MacDirectory magazine is the premiere creative lifestyle magazine for Apple enthusiasts featuring interviews, in-depth tech reviews, Apple news, insights, latest Apple patents, apps, market analysis, entertainment and more.
Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1299064
The Challenge of Cloth Despite rapid improvements made by 3D graphics software and hardware developers—from scanning and measuring to baking and stitching—without an accurate physical representation of the qualities of actual cloth, these virtual materials fall short. Meeting the demand for realistic cloth for apparel, product design, gaming, and film continues to be a challenge for companies seeking a digital 3D solution, with current methods available only achieving a facsimile of the materials. Currently, there are two widely used techniques to simulate cloth in a digital asset. One method involves taking a photograph of the material from afar, capturing the general shape, color, and lighting. The other utilizes a super-computed analysis of a CT scanned section of the material that captures smaller details. Ideally, designers need access to a solution that has the benefits of both with added flexibility, but utilizing these techniques across a large library of materials has slowed their adoption. The variability in thread pattern details—along with light reflections and shape—means rendering fibrous material is very complex. Designers that traditionally work with cloth often make physical prototypes of their designs, understanding the properties found in their chosen materials beforehand. Typically, the more hands-on creators within this bracket don’t need to work with 3D software and rendering as a prerequisite, rejecting digital solutions as an alternative. If digital material matched physical cloth appearance, was easier to create, and gave the creator unlimited selection of material options, this could be a monumental catalyst for change. An Impact Across Industries The lack of realistic digital cloth has led to unavoidable logistics in the production line of soft-goods companies. For much of the industry’s existence, the design phase has included continuous shipping between the design office and manufacturer, with each change in design requiring a new prototype build. Designers send the desired product with cloth swatches, the prototype is sent back, changes in design are drawn up once more, and the process continues until a conclusory design is settled. This time-consuming process plagues both small and multinational brands alike, with fortune 500 companies requiring the same processing methods. Designers expect more from the software and technology available, with scanning solutions lacking the customizability and detail to speed up the production line. New scans are required for different materials, producing what is effectively a high-res photograph. But the intricacy and variability in the weave pattern of each material aren’t captured, likewise, failing to capture the inspiration of soft-good designers. Designers need software that allows them to zoom into the digital cloth, see detailed fibers, and tailor the design instantly. The impact of a technology that could remove scanners and physical