Folded Shirts to Upgrade Your Merchandising


As you’ve heard, VStitcher 7.8 and Lotta 3.8 are making it easier to close the gap on your end-to-end workflow. Another useful feature that has been added in this release is the ability to create Folded Shirt visualizations. To help perfect the design process, brands can easily create a 3D simulation of a folded shirt for an accurate representation of the garment as it will appear when merchandised and sold.

folded shirt closeup

Designers can work directly on the folded shirt design in Lotta to create endless styles by changing colorways, fabrics, seams, buttons, yokes, collars and more. They can also add wrapping and presentation elements like stickers, tags, and plastic collar stays. Seeing the shirt folded offers another perspective for the design process.

Stacked folded shirts

Once designed, brands can use the high quality rendered folded shirt images in their virtual and e-commerce merchandising efforts.

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Introducing Multi-Layered Material for Virtual Graphic Layers

Multilayered Material

The Browzwear team is pleased to introduce some exciting new features in the latest versions of Lotta and VStitcher. Among them, is the new Multi-Layered Material option which enables  you to split or stack multiple fabrics or seam textures for manipulation within Browzwear. Once created, the layers can be moved, rotated or scaled independently or as a group.

Simplifying All-Over Prints for Production

The new feature allows you to layer an all-over print graphic on top of a base fabric, and then control each of the layers independently. This gives you full design control over your all-over print right from VStitcher or Lotta. In addition, you can design a garment and flag the all-over print, allowing all of the technical information to be exported as part of the Browzwear Tech Pack.

The Mélange Makeover

The Multi-Layered Material feature is also ideal for mélange fabric. You can more easily create a mélange by defining multiple layers starting with a base and added additional layers for each

Thread color on top. Import your thread design into VStitcher or Lotta, and then define the blends and manipulate the order of the layers to achieve an endless variety of effects.

How Multilayered Seams Stack up

For a complete digital workflow, the multi-layered seams provide an accurate representation of how a garment looks for merchandising and sales. By creating effects including puckering, shadows, and stacking multiple types of seams (e.g. with different colored threads) in 3D and making them an integral part of the design, you can continue to make changes – such as colorways – and still leverage the 3D effects.

Multilayered Materials and the Complete Digital Workflow

For merchandising, the multi-layered material feature helps you achieve more realistic results by layering on top of normal maps and specular maps. With the Overlay and Multiply modes, you can control the transparency of each layer and the way the layers blend.

To find out more about the latest version of VStitcher and Lotta, read our recent blog post.

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What’s new in VStitcher 7.8 and Lotta 3.8?

Introducing VStitcher 7.8
The Browzwear team has been working hard to improve your user experience and we’re pleased to announce the release of VStitcher 7.8 and Lotta 3.8. We added several new features and improvements that we know you will enjoy.

Some of the most exciting new additions include:

Multi-Layered Materials

For all-over prints, melanges and complex stitches

With this release, VStitcher introduces the very first 3D solution for complex multi-layer materials. Simply define a group of fabric or seam layers and from then on, you can manipulate the group just like a single material or edit each layer separately. You can create complex textures that are even more true-to-life, like a melange fabric or the inseam on a pair of jeans. With multi-layer materials, designing in 3D is faster and more flexible than ever before.
Layered material drag and drop layers

3D Folded Garment View (Labs)

Vstitcher and Lotta now include a flexible template for displaying your designed garment, folded. The Labs template includes a folded, button-down shirt with several display options including collars, buttons and more.

Folded shirt options

Simulation Improvements

The latest versions of VStitcher and Lotta feature simulation improvements to performance, pleats and folds, and complex, layered garments.

Expanded API for Costing

The Open Platform API now integrates with costing engines and proprietary costing calculators. After the integration is enabled, you can display the price of a garment in real time, as it’s being developed.

Export Measurement Charts

Quickly export points of measurement CSV charts for manufacturing and production for all garment sizes.

Smart Guides

Our new alignment guides help you align shapes in relation to each other in real time transformation.

Dynamic pivot points for pattern pieces and shapes

Move the pivot point on shapes and pattern pieces for more control over rotation, positioning and resizing.

 

Rotation by pivot point

UI Improvements

We have made a bunch of improvements to the interface including fabric physics search, print keyboard shortcut, 3D view camera rotation and editing and sharing camera parameters.

More Fluent CAD Changes

Changes include converting internal lines to edges, making slices to symmetrical pieces, “folding” of pattern pieces and glueing internal lines to edges.

