An Inquiry into Gradable Zero-Waste Apparel Design

The implementation of standardized grading production practices within the mass market has been challenging for scholars experimenting with zero-waste apparel design. The purpose of this research was to test the efficacy of the Carrico Zero-waste Banded Grading (CZWBG) technique, which utilizes bands inserted in strategic locations as a method of grading zero-waste patterns across various consumer categories. An additional purpose was to evaluate the ways in which this grading approach affected the aesthetic outcomes of garments across a size run, and to determine whether this method affected the overall design process of the designers involved. Through experimental research design, six design scholars successfully tested and incorporated the CZWBG technique in zero-waste one or two-piece apparel item(s), subsequently developing three sizes in an industry-specified size range for their product category. Each design was cut from zero-waste patterns in a mid-range size and graded up and down one–two sizes using an industry-standardized grading scale. The grading was achieved by varying the widths and lengths of strategically inserted bands of fabric or trim. The designers utilized various grading methods, textiles, pattern development methods, and size runs, showing that the CZWBG technique can successfully be applied across multiple consumer categories in the apparel industry.

Kohti yhteiskehittelyä

Artikkelissa tarkastellaan peruskoulussa toteutettua keksintöprojektia, jonka aikana oppilasryhmä suunnitteli ja toteutti älyvaatteen. Tutkimus on osa laajempaa tutkimushanketta, jossa koulua kehitetään keksivänä ja innovatiivisena yhteisönä. Tässä tutkimuksessa selvitetään, miten oppilasryhmän älyvaatteen suunnittelu- ja valmistusprosessi eteni ja mikä rooli opettajilla oli prosessin aikana. Tutkimusaineisto sisältää yhdeksän opetuskerran videoinnit. Videoaineistoon tehdyn makroanalyysin perusteella kartoitettiin kaikki ne opetustilanteet, joissa ilmeni vuorovaikutusta opettajan ja oppilaiden välillä. Teoriaohjaavaan analyysiin pohjautuen erotellaan ja tulkitaan vuoro-vaikutuksen erilaisia muotoja. Tutkimustuloksissa korostuu opettajan rooli sekä vaatteen yhteiskehittelyssä että oppilaiden toiminnan ohjaamisessa. Yhteiskehittelyn toteutuminen edellyttää riittäviä aika- ja taitoresursseja sekä motivaatiota ratkaista haastavia suunnitteluongelmia. Towards co-creation: Observations of the teacher's role in the smart clothing project Abstract In this article we examined an invention project in a comprehensive school where a group of pupils designed and manufactured a set of smart clothing. The study is a part of a wider research project in which the school is being developed as an inventive and innovative community. In this study we analysed how the design and manufacturing processes of the smart clothing proceeded and what roles the teachers had during the process. The research data comprised video recordings of nine project sessions. All the teaching episodes containing interactions between the teacher and the pupils were surveyed as part of the macro level analysis. Based on the theory-driven analysis, the different forms of the interaction were identified and interpreted. In the results, the nature of the teacher's role emerged in both the co-creation of the smart clothing and in directing the pupils' actions. Successful co-creation requires enough time, skill, and motivation to solve challenging design problems. Keywords: discovery learning, e-textiles, apparel design, smart clothing

Classification of digital stitch lines in machine embroidery

Despite the large application of the machine embroidery in textile and apparel design and high-tech clothing items, there is а lack of systematic arrangement of the digital stitch lines, used by embroidery machines and embroidery designers. Since 2010 information on embroidery stitch lines could be mostly found in the web sites of the embroidery machine manufacturers and software product manuals. However, in the instruction manuals the instruments for creating various embroidery objects are simply described without providing systematic information on the types of the stitch lines. Even more, different names of the stitch lines and different ways to achieve the same design are observed. Single authors offer their own classifications based entirely and logically on the stitches of the hand embroidery. Another group of authors relied on already developed techniques and strategies for digitizing stitches in various software products or took into account the final appearance of the stitch lines or their application. Our study aimed to develop a detailed and systematic classification of the digital stitch lines in the machine embroidery, which has not been presented in the literature.

Apparel Design and Development Based on 3D Scanning Technology

With the development of computer science, especially the application of 3D scanning technology in garment design, intelligent modeling is realized, which is impossible to achieve in traditional design methods. In this paper, we propose the 3D model construction of human garments based on the motion recovery structure method. The eigenmatrix is obtained from the camera parameters, and the transformation matrix is calculated by matching the image feature points with the help of scale-invariant feature conversion algorithm to realize the 3D reconstruction technology of human garments based on multiview image sequences. The effectiveness of this method is verified through experiments, and it has good robustness and accuracy. Through the form of style modeling, the design thinking and method can be extended to form a more reasonable garment structure and guide the innovation of garment production mode.

