Stories

Mon, 18 May 2026

Mon, 18 May 2026 Robo-top: The machines that could make your next t-shirt

Most clothes are made in Asia, but new machines could bring some of that work back to the West.

* Most clothes sold today are still made by hand, despite robots being used in other industries like car assembly and surgery.
* A US-based robotics company called CreateMe has developed a system that uses glue instead of sewing to assemble garments, allowing for faster and more efficient production.
* The company's robots can make women's underwear and will soon start producing t-shirts, with the potential for mass production next year.
* If even 10% of t-shirt manufacturing moved back to the US with the help of automation, it would be a significant industry shift.
* However, there are concerns about the impact on workers in the textile industry, who could lose their jobs if garment production is automated.
* Some experts believe that automating garment manufacturing could drastically reduce the environmental impact of the industry, including textile waste and carbon emissions.
* A study found that greenhouse gas emissions associated with making a t-shirt could fall by 45% when produced locally using robots.
* Other companies are also working on automation solutions for the garment industry, but progress is slow due to technical challenges and competition in the market.