The Robotics Living Lab (RoLL), the UK’s first fashion manufacturing lab, has officially opened at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Manchester Fashion Institute (MFI), aiming to transform the fashion industry through cutting-edge collaborative robotic technology, known as ‘cobots.’ These advanced robots are designed to create sustainable, high-value, low-volume garments, marking a step forward in modernizing fashion manufacturing.
The £3.8 million (~$4.79 million) facility is set to support both industry professionals and researchers by providing access to innovative cobot arms. These robots can perform tasks such as stitching, drawing, knitting, and even 3D scanning mannequins or individuals to prototype garment designs efficiently and sustainably.
Funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council, RoLL builds on Manchester’s legacy as the world’s first industrial city. Its mission aligns with the UK government’s industrial strategy, which emphasizes innovation in creative industries and achieving clean energy targets. By focusing on technology-driven sustainability, RoLL aims to address the significant skills shortage in the fashion industry while promoting a re-shoring strategy to bring garment manufacturing back to the UK.
MFI highlights that RoLL targets support for small to medium-sized designer manufacturers by equipping them with tools and skills to adopt sustainable practices. This initiative intends to challenge and reverse traditional fast-fashion models, paving the way for a more ethical and eco-friendly fashion industry.
Complementing the lab’s operations is the Work in Progress Pavilion, a low-carbon, timber-framed structure designed by Bennetts Associates. The pavilion offers office space, a lecture theatre, and an exhibition area where RoLL’s advancements and research can be shared with the wider community. It also features a robot cell for live demonstrations of the lab’s capabilities.
Speaking on the significance of this venture, Professor Susan Postlethwaite, director of RoLL and expert in fashion technologies at MFI, commented:
“This launch is the culmination of years of planning, collaboration, and research. The fashion industry contributes greatly to the UK economy, yet much of it comes from imported garments. RoLL will play a crucial role in reversing this trend by attracting skilled talent back to the UK, upskilling workers, and producing world-class, locally manufactured fashion products.”
Professor Postlethwaite also emphasized the importance of including fashion in the UK’s industrial strategy:
“Fashion must be taken more seriously when considering the future of manufacturing. With innovative and sustainable technologies here in Manchester, RoLL will help reshape the agenda for the creative industries.”
By uniting sustainability, technology, and heritage, RoLL represents a bold step forward in redefining the future of fashion manufacturing in the UK.
