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Evolving IT Trends for Mass Customization in Apparel

Industry
By: Dr. Meenu Srivastava & Ms. Rupali Gupta
Evolving IT Trends For Mass Customization in Apparel Industry:
Development of E- Catalogue and Digital Embroidery Design Module

Abstract:

The concept of mass customization is gaining popularity day by day through the
innovation of designer‟s ideas. A large no. of boutiques owners, fashion houses, export
houses, entrepreneurs etc. are found to be involved in customization of digital
embroidery designs on fashion apparels, with the emergence of fashion houses and
boutiques, there is need to develop an e-catalogue to visualize the customized designs
on fashion apparels and module on ‘Digital Embroidery Design’ to enhance the
knowledge of untrained and semi skilled technical personals involved in the process of
design development and manufacturing of fashion apparels in fashion trend.

Concept of Mass customization:

“Driving the shift to mass customization in apparel industry is technology

that allows clothing manufacturers to manipulate designs quickly at
minimal cost, and produce in shorter and more cost-effective runs”
K Saravana

Mass customization is a hybrid of mass production and customization. Pine (1993)

defines mass customization as “the mass production of individually customized goods
and services”. The changing characteristics of today‟s consumer interests and industrial
competition, mass production systems cannot satisfy both manufacturers and
consumers; however, a mass customization system may achieve both manufacturer and
consumer satisfaction, providing a low-cost customized product. The prerequisite of
implementing mass customization is the application of advanced technology, such as the
flexible manufacturing system, computer- integrated manufacturing, computer-aided
design, and advanced computer technology. Pine explained that using these
technologies in the practice of mass customization will shorten product-life and
development cycles as well as allowing manufacturers to respond more quickly and
flexibly to changing consumptive drives. Finally, consumers will have access to a variety
of relatively low cost, high-quality, customized products while manufacturers can reduce
excess inventory and markdowns.

Mass Customization instead of Mass Production can be identified as an adaptive

behaviour of the business. As the consumer preferences are ever changing, and are
becoming more diverse and unpredictable, gaining advantages among competitors need
to be achieved by acknowledging customer needs and reacting accordingly.
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1. Consumers are more unpredictable and diverse-minded; they require more

unique products to exhibit their distinctness and uniqueness.
2. By providing successful customized products to customers, companies can shift
the focus of their buyers from how much they are to pay to how much benefit
they can get.
3. Since manufacturers make products after receiving orders, the risk of over-
producing an item that no one need and stocking it in the inventory are reduced.
4. Companies create a close relationship with their suppliers, distributors and
customers when the customers return again and again, sending their unique
orders. Also, satisfied customers will provide excellent references and referrals.

Benefits of mass customization:

No overstock, waste or fashion risk
Fewer returns (especially for mail-order companies)
Higher willingness to pay
Higher customer loyalty
Cross-selling opportunities
Access to market research information

Mass customization is seen as a new strategy for achieving competitive advantage. It is

customer rather than production oriented and it is based on the idea of market
adaptation to fit individual needs, wants and requirement both on a national and
international level.

Computers, especially the CAD technology has widened the growth prospects of fashion
apparels in both the local and the overseas markets. Rise in the demand for embroidery
products as well as quality workmanship has transformed the apparel industry into a
dynamic hub.

The craft of embroidery has been around for many years. It was created in the late part
of the seventeenth century. It is still popular today and this is not a usually
accomplishment in the light of the forward advances in other fabrics and designs.

In the fast paced technology world, the success of machine embroidery is rising. The
clothing and housing industries are using the machine embroidery more and more
because of the popularity of it in the marketplace. Initially only zigzag stitch was used to
embroider motif. With the new developments in technology, instead of manually
creating the designs, the embroidery is now done with the help of computers and the
embroidery machines can complete the most intricate designs on the fabric. There are a
few different types of software that have been produced. This has made it easier for
others to make their own machine embroidery designs from the beginning.

