5 Things about 3D Digital Sampling for Fashion You May Not Have Known
5 Things about 3D Digital Sampling for Fashion You May Not Have Known
TAAS DIGITAL
March 5, 2020
3D Digital Sampling for Fashion
The digital efficiency of pattern and sample-making is transforming the apparel product development process. Transitioning to 3D digital product development for fashion opens the window of opportunity to establish a more sustainable and less wasteful apparel industry production process.
Technology and 3D digital innovation are shaping the new way of clothing design and production. The powerful features of the 2D to 3D pattern-making software provide numerous advantages to shorten lengthy clothing product development and production time. Now, making the fashion industry more efficient and, most importantly, more sustainable with a lesser carbon footprint is possible.
3D digital sampling is part of the overall fashion digitization. The entire apparel supply chain's outdated method is (slowly) being transformed into digital. The old way of engineering and bringing apparel to the market will become obsolete soon.
Check out these five facts about 3D digital sampling.
1. The actual 2D pattern drafting is not available on all 3D fashion systems.
Not all available fashion 3D technologies have a functional integration from 2D flat patterns to 3D visualization. Most 3D systems do not have a strong CAD ability to create factory-viable, well-balanced sewing patterns for accurate commercial sampling and manufacturing.
Most 3D visualization systems use DXF patterns that are initially created in other CAD/CAM programs and exported as DXF format (drawing exchange format file). DXF is a standard file extension used in CAD programs. The format is supported in numerous 3D modeling systems and can easily be imported or exported.
2. 3D sampling and sustainability relevance.
To make a 3D sample, the majority of fashion 3D technologies require the following parts
-2D digital pattern
-Digital fabric with physical fabric properties that are applied to 3D clothing.
Designers can change and modify the style using the appropriate digital pattern (or block pattern). With a 3D digital sampling advantage, there is no need to wait for a development sample to see if the length of the sleeve is ok and then request another physical sample as a correction. Now, all design changes can be done digitally.
We all know how the fashion industry impacts our environment. It is one of the top toxic and environmentally harmful industries globally. With the adaptation of the 3D product development process, the need for physical samples is reduced.
The time-saving, waste, and carbon footprint reduction are almost tangible. So, we can change the current state of fast wasteful fashion to the process of creating less harmful fashion to the environment.
When the power of 3D technology is fully employed, only then can we witness and enable innovation. This is the beginning of a significant transformation in how we design and make clothing.
Our planet is ailing; our consumption habits have become excessive and harmful to the environment we desperately need to preserve. This is the time when our awareness of probabilities and possibilities to make a positive change are high due to technology abundance.
This is the time when we can transform an outdated business model in fashion and set new standards to replace the current wasteful and pollution-prone apparel manufacturing process. We have the tools, ability, and willingness to digitize fashion creation. It is certainly not optional but a necessity.
3. Fit and Sizing in a digital environment
I will state the obvious; fashion has a significant issue with fit. The sizing and overall fit of the clothing sold in retail are less than mediocre. Returns due to poor fit have been a continuous retail issue.
Integrated 2D to 3D technology provides a solution (assuming we know how to use the tool). All fit issues can be identified and corrected early in the process digitally.
Can you imagine saving all that fabric, the shipping cost to have the sample sent back and forth from overseas vendors, hours of fitting, and numerous fit comment exchanges ultimately ending with the product with poor fit?
3D virtual simulation technology allows the 2D digital pattern and 3D sample to be checked instantly for balance, style details, drape, and specs. Flat pattern measuring tools assure spec accuracy, while digital fabric draped on the digital model (avatar) provides visualization of the clothing style that can be edited in the 3D digital environment.
Again, I am emphasizing the fact that not all available software can do smooth 2D to 3D moves and checks. Some 3D solutions are excellent tools for creating visuals only. They still rely on 2D CAD pattern-making software to initially create and correct sewing patterns with appropriate seam allowances for exact, production-viable patterns.
4. 3D Visualization approaches and purposes.
Designers can change and modify the style using the appropriate digital pattern (or block pattern). With this digital advantage, there is no need to wait for a development sample to check proportion and design details.
All design changes can be done digitally within 24 hours instead of waiting for weeks for another sample. Here is an opportunity to cut design development time and create the entire collection within weeks.
The digital review of all styles enables the designer to curate and refine a clothing selection before sending the tech packs out for physical sampling.
3D visualization offers many other benefits. One of the significant progressive ideas is to streamline, monitor, and share design, fit, and sizes across the supply chain and keep it transparent, thus significantly speeding the time that the product is developed and finalized for retail delivery.
Today's consumer environment is challenging, flickery, and demanding. 3D technology offers the solution to the challenge. 3D virtual fashion can be ready for a show on social media platforms to the consumer for feedback. This is an excellent opportunity for the fashion industry to set new parameters on what and how much clothing is actually produced based on actual data provided directly by the consumer.
5. Technical and production side of the 3D visualization and 3D sampling concept.
The production side of the clothing-making process is often neglected when it comes to digitization. The essential parts are to connect and automate all clothing product development and production phases.
The supply chain has been fragmented for too long, and it will take some time to transition to a seamless and fully transparent digital workflow across the board. Speaking about the production side, some 3D systems have a tool that allows fashion brands to take control of the pattern and grading.
At last, you can create customized grade rules and digitally check the fit and balance of the 2D pattern for all sizes. Furthermore, you can create a full-body size range or buy scanned digital avatars for your target market sizes and fit the full-size range before final approval for bulk production.
All can be done digitally. No material or time wasted. There is less uncertainty when approving the pre-production sample and grading for bulk production.
Digital marking feature permits checking the actual fabric consumption for each style, style range, or the entire collection.
The usual supply chain time for apparel product development and production is approximately 40 weeks. With 3D technology, the time can be cut in half or even more.
Conclusion
Despite the many advantages, full adaptation is still in the early stages, at least for small and medium-sized brands. Within the next 2-3 years, 3D digital product development will likely be a norm for most fashion products.
As a solution, small and medium-sized brands can use outside 3D apparel service providers as partners to transition into the digital product development process.
When it comes to anything new and disruptive, there will be hesitation and resistance to adopting technology in apparel. However, to survive in an overly competitive and saturated market, fashion brands must adapt and plan the transition to digitization or fade away under the pressure of competition.
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TAAS DIGITAL
Technology Advanced Apparel Service