Advantages of Artificial Intelligence in the Apparel Manufacturing Sector

Market analysts are hard at forecasting AI's economic impact on the garment sector and manufacturing in general.

Fremont, CA: The expansion of the human population and its need for clothes is unavoidable, but manufacturers' capacity to satisfy expectations without overextending themselves is not. Like every other business, clothing and textiles must learn to service a rising population while staying mindful of the planet's limited resources.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) to fulfill demand without exceeding the available supply is not a novel concept. How does it apply to the garment industry?

• Improving material grading

The human eye is a magnificent device, yet it has flaws. Grading yarn and many other basic materials are one aspect of clothing production where AI helps quality control (QC).

The application of artificial intelligence in this sector leads to cost savings and more exact gradings of the basic materials used in clothing manufacture. In other words, AI can maintain a better and more consistent material standard than humans, increasing the average quality of final clothing.

• Reducing errors in final product inspection

Machine learning & computer vision have advanced to the point where they can tell whether a piece of fruit has been damaged beneath its skin.

Textile and clothing production applications are equally enthralling. Algorithms combined with specialized lighting systems can assess the quality and resale value of newly created and previously used clothing. Measuring the amount of transmitted and reflected light allows AI to determine if the density of a fabric piece or a finished garment matches current quality requirements in a single glance.

• Tailor-made for the apparel industry

This only touches the surface of what artificial intelligence offers textile and garment manufacturers.

Another area where AI is poised to thrive is sustainable and customized manufacturing. Modern imaging technology enables end users to create 3D representations of their bodies, allowing for less expensive and less resource-intensive personalized apparel manufacture.

Another technology making headlines in the garment business is generative design. Designers and engineers choose material and performance limits using an AI algorithm, then tell an AI to develop product designs that fulfill those criteria. As a result, there is a greater diversity of feasible designs and a significant decrease in time and material waste. Market analysts are hard at forecasting AI's economic impact on the garment sector and manufacturing in general.