This project aims to innovate in the knitwear market by developing a service that enables customers to personalize, assemble, and fit their high-quality knitwear, enhancing the purchasing experience with a sense of involvement and satisfaction. Focused on circular production, the initiative seeks to reduce waste and promote sustainability by introducing an interaction design that facilitates the DIY measurement of body sizes for virtual fitting. This approach has been tested with 13 participants, leading to the creation of sweaters tailored to their preferences and measurements. The project addresses the challenge of unused inventory in the fashion industry, where 30% of clothing remains unworn, by advocating for on-demand production and fully fashioned knitting, which further reduces waste by eliminating cutting losses. The integration of new technologies such as body scanning, VR and virtual fitting into the online shopping experience allows for precise customization and fitting, potentially extending the lifespan of garments and contributing to a more sustainable fashion ecosystem.
The fashion industry faces significant sustainability challenges, with a large percentage of produced garments never being worn due to misaligned inventories and inefficient production processes. Current online shopping experiences lack in providing personalized and accurately fitted garments, leading to consumer dissatisfaction and increased waste. This project aims to tackle these challenges by researching optimal customer interactions to assist consumers throughout the process, developing an effective method for customers to self-measure (DIY) in an online setting, with a key focus on designing user-friendly interfaces based on usability and user experience principles. It also seeks to determine which measurements are essential and the required level of accuracy.
In the design phase of the project, parametric modelling played a crucial role, particularly in the aspect of virtual fitting. The research conducted highlighted the efficiency of using a limited set of 3 to 5 easily measured sizes to predict other body measurements. This approach is foundational to the project's aim of personalising clothing without the need for extensive individual measurements. The statistical research by Fieldlab researchers underpinned this method, ensuring that the designs adapt dynamically to the provided data, thus avoiding the necessity to rebuild designs for each new set of measurements.
The project strongly emphasised co-creation, especially through the practical test phase where 13 trial participants were involved in configuring and virtually fitting their sweaters. This collaborative effort between users and developers was critical in refining the user experience of the service. The process involved testing existing apps and developing partial solutions, leading to an interaction design that was subsequently evaluated. This co-creation process not only supported the development of the UPPS but also ensured that the final product aligned closely with user preferences and expectations, particularly in terms of fit and personalisation.
In conclusion, the customer interaction developed for this target group has proven effective, with the software being user-friendly and virtual fitting providing significant added value. However, customers still face challenges in virtually assessing the product's look and feel, indicating a need for enhanced visualisation and increased awareness to familiarise users with online configuration and fabric assessment. Future strategies include collaborative in-store sweater configuration, which is expected to diminish in necessity as the service gains traction. The simplified measurement approach, requiring only a few dimensions for accurate body size prediction, underscores the efficiency of the system. Despite the positive applicability and knowledge contribution of this solution, the high production costs pose a significant hurdle, necessitating alternative production methods like 3D knitting, which, however, require investments beyond the reach of small enterprises alone.
