Retailers worldwide are beginning to approve digital samples with perfect FIT and Look via e-mails with video attachments. TUKATECH’s CLOUD based collaborative solutions for 3D virtual garment development and faster approvals is yet another step forward to improve the digital communication in the business of fast fashion.
“The CLOUD base Virtual Sample solution with the digital database ready to use again and again is a phenomenal breakthrough”, commented Ashesh Amin, Chief Operating Officer of Adrianna Papell. “What a great solution, it really brings everyone on the same page very quickly. The Tukatech team has done wonders for our business not only with varied end to end solutions but also business process reengineering. In such a short time, we make very complicated dresses. We were doing everything manually but TUKATECH made us totally digital in a few months”, he added.
“The speed and ease (with TUKA3D) is amazing”, says Arshad Sattar, Managing Director of Timex Group, “we make almost 1,000 new styles per month. The dresses, blouses, pants and skirts require fit, understanding of fabric draping and we make for some of the biggest brands like, Elie Tahari, Maggy London, Polo, CHAPS – Ralph Lauren, NEXT, Stein Mart, Chico’s, M & Co., and dozens of other European, Canadian and American companies. Without getting faster design and approval, we simply could not be in the fashion business. Designers are looking at uploaded samples at their convenience anywhere using mobile or other devices. They can see the 3d sample; zoom, pan, rotate the sample, just like they will in real life on a real person. In addition there is a video showing how garment and fabric drapes, in tension and X-RAY mode enabling the viewer to see if there are any fit issues. All the colorways, print and embroidery placement can also be viewed. Upon analyzing the 3d sample and the video they can make comments, and the system automatically informs the pattern maker who can see and read the comments, make the required corrections and send the new sample almost immediately. The system informs the individuals or the designated group to view and approve the final garment. Once the garment is approved for production, it now goes in the Asset Library so designers can use it for future development.” Added Arshad Sattar.
“The hardest thing is communicating fashion on paper with sketches and instructions. Tech Packs are open to interpretation first at the Tech Designer’s level who is trying to understand what the designer wants and then by vendors. The actual design process starts when the FIRST SAMPLE arrives and it almost always starts with a comment from a designer, “this is not what I wanted.” With a physical sample in front of the designer, the changes and the design process starts. However by that time 20 to 30 days have passed and a lot of resources have been invested with no gain” says Ram Sareen, the Founder and CEO of TUKATECH, “We wanted the entire supply chain to be visually connected and go back in time when we were able to design under one roof, where everyone communicated effectively. The designer spoke to the pattern maker many times referring to old styles. New changes and somehow (based on old blocks, experience, understanding of fit model’s shape and size) the pattern maker made the pattern, got a sample cut and sewn and it was on the fit model’s body. During the fit session, the pattern maker and the sample sewer were present. The designer made changes if needed and got the FINAL SAMPLE, on the same day or by the next day. The cloud based VISUAL SOLUTION is a community based solution where all blocks in 3D samples reside by each division, brand, season and product type. The files are complete with 2D flat pattern, fit model’s body, type of fabric, the measurement chart and all the integrated information, ready to use again to develop new garments”, added Ram Sareen.
In El Salvador, Apparel Leaders Juan Zighelboim, David Ha, John Ha and Henry Kim of Appletree Group, OA Apparel and TexOps have been enjoying the benefits of 3D fit and prototyping since 2009. As a result, their brand-retail partners have substantially increased their order bookings. Shorter development cycle times have allowed for smarter buying decisions making win-win scenarios the norm, as reported by upper management of these three groups. “The Cloud Based Collaborative solution will further enhance our business model”, commented Zighelboim.
“TUKA3D and TUKAcad have brought tremendous efficiency to our design and development and helped us with growing our business. We are very excited to start with Cloud Solutions for one of our biggest customers, Tom Tailor”, commented Mr. Devender Gupta, one of the founders of ASMARA, one of the largest sourcing and design companies with offices and factories all over Asia.
“We needed to shorten the product development time and TUKA3D and their Cloud Based solutions are a perfect fit for us”, added Dinesh Virwani, the Managing Director of the Hong Kong Based EPIC Group. “We make over six million garments per month in hundreds of styles, the only way we can grow our business is to have more developments in a shorter time period with fewer people. This is what TUKATECH has done with their solutions installed at all our facilities worldwide,” added Ranju Mahtani, CEO of THE EPIC GROUP.
“Today, there are many eCommerce retailers using TUKA3D for designing, developing, and uploading their realistic looking digital assets. They do not require a photo shoot, inventory, or warehousing; the best part is no markdowns. This is “Demand Manufacturing”. This is the best way to be profitable and be ahead of everyone else. We are proud to be labelled as the “DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIST” and want our customers to be number one” says Ram Sareen.
TUKA3D comes with digital replicas of over 500 fit models of brands and retailers. These are developed from scans or sculpted from detail measurements. These are supplied to vendors approved by brands or retailers. There is a database of 150 pre-set digital fabrics and hundreds of appropriate motions for real time evaluation of fit. TUKATECH provides free services for making custom models with pattern slopers and custom motions for users during the warranty and software support period. The TUKA3D system comes complete with TUKAdesign, TUKAtailor, eFIT, eDESIGN and eCOMMERCE modules, training, implementation and support.
TUKA3D is the only 3D system with built-in motion simulator for FIT Development and verification of FIT with color tension Mapping, X-Ray vision, and many other features to simulate a real fit session. It compares to an actual fit session without making any physical samples.