The Future of Textile Design is 3D

               

        The Future of Textile Design is 3D

3D CAD software is the newest addition to the textile designer’s toolkit. Over the last few years, software developers have combined high resolution, photorealistic animation with CAD software, allowing two dimensional designs to be virtually prototyped.

The capacity to visualize finished objects virtually has streamlined and accelerated product development. It reduces the need for iterations of physical prototypes by allowing virtual design revisions to refine the product. The results are higher quality goods with lower pre-production costs and faster time to market.

Consequently, the development of 3D visualizers for fashion CAD pattern design software has created a powerful tool for textile designers. The ability to design fabric while visualizing the finished product in real time, gives the designer greater ease to control the scale of repeats or create complex engineered prints.

These tools not only increase the design output speed and reduce the number of print strike-offs, but unleash creativity and open the door to customization possibilities. Companies developing CAD software, like Human Solutions, Gerber, and EFI Optitex, have released print file output features, allowing designers to print out panels of virtually created 3D objects directly onto fabric, which can then be cut & sewn.

These tools are not yet fully developed and CAD software companies are just beginning to grasp the potential. To stay competitive, fashion design companies will have to operate more like 3D animation studios and invest in upgrading their technology infrastructure. With 3D prototyping and emerging VR retail and customization applications, the fashion design studios will have render farms, the latest VR immersive technology, and virtual production cycles operating concurrently with physical production facilities.

Right now, very few companies have textile designers with combined skills in CAD and 3D animation software. Textile designers, who mainly work with 2D software like Photoshop and Illustrator, will need to merge their skills with 3D garment design processes to be more competitive as their industry evolves. Thanks to these software tools, we are looking forward to an explosion of creativity with new surface design techniques.