There are two distinct designs in embroidery. These two are the „free hand machine
embroidery design’ and the ‘computer machine embroidery design’. The last one is
completed with the help of a regular zigzag sewing machine. This type of embroidery
also incorporates the hoop into it. This type of design for embroidery using a free
machine is good because it allows a person to make a bunch of different patterns easily.
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It is known as 'free machine embroidery' because of the hoop that is used to make the
design. This hoop is controlled by hand and not in any way connected to the sewing
machine.

Contrary to this, the „computerized machine embroidery‟ designs are completed with the
help of a computer. The designs are set into the machine by a computer but, they can
also be made by using a plain embroidery card which is sent into the machine. It is very
unique to understand that this type of machine embroidery design is digitally created
and made better before it is sewn on the fabric. Digital designing means a picture has
been uploaded to the computer and has been changed or altered by using a type of
embroidery software, making it into a set of sewing designs.

With the different kinds of embroidery machine designs, the computer generated kind is
the one that everyone likes the best. Wonderful designs can be made with digitizing
process on computer. Further quality of the machine designs on the computer are of
much higher quality than ones that are made using the zigzag stitch machines.

In fashion apparel industry, embroidered apparels are exclusively designed as per the
customer needs. Even the most intricate and exquisite embroidery designs can be mass
produced with the help of digital machines and embroidery digitizing software‟s. These
days virtually all modern embroidery machines are computer controlled and specifically
engineered for embroidery. The development of smaller and low cost of digital
embroidery machines has been instrumental in creating new avenues of home business
or for occasional hobby embroidery.

Digitizing is the art of taking a drawing, design, graphic or picture and turning it into an
exact, or very close copy for embroidery that is usually done on cloth - but can also be
put on other materials depending on the material and embroidery machine being used.

The Embroidery digitizing takes place when the original artwork-a drawing, design,
graphic or picture is scanned in digitizing software to turn it into a digital file that can be
used by the automatic sewing machine. Once the original is scanned with the digitizing
software, the operator must then manipulate the image in the Embroidery digitizing
software to tell the embroidery machine how to sew the stitches. The scanned image is
now processed through the digitizing software to the many stitches necessary to
embroider the image. There is much software for Embroidery digitizing currently
available. Most sewing machines come with some type of digitizing software, but many
digitizing operators choose to use some other types of software that offer more flexibility
and additional features than the basic programs provided with the particular
embroidery machines. There are many Embroidery digitizing software applications
available for Windows, Linux and MAC machines and many are freeware or shareware
that is much less expensive than the commercial applications, but can perform almost
everything the "professional" applications offer.

The apparel industry is a forerunner in the application of mass customization. A reason

of the early adoption is the fact that clothes have three dimensions of mass
customization: Fit, Functionality and Design.
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These three factors are easily changeable. In mass customized apparels, one can choose
the design color, material and other features. By changing any of these three
dimensions, mass customized fashion apparels can be achieved. Another factor of the
early adaptation of mass customization of the apparel industry is the fast changing
technology. Digital technical drawing systems are developed quickly which makes it
easier to offer mass-customization to the customers.

Advantages of digital Machine embroidery:

Less time consuming
Symmetrical embroidery designs can be attained
Huge outputs can be achieved
Technical growth of economy
Remarkable change in fashion industry
Designing has become very easy
Cheap prices for heavy embroidery designs
Software can copy any online design
Clothes can be easily hand washable
Numerous shades are available
Innovative style embroidery is possible

The traditional Indian arts & craft and digital embroidery play an important role in the
present fashion world. Now- a –days fashion trends are fragile and the consumers
constantly demand innovative changes. The traditional art and crafts of India is gaining
popularity and in diverse form is being adapted in the fashion field also.

Hence looking in to the above facts, researcher developed Digital Embroidery Design
module & e-catalogue by simulation of traditional designs for mass customization with
evolving IT Trends to enrich the current trends in fashion industry.

The Objectives were:

To simulate textile designs from traditional paintings, architecture etc. for
fashion apparels in different color ways using textile designs software.
To develop and assess the efficacy of digital embroidery design module of
simulated textile designs for mass customization.
To develop „e-catalogue‟ of customized embroidery designs on fashion apparels.
To judge the market potential of simulated embroidery designs on fashion
apparels for mass customization.

