3D garment design: reduce cost, become more profitable and sustainable
Imagine that while you are designing your product, you could reduce financial and environmental costs — lowering sample manufacture, shipping brokerage, photography and selling related costs. This is a reality with the use of 3D in garment design.
As an economist, sustainability consultant — and fashion lover — I was very keen to understand how the industry can do better. After thorough research together, Metail and I agreed on a clear idea: Cost saving and designing to trend are two key factors that many garment companies are actively trying to link with sustainability.
3D garment design technologies can contribute to solving unsustainable practices in the early stages of garment development. Better decision making with 3D allows dropping the cost of using data, developing garments close to market and making changes of directions cheaper. Significant modifications can be done virtually, without producing any fabric and waste in cutting phases. 3D has made great advances in design by allowing you to quickly visualize how a material will ultimately look without waiting to see a physical sample. This leads to lower inventory levels, higher sales velocity and lower markdowns and unsold stock. These advantages result in less waste from both the disposal of unsold stock and also the minimisation of overproduction.
Traditional garment product development involves environmental costs associated with the manufacturing of samples, transportation costs of fabrics and models and shipping photography samples. Costs vary, but as an illustration, a single shirt sample can cost from $15 to $30 depending on fabric, the complexity of the style, and the facility where it is produced. For luxury brands, the product development budgets can be up to 1 million euros for one collection. Is time to rethink processes and think to the future? Companies that have implemented 3D by using virtual samples are able to reduce costs, with an average of 50–60% (EFI, & Optitex,2018) reduction in the sample making cost.
Metail understands how difficult it is for designers who have to sell their ideas to stakeholders when using 3D technology. The lack of context of how the garment will look when worn, or the use of avatars to show the garment often don’t meet stakeholder needs around representation and aesthetic — especially for final samples. Our company provides a solution to easily visualise Browzwear 3D garments on 2D photographs of people. Our EcoShot product enhances the cost-saving benefits and the opportunity to become more sustainable through 3D by providing realistic model imagery for your designs.
EcoShot helps brands meet the aesthetic level they need to sell, whilst capturing the value of 3D. As a visualisation tool, it allows you to create true-to-life garment-on-model imagery and to show 3D clothes on real people.
EcoShot provides a more sustainable and cost-efficient alternative to traditional product development and model photography. We will continue to innovate to help drive adoption of 3D, accelerating the cost-saving and ultimately sustainability improvements this new technology will deliver.