Improved DXF Import

We’ve made it easier to read even more varieties of CAD files in DXF, AAMA and ASTM formats, including grading information and more.

Ready to get started? Get in touch with us for a demo or the downloads.

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Browzwear Intern Challenge: From Virtual Garment Prototype to Finished Garment

Design flow: From sketch to 3D garment (left) to real (right)

Design flow: From sketch to 3D garment (left) to real (right)

 

Creating a Virtual 3D Prototype

Recently, we challenged Browzwear student intern Alyssa Kiriakedis of Oregon State University, to create a virtual garment prototype in Browzwear’s VStitcher that could eventually be compared to a sewn sample, fitted specifically to her own body. She first created an avatar based off of her own body measurements and shape. She then drafted garment patterns, observed fit issues seen on her 3D prototypes, and adjusted her garment patterns accordingly.

Avatar Creation Process

Fabric Testing and Garment Construction

Alyssa tested the specific fabrics she planned to use for constructing the garment and brought their physical properties into VStitcher to ensure her 3D prototype was displaying the proper physical attributes.

Prototype Progression

After achieving the desired 3D prototype, she printed her garment patterns in full-scale and sewed a real-life prototype, which enabled her to observe the accuracy and effectiveness of a 3D apparel development process.

Final pattern and Prototype

The Final Result: True-to-Life 3D

Going into the project, Alyssa was not sure that the final garment would turn out the way she imagined.

“I had done my best at creating an avatar accurate to my body and creating a 3D prototype that fit my avatar; however, with no real-life samples I couldn’t physically check that my work was accurate,” Alyssa said. “Once I reached the final stage of the project and constructed my garments, I was thrilled to find that not only did they fit me, but they also draped quite similarly to how the program had portrayed them in 3D.”

Alyssa says that working through her project instilled trust in the 3D development process and got her excited to experiment more with the potential of 3D in the apparel industry.
To read more about Alyssa’s project or to see screenshots and images, visit her portfolio site

Sewn Garment Views with 3D Render

Sewn Garment Views (images on the left) with 3D Render (far right)

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Designing with Fold Lines

Fabric folds are present in many of the garments we wear every day. Collars or lapels are the most common garment attributes for a fold application, but cuffs, hems and other casual neckline designs can utilize folding.

The construction and execution of the fold has a big visual impact on the garment design. Dress shirt collars have a very crisp and stiff fold, while turtlenecks and polo collars have a casual and soft fold. Each of these folds match the overall garment design and fabrication.

Browzwear’s software offers 3 options to create the fold finish to match your garment. The folding options can be applied to your fold line and will affect the final simulated result of your 3D fold.  It’s easy to switch between the fold finishes as you are designing in the software to choose the option that’s best for your garment.

Soft foldSoft Fold:  A soft fold line will produce a very casual looking result. It can be used on polos with a casual rib collar, jackets or sweatshirts with thicker or fluffier fabric, or button up shirts with less structure (think Hawaiian shirts).

Example of a soft fold

Sharp FoldSharp Fold:  The visual result of the sharp fold will have a crisp, ironed look.  This fold is normally used for formal dress shirts and suit jackets.

Example of a sharp fold

 

Normal FoldNormal Fold:  Landing somewhere in between soft and sharp, the normal fold line is very versatile and will produce an intentional fold without the formality of the sharp fold.  This fold type can be used across casual, sportswear, and formal garments.

Example of a normal fold

 

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Announcing VStitcher 7.6 and Lotta 3.6

We’re pleased to announce the release of VStitcher 7.6 and Lotta 3.6.  In addition to the very exciting addition of SmartDesign, there are new features and improvements in this release that we would like to share with you.

In this release we are also introducing Browzwear Labs, early access to new features that are still in development.  Please try them and send us your feedback!

Highlights:

  • New user experience for materials including a hoverboard Color Picker, Image Editor and Geometry Editor.
  • Fluent user experience for Pen Tool: Edit, add and remove points while drawing, with a single tool!
  • New hanger avatars: Simulate garments on a hanger with two native hanger avatars.
  • Blending mode for materials (labs): Apply overlay blending of layers such as artwork and wash effects over fabric.
  • Blender cloud rendering (labs): Render garments in the cloud and continue to work freely using an integration with RenderStreet (license required).

And there is much more!

Click here for the complete release notes.

Click here to download the new versions.

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A Revolutionary Way to Design in 3D. SmartDesign is Here!