Experimental work:

The traditional motifs were identified to serve as a base for simulating textile designs for
fashion apparels using appropriate CAD software i.e. Photoshop and embroidery design
software. The conceptual frame work is given below-
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Fig 1: Conceptual Frame work of the Research Work

The experiment work was conducted in two steps-
Step-1) Use of CAD software for design development-
Suitable Softwares were used to simulate the design from the traditional sources using
following steps:
Cropping of the suitable motifs for fashion apparels,
Process of Color reduction and cleaning
Developing colorways
Step- 2) Development of Digital Embroidery Design Module-
The development of e-module on ‘Digital Embroidery design’ using embroidery design
software with steps shown in the figure below-
The module depicts complete process of simulation of „digital embroidery design‟ which
can be applied on the fashion apparels.
The developed „Digital Embroidery Design Module‟ and „e-catalogue‟ can be used for
mass customization.
The „e-catalogue‟ had 150 „digital embroidery designs‟ simulated from traditional
sources. Each of the simulated design can be visualized on selected 3 different fashion
apparels at varied placements and colorways plotting varied embroidery stitches.
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Fig 2: development of digital embroidery design module

Phase-3: Evaluation of Module and e- catalogue:
In order to assess the efficacy of the developed „Digital Embroidery Design Module‟, a
two days institutional demonstration cum training for selected sample subjects was
organized. The usefulness of developed module in terms of „process simulation‟ and „e-
catalogue‟ in term of „Product simulation‟ was assessed by the sample subjects using
developed rating scale on various parameters proposed.
Analysis of data
The data of survey of work was coded, tabulated and appropriate statistical measures
were applied for its analysis.
Implication of the proposed work:
The developed module on „embroidery digitizing‟ will serve as a viable source of
learning material for students and teaching faculty of various institutions.
The developed „e-catalogue‟ of “Product Simulation” will prove beneficial to the
manufacturers in mass customization of embroidered designs on fashion
apparels.
As an outcome, of the present study, the developed module will have multifarious
benefits not only to the manufacturers but also to the consumers.
The developed module on „digital embroidery design‟ will find its usefulness in
fashion houses and boutiques in understanding the simulation process of
embroidery digitizing on fashion apparels.
The developed „e-catalogue‟ of product simulation will be helpful in apparels and
will serve as guiding sources to customers in design selection.
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Conclusion:
CAD customization is the key element in developing e- Catalogue. e- Catalogue is one of
the most efficient and powerful means to visualize the outcome of the creative work of
designer. The simulated designs can be digitized using computerized embroidery
machine with the help of PE design software. These designs with appropriate
colourways can be applied on different fashion apparel‟s of women‟s.
The industry personnel will be highly benefited by this developed e- catalogue, as by just
a click of mouse, several combinations and permutations of a single designs can be
visualized in a variety of placement on different outfits of the women‟s wear and shown
to customer for getting valuable order, this way it will be a proven tool to capture
fashion market through mass customization.
References:
1. Punjabi.s 2010. Embroidery Digitizing is an art. http://www.fibre2fashion.com/
industry-article
2. Pine, B. J., II (1993). Mass customization. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
(http://atmae.org/jit/Articles/leee1222.pdf )
3. Poelo, A. 2009.How Embroidery Digitizing work. http://articles.webraydian. Com/
article24909-Machine_Embroidery_and_Embroidery_Digitizing.html
4. Lee, S. & Chen, J. (2000). Mass-customization methodology for an apparel industry
with a future. Industrial Technology, 16(1), 1-8.
5. Kakati, 2002. Mass customization strategy. Human system management.21:85-93
6. Hart, C. 1995. Mass customization: conceptual underpinnings, opportunities and
limits. International Journal of Service Industry Management 6 :36 – 45
7. Dave, J. 2005. Development of saree designs from traditional mewar paintings and
assessment of their market potential. Unpublished M.Sc. Thesis, MPUAT. Udaipur.
8. (http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Simplest-Designs-Are-Machine-
Embroidered&id=610616)