Volume Preserving Simulation of Soft Tissue with Skin

Simulation of human soft tissues in contact with their environment is essential in many fields, including visual effects and apparel design. Biological tissues are nearly incompressible. However, standard methods employ compressible elasticity models and achieve incompressibility indirectly by setting Poisson's ratio to be close to 0.5. This approach can produce results that are plausible qualitatively but inaccurate quantatively. This approach also causes numerical instabilities and locking in coarse discretizations or otherwise poses a prohibitive restriction on the size of the time step. We propose a novel approach to alleviate these issues by replacing indirect volume preservation using Poisson's ratios with direct enforcement of zonal volume constraints, while controlling fine-scale volumetric deformation through a cell-wise compression penalty. To increase realism, we propose an epidermis model to mimic the dramatically higher surface stiffness on real skinned bodies. We demonstrate that our method produces stable realistic deformations with precise volume preservation but without locking artifacts. Due to the volume preservation not being tied to mesh discretization, our method also allows a resolution consistent simulation of incompressible materials. Our method improves the stability of the standard neo-Hookean model and the general compression recovery in the Stable neo-Hookean model.

Developing parametric design fashion products using 3D printing technology

This study created wearable fashion products with parametric design characteristics, using 3D printing technology. The goal of the study was to understand what parametric design features can be simulated with 3D modeling and printing technology, as well as to demonstrate what techniques can be used to produce fashion products using 3D printing technology. This study created two different parametric motifs using an FDM-type 3D printer with TPU and ABS as the printing materials. With those motifs, we produced three garments and two accessories. The limitations found during the process were modeling the exact measurement of the motifs that will merge with the apparel design seamlessly while maintaining the parametric features, as well as attaching the printed motifs to fabric without ruining the integrity of the textile. A significant implication of this study is that it recreates parametric designs on the human body and utilizes 3D printing technology for fashion products. This paper cast a light on a discussion about the technique can be applied on fashion design with full-sized body and encouraged designers to explore further with technological advancements in the future.

Challenging the fast fashion product: a method for use-value apparel design

Sustainable apparel design is a discipline based on challenging the status quo. Applying an interdisciplinary approach, this paper integrates the methodologies of research through practice, sustainable design, and material culture to challenge contemporary products found on the fast fashion market. Exploring use-value as an avenue for sustainable design, a typology is developed addressing the identifiers of function, aesthetics, expression, and durability as a method for generating sustainable solutions. The interpretative methods of material culture are adapted into a use-value challenge as a process for establishing sustainable and unsustainable elements embedded within a product. The concept of best practices is introduced as a procedure for assessing the solutions for the creation of alternative prototypes. A case study, challenging children’s princess costumes found on the contemporary market, provides an example of how the use-value method for apparel design can be applied to fast fashion products.

Challenging the fast fashion product: a method for use-value apparel design

Sustainable apparel design is a discipline based on challenging the status quo. Applying an interdisciplinary approach, this paper integrates the methodologies of research through practice, sustainable design, and material culture to challenge contemporary products found on the fast fashion market. Exploring use-value as an avenue for sustainable design, a typology is developed addressing the identifiers of function, aesthetics, expression, and durability as a method for generating sustainable solutions. The interpretative methods of material culture are adapted into a use-value challenge as a process for establishing sustainable and unsustainable elements embedded within a product. The concept of best practices is introduced as a procedure for assessing the solutions for the creation of alternative prototypes. A case study, challenging children’s princess costumes found on the contemporary market, provides an example of how the use-value method for apparel design can be applied to fast fashion products.

Empowering women wearing plus-size clothing through co-design

The retail landscape includes a vast array of clothing choices, yet style options remain extremely limited for Canadian women in the plus-size category (sizes 14W‐40W). Our study empowered women who wear size 20+ by bringing them into the conversation about plus-size apparel design and development. Few studies have identified clothing solutions utilized by plus-size women or how clothing impacts their feelings about themselves, and there is no research on the clothing needs of women in the upper plus-size range. We recruited participants through Facebook posts to plus-size communities and clothing swap groups located in a major Canadian city. Our research design had a human-centred focus and included co-design methods. Activities included body mapping, body scanning and co-design activities with sixteen women in a full-day workshop to unpack their ideas about plus-size clothing in a body-positive space to foster confidence, strength and autonomy. Body maps allowed our participants to embrace creativity as a tool to communicate meaning in an empowering way. Body scanning provided a quick way to electronically capture body shape and size through circumferential measurements. Co-design activities included drawing and writing. Proposed clothing designs were drawn on body templates derived from participant’s personal body scans. Participants elaborated on their clothing ideas by completing a needs and features chart to share perceived problems and propose solutions. Emergent themes included participants’ ideas about meaning and empowerment, proposed clothing designs, detailed information regarding clothing fit and selection challenges, as well as their feelings about the co-design process. Consultation with people, using co-design methods is a way to reveal fashion gaps and an opportunity to improve customer satisfaction and increase sales and thus is important to designers and retailers specializing in the plus-size market.