Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1355212
Exploring Today's New Fabric Landscape by Way of Digital Tours & Online Visits. By Emily Walzer acing a host of challenges in 2020, textile firms set forth to discover how to engage with their audience by boldly going where industry never dared to go before: the virtual world. And now, having found success online with initia- tives launched over the course of the past year and into the early months of 2021, fabric suppliers are continuing to explore the digital space in a variety of ways. Creating textiles in a visually compelling manner that is both user-friendly and industry relevant is one way forward. So, too, is digital engagement that humanizes the product, the technology, and/or the company in a modern, relatable way. Overall, presentations are improving as the fabric community gets more comfortable with digital tech and becomes more confident in transferring physical fabric features, along with brand personality, virtually. Create a Digitized Material Library with Hohenstein The textile testing partner Hohenstein is helping 3D designers and fabric suppliers create libraries of accurately digitized materials with a physical swatch book add-on. The material parameters, based on Hohenstein's universal translator approach, include data needed for consistent simulation across digital design platforms. The optional swatch book, which specifies the inputs for specific plat- forms, allows designers to see and feel fabric samples. "Accurate digital material parameters are often neglected but have a huge impact on realistic simulation and fit," says Simone Morlock, head of Hohenstein's Digital Fitting Lab. "We also recognize the value in getting your hands on the material. Even if the process is digital, these products are still being designed by - and for - humans." According to Hohenstein, the new service addresses the challenges caused by lack of standardization, where each 3D program requires different parameters, uses different names and units and recommends different testing kits. Hohenstein's universal translator approach was developed during an internal research project to standardize mate- rial digitization. It analyzed the different requirements, data formats, units and results of the various 3D apparel design systems. After narrowing the test parameters to five essential textile-physical tests, the laboratory created a conversion that ensures consistent visualization and behavior across the different systems. Designers will access digitized materials that correlate exactly to the fabrics they have chosen. The swatch books can be customized by brands or suppliers to match specific collections. With the increased adoption of digital design, suppliers are under pressure to make their fabrics available in all digital formats. For suppliers, ensuring their fabric is represented accurately, no matter what platform the customer is using, will be crucial. Book Time at Cordura Library The new Cordura Fabric Finder allows brands to navigate a user-friendly digital interface to view an assortment of over 500 fabrics. The digital fabric library includes images of all fabric angles, and close-up details as well as fabric content information so that partners can choose the best fabric fit for their upcoming collections as well learn about new and trending Cordura fabrics. The Cordura Fabric Finder was designed with customers in mind says Kim Sanders, digital transformation leader for Cordura Brand. "We relied on a group of designers who provided invaluable feedback which elevated the func- tionality of the library to meet their needs," says Sanders. "Today, designers and brand customers have direct access F STRATEGIES | MARKETING Uncharted Territory 22 • Textile Insight ~ March/April 2021 textileinsight.com Hohenstein accurately determines drape using a drapemeter; an important step in achieving realistic 3D simulation of textile fabrics.