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Cornell Unveils OriStitch for Self-Folding 3D Textiles

Researchers at Cornell University have developed OriStitch, a new tool that transforms simple 3D objects into textile versions using strategically placed stitches. The system converts items like a toy or teapot into fabric designs which fold themselves when exposed to heat. The process is said to be more efficient than traditional machine embroidery and could be used in fields such as fashion, architecture, and smart textiles.

The method, developed by the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, works with a variety of materials, including leather, felt, woven fabric, and composite fabrics. Thijs Roumen, an assistant professor at Cornell Tech, explained that current methods for folding fabric into 3D shapes are either labor-intensive or require advanced machinery. Zekun Chang, a doctoral student at Cornell Tech and lead author of the study, said the technology is expected to broaden the potential for personalized 3D forms created from flat patterns and enable embedding smart functions like sensing in the fabric.

The researchers presented their work, titled “OriStitch: A Machine Embroidery Workflow to Turn Existing Fabrics into Self-Folding 3D Textiles,” at the ACM Symposium on Computational Fabrication in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Source: Cornell University

Source Type: College

Source Location: Ithaca

Dec 22, 2025 at 8:30 AM

College