go to your local maker space and use the weaving machine to create the design you desire. Open source in the space of textile making is in its infancy even though there are some projects. I bet it is easier to get a low volume tape-out of some custom chips than it is to get a custom roll of textile. (you can get printing but that's not the same thing)
Textiles have become way cheaper and both higher quality (when demanded) and lower quality (cost saving fast fashion) and available in far higher quantities.
Some things were lost in this transition.
- WalterBright 4y agoA basic loom isn't hard to make, any semi-competent carpenter could make one. That's what people did before weaving machines. I've seen people use them to make rugs and things for sale in gift shops. There's nothing stopping you from doing this.
- alexvoda 4y agoThat medieval era technology can still be manufactured at an individual scale was not my point. My point was that access to the technological advancement has not trickled down and that this creates an imbalance of power. Compare how easy it is to get a custom textile (not a custom print) made to how easy it is to get a custom PCB made (it is reasonably easy to etch a double sided board and multi-layer and flexible ones can easily be ordered online). The situation with regards to knitting is somewhat better. Saying that a "a basic loom isn't hard to make" in a world of high speed air jet digital looms is equivalent to saying that perf-board still exists in a world of SMD components.