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Knitting possibilities with a new machine coming to UC

DAAP adds digital knitting machine to expand textile innovation

headshot of Claudia Rebola By Claudia Rebola
3 minute read February 16, 2026

The University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP) unveils a new digital knitting machine giving students the ability to create advanced textiles, fashion designs, and smart materials. The machine integrates software and 3D prototyping to expand the college’s capabilities in textile innovation enabling students to develop industry-ready skills and create complex 3D knitted structures. 

The College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP) has been tracking a machine traveling by ship and train, finally arriving at UC on Jan. 30, 2026. The 8-foot-long, 4-foot-wide, 3,200-pound digital device, a Stoll CMS 530 K 7.2 multi-gauge knitting machine, will allow the DAAP community to advance new textiles, fashion design and other possibilities such as knitted structures and embedded smart materials for product design, among others.

This machine allows us to think simultaneously about structure and 3D form emerging from 2D shapes.

Zach Hoh

Image of Zach Hoh

Zach Hoh. Photo/Provided.

Professor Zach Hoh, associate professor of practice and fashion design program coordinator, said the machine represents a convergence of engineering, design, textile design and product making. “Knitting is a rigorous process that allows us to construct garments from yarn instead of cutting fabric and sewing it together,” he said. “This machine allows us to think simultaneously about structure and 3D form emerging from 2D shapes — it’s an exciting puzzle and problem to solve.”

Hoh also highlighted the power of digital software in unlocking creative possibilities. “It’s the software and the knitting machine we’ve just received that really allows us to take designs to the next level,” he said. “I've been wanting to level up that ability for myself, but also for the students.”

The machine gives students competitive industry-ready technology skills. “This is how the fashion industry produces goods today,” Hoh said. “The software and programming open opportunities for jobs after graduation. With our Pantone X-ray scanner and Clo3D software, students can scan textures, prototype virtually, and knit directly from their designs. The machine can convert artwork into stitches, including color separations, making the process faster and more precise. It also opens co-op doors and adds a new layer of specialization for students.”

Close up picture of the Stoll CMS 530 K 7.2 multi-gauge knitting machine

Stoll CMS 530 K 7.2 multi-gauge knitting machine.

The machine was funded through joint support from the Ullman School of Design, the Ullman Technology Fund, and FEMA funding for projects developing protective textiles.

For the first project on the machine, Hoh plans to knit “Next Lives Here” emblem into a sweater, honoring the university’s innovation agenda and demonstrating the resources available for students and researchers.

This addition positions DAAP students at the forefront of digital textile and fashion innovation, preparing them for advanced careers in the rapidly evolving fashion and design industries.

Photos by Kevin Bolanos Gonzalez. 

Next Lives Here

The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next lives here.

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