The Future of Apparel Manufacturing: AI Innovations

FREMONT, CA: The increasing human population and demand for clothing are inevitable, but manufacturers must balance their efforts without overextending themselves. AI can help meet demand without exceeding supply, ensuring the sustainability of the planet's finite resources.

Apparel manufacturing uses AI in the following ways:

Enhancing the grading of materials: Although the human eye is a remarkable instrument, it is also fallible. Grading yarn and other base materials are one area where AI improves quality control (QC).

As a result of applying AI to this area, cost savings are realized, and the fundamental materials used in apparel manufacturing can be graded more precisely. Thus, AI can maintain a higher standard for materials than humans alone, thereby increasing the quality of finished garments.

Increasing the accuracy of final product inspections: A piece of fruit can even be discerned from its skin if it has been bruised through machine learning and computer vision.

Textiles and apparel manufacturing are equally inspiring applications. The condition and salability of newly made and previously worn garments can be assessed by algorithms coupled with specialty illumination systems. By measuring the amount of light that is transmitted and reflected, AI can determine whether a piece of fabric or a garment meets current quality standards at a glance.

The likelihood of Type I and Type II errors in a manufacturing setting was 17.8 percent and 29.8 percent, respectively. In the former case, inspectors miss real defects, while in the latter, false positives are made.

Apparel manufacturers can keep costs and errors down by using AI-powered automated inspection software. Identifying substandard yarn early in the manufacturing process can deliver value throughout the supply chain.

A tailor-made solution for the apparel industry: Artificial intelligence

Another area where AI can shine is sustainable and customized manufacturing. To facilitate cheaper and less resource-intensive custom clothing manufacturing, modern imaging techniques allow end-users to create 3D renderings of their bodies.