We’re excited to announce SmartDesign, a creative new approach to fashion design.

SmartDesign brings every aspect of a garment – from silhouettes and trims, to fabrics and workmanship – together into smart templates so you can experience a vast array of design variations with a click.  See for yourself!

Fast and Fluent Design

Design a single garment or a complete collection more quickly and fluently than ever. You’re in control with Smart Templates that are pre-configured to include everything you need. Make and save as many variations as you like, even transfer your designs from one silhouette to the next in real-time.  Do you want to see how that all-over print would look on a tighter fit, with bell sleeves or a hoodie? Now you can!

Design for Manufacturing and Calendar

Design for Manufacturing is finally a reality. With the ability to configure your own Smart Templates, you know that every design can be manufactured according to specification.

Design to Cost

Eliminate errors and unnecessary samples. Smart Templates include not only your materials and trims, but also predefined metadata like cost and manufacturing lead time, so you can maximize creativity, while staying on time and within budget.

Learn More!

Whether you are a 3D expert, or taking your first steps on this journey, you’ll want to experience the power of SmartDesign. We’re also here to help you define a strategy and get SmartDesign implemented for your organization.

Contact us to get started

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New at WhichPLM: Browzwear 3D Supplier Evaluation

We’re pleased to say that WhichPLM has selected Browzwear as the subject of their first 3D Supplier Evaluation.  Using the same expert approach to product evaluation that they have brought to PLM, the team has defined a new set of scientific assessment criteria designed to benchmark 3D solutions and their vendors in the areas that really count for retailers and brands looking to find the right solution to fit their needs, and to deliver a return on their investment.

Visit WhichPLM to download the evaluation and to learn more about how 3D is shaping the apparel industry today.

 

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Hed Mayner: Cutting-Edge Fashion, Powered by 3D

Hed Mayner is doing incredible things with menswear, using the language of design to express body language. Behind the scenes, Hed is just as innovative when it comes to how he designs his clothes. He works closely with a 3D product development specialist to realize his vision. Watch the video to get a peek behind the scenes.

 

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Columbia Sportswear: Innovating with 3D

Columbia Sportswear have always been innovators when it comes to fashion. Now they are also innovating with technology that enables them to get even more creative while saving time and reducing waste. Get a glimpse of how a leading sportswear company is leveraging the power of 3D for a digital process.

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Check Stitching with True-to-Life 3D

Pattern shapes can often have small differences in edge lengths and edge shape from front to back or from left to right. These small differences can have a big impact on fit. For example, in a raglan sleeve, it’s essential to stitch the sleeves correctly, or the armhole seam will show extra fullness. Since the differences in edge curve are very small, errors can sometimes occur during production. Using 3D simulation you can verify that the stitching instructions are correct before samples are made.

For example, take this hoodie with raglan sleeves. In the first 3D simulation in VStitcher, the sleeves are sewn correctly:

Correct sleeve

 

In this second simulation, the sleeves are flipped back to front so that the length of the edges isn’t equal. You can clearly see the extra fullness at the front armhole caused by the incorrect stitching:

Flipped sleeve

 

Here are the patterns. On the left, the two sides of the sleeve are correctly aligned and the edge lengths are equal. On the right, the sleeve pieces have been accidentally reversed, resulting in a small difference in edge length and poor fit in the finished hoodie.

Correct stitching of sleeves

Wrong stitches for flipped sleeves

With VStitcher, what you see is truly what you get, even when it comes to those small things that have a big impact on the final garment.

To learn more about simulating different edge lengths, read our post about gathering

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Using True-to-Life 3D Simulation to Create Gathering

To create gathering, pattern-makers attach two pieces of fabric, one with a longer edge and one with a shorter edge. The long edge is gathered into many small pleats in order to match the length of the shorter edge and create the gathering effect.

The length of the longer piece of fabric determines how the gathering will behave. With VStitcher’s true-to-life 3D simulation, you can view an accurate simulation of how the gathering with look after the pieces are sewn and experiment with different lengths until the desired effect is achieved.

Simulating gathering accurately requires an understanding how the fabric behaves not only in relation to the body, but in relation to the way it is sewn. With VStitcher, you can be confident that the sample you receive will look the same as the 3D simulation.

3D Illustration Created with VStitcher

In the dress above, a large amount of fabric is used to achieve a richly-gathered skirt that compliments the belt. The shorter edge of the fabric, the belt, is 41.5 cm and the longer edge, the bottom of the skirt, is 138 cm.

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