This post is not an update regarding the machine, it’s about something related to the project in a different way, maybe more important than the machine itself. It’s always great to have fun and learn while working on something you enjoy doing but it’s also important to do things for a reason once in a while, and that’s the combination of ingredients that created the OpenKnit project. To present OpenKnit I didn’t want to do just a technical video where a machine was shown, I wanted to go a bit further and talk about the implications of this technology in a more obvious way, so I created the Made In the Neighbourhood project to put some company names on the table, companies that perpetuate the status quo of the fashion industry and its model of production and consumption. I wanted to act at a local level and since I’m spanish I involved spanish clothing companies, companies international enough to scale the ideas globally, and of which two are based in my hometown, Barcelona.
After a month of the publication of the video project Vimeo sent me this email: 
note: ABASIC, S.L. = Desigual
This created a bittersweet feeling in me because all the comments on the video got lost and it left many broken links in all the sites it was posted in (thanks a million for that!), but on the other hand, this tells me that I might not be doing things so wrong. I’m not sure why they did it, I guess because they saw something that they didn’t like, but this act reflects, from my point of view, on an attempt to hide something, maybe this new way of producing clothes? maybe some uncomfortable ideas that can be associated with their company?
Here you can see the new version of the video.
*UPDATE* April 9, 2014
Keep it up, Gerard!!
What about an email to desigual telling them how open projects benefit all of us?
Cheers,
Marc
Thanks for re-posting. Great video.
Nice Banksy moves there!
Cool project. Keep going! Soon, we will be printing most of everything at home and all these “stuff” companies will be freaking out.
Maybe work on an automatic gardening machine next that can also cook the stuff it grows. Hold on! It’s called a grand-mother! Pity they don’t live forever… I think I was too young to appreciate mine.
¡Buenas noches!
Keep up the great work! I can’t wait to replicate your machine.
Solidarity
They are just going to fight against somebody they consider their enemy, so you are making things right.
Never give up.
I hope to have my own openknit this summer :D
Un saludo gallego!
Can you contact Vimeo, ask them for details and tell them that the infringement claim is bogus?
Hi Christopher, working on that, let’s see what I can do.
Any lawyer around?
Thanks everybody for the comments!
g
Hi Gerard,
First of all, thanks for posting your great job. Congrats.
I live in Igualada, a textile related industry city (big town), I can understand there might be some hidden interests on these companies, anyway I might do not agree, some explanation from their side would be great. After seeing your video I just recup an old Knitting machine (tricotosa Brother KR-584) in order to “hack” it and implement your idea . Why?? This knitting machine was being used at home of a 90 years old lady, the next generation used very expensive machinery or didn’t use it, and the actual generation might use it if it’s “digitalized” and affordable. What a better way to bring back the old glorious days of home fabrication!! Otherwise the knowledge chain between generations will be lost, by means of becoming dependant on “others”.
Keep on!!
Keep up the good work and I love the machine. I would love to build one once I have the time.
Regarding the take-down of your video, I’m just going to take a guess but I think they had an issue with you going into their retail locations, tampering with their displays, removing products off mannequins and placing your own product into their stores while their brand names were still prominently shown in the video. I really doubt they have a problem with the technology, consumer manufacturing or open source projects at this point. Some might even embrace the idea and sell their own printable designs to consumers. What I assume they have a problem with is that a viewer may have the impression that they somehow sponsor, endorse or agreed to have your designs showcased in their stores. Even though you had no intention of selling your designs at any of those stores, you used valuable retail space and displays for your own benefit without compensating the stores (I assume). There are very lengthy and expensive contracts before a company will carry designs in their stores. In all honesty you probably broke a whole set of laws including theft, trespassing to vandalism. You should just be happy that the video generated enough interest that so many people including the companies in question noticed. It was a success.
Anyways, great work, love the project and keep it up. Just don’t read too much into the take-downs. You did something that they (presumably) did not agree to and it most likely has nothing to do with your project or any statement on consumerism or manufacturing.
thanks for sharing your ideas :)
check the update on the post for more info!