Do you know what is annoying about shopping? Having different sizes from each brand. For example, Nike: shoe size 36.5 and Adidas: shoe size 37. Or Zara: size M and H&M: size S. When it comes to online shopping, I must be ‘lucky’ that clothes and shoes fit me. Until the future of fashion includes 3D body scanning that also improves the shopping experiences.
Nowadays, the global fashion industry is worth over $212 billion dollars. The possibilities are highly estimated that 3D body scanning revolutionises the industry with its data. This technology allows the capture and analysis of the human body using methods without physical contact. Its usage made it possible to capture large datasets and to make comparisons with population groups.
Virtual tailoring has been a subject that is talked about for a long time and is still an ongoing industry goal. So, is 3D body scanning reliable enough to be a tool that we can use to make virtual tailoring happen? Research has found that reliability is not universal, but measurement dependent (Parker et al., 2017).
Fashion retailers started with commercial 3D body scanning booths in retail stores since 2010. These booths scan individuals and make them aware of their body size to make ‘right’ decisions during the purchase. Besides, the location of the sizing date is an important factor to track the most favourable garment sizes. By doing this, these garment sizes can be made on time which is in favour for the efficient inventory management. SizeStream is one of the major supplier who provides its 3D body scanners and software solutions in the fashion industry, but also in health and fitness tracking.
Body Labs dug further with 3D body scanning by using human-aware Artificial Intelligence (AI). The company launched SOMA Shape API (programmatic interface) for 3D model and measurement predictions where third party applications can connect easily to their SOMA backend, the software that uses AI. For example, SOMA Shape API can accurately predict and measure the 3D shape of customers by using a single image. With this technology fashion e-commerce retailers are able to offer sizing recommendations for their customers. A few years ago, Amazon has acquired Body Labs for $50 – $70 million dollars to grow its own private label fashion brands and services (Amazon Prime Wardrobe). This allows Amazon to offer sizing predictions for its customers and help shrinking returns from clothes that do not fit. Amaz(on)ing solution, isn’t it?
References:
C. J. Parker et al., “3D Body Scanning has Suitable Reliability: An Anthropometric Investigation for Garment Construction”, in Proc. of 3DBODY.TECH 2017 – 8th Int. Conf. and Exh. on 3D Body Scanning and Processing Technologies, Montreal QC, Canada, 11-12 Oct. 2017, pp. 298-305.
https://www.onlineclothingstudy.com/2020/09/what-is-mobile-3d-scanning-technology.html
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/03/amazon-bought-body-labs-for-at-least-50-million-report-says.html
Very cool technology, I could definitely use this when buying jeans for example! Do you think in the future this will become available to be used at home as well? For example through taking photo’s or a video of yourself with your phone and uploading that to an online store you’re buying from?
Hey Nick,
Thanks for your comment!
I do think that this technology will be implemented by other fashion companies considering the use of applications in our daily lives, but also because there are more general benefits involved such as less carbon footprint in the logistic processes, targeting potential customers, et cetera. There are already startups that have been working on the development of measurements via photos and videos for years, with AI (Body Labs and Element Pure) and without AI (Nettelo). The question for now is, to what extent are fashion retailers willing to invest in such technology? Time will tell I guess.