If ever there’s a time for digitalization of textiles it’s now. COVID-19 related travel restrictions, cancelled and/or postponed industry events and the rise in virtual meetings has heightened the need for new and improved ways to present textiles online. A trend to watch is how companies are investing in 3D tech and other forms of digitalization that present materials beyond color, pattern and weave to also showcase aesthetic qualities such as natural drape and how the fabrications moves on the body.

Here are two trend-worthy examples of textile digitalization advancement:

Penn Textiles presents its newest collection for Autumn/Winter 2021/22 on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNT3lmDT5J8

The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) features a dress by Claire McCardell, an American designer known to have revolutionized what women wore in the 1940s and 50s. Viewers can watch as the full circle flared skirt cut on crossgrain come to life in this 3D motion simulator video by Superficial:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CAQCiJxl0G3/

The July/August issue of Textile Insight magazine will feature how suppliers are bringing textiles to life with the latest advances in digitalization.