Fashion is continuing its virtual evolution with a new 3D development with features that are especially beneficial to the denim industry. Hong Kong-based digital consultancy Inqova Technologies and Bandicoot Imaging Services, an Australian tech firm, came together to launch Indikon, a 3D digitization solution for denim mills.
Through Indikon, mills are able to digitize, download and share virtual fabrics with a high resolution that showcases the fabric’s wash details. The technology features 2K and 4K image files with advanced color accuracy.
“We are on a mission to bring fabric digitization into the mill so that brands can sample digital fabrics immediately from mills around the world and bring them straight into their design software,” said Jorgen Sevild, director at Inqova. “This reduces sample costs, material waste, logistical pollution and time throughout the fashion supply chain.”
Inqova reports that Indikon requires little investment and onboarding, with a short virtual training and a pay-as-you-scan feature that allows mills to begin digitizing their fabrics at $15 per scan. Mills can share files via email or by uploading the images to their digital showrooms. The solution is available now for early access, in which it will provide mills with the chance to test out the technology and digitize a four-panel washdown set.
Though digital design is common, the pandemic accelerated the need for more innovative solutions that bridged the logistical gap between brands and mills. Experts are predicting that even with the pandemic seemingly controlled in certain regions of the world, the advancements will likely continue to progress. While 3D visuals won’t eliminate samples entirely, they will reduce unnecessary waste.
The denim industry is already investing heavily in the technology, with mills such as Pakistan-based Artistic Milliners partnering with digital design platform Browzwear to bring the service to its customer base. Similarly, Tommy Hilfiger is an early adopter of 3D design and in 2017 launched Stitch, a tech incubator dedicated to digitizing its design processes and developing proprietary technology that seamlessly merges with its unique features, including its digital showroom. In 2019, it set a goal to have its Spring 2022 collections fully designed using a digital design platform.
