Digital Samples Reduced Costs by 50%, Cut Sampling Time from 12 to 4 Weeks

Exploring ways to transition from physical to digital sampling, a pilot by Australian Fashion Council found that brands reported a faster time to market and the ability to test multiple sizes of a garment without producing a single physical sample.

Long Story, Cut Short
  • The pilot programme was created to remove the accessibility & cost barriers associated with investment in technology for both small business & enterprises.
  • Digital sampling has limitations for textured fabrics.
  • Digital sampling allows brands to sample and fit multiple sizes at low cost, thereby increasing quality and decreasing returns.
Brands prefer a hybrid model where they progress through digital sampling before signing off on one final physical sample.
Need for Digital Brands prefer a hybrid model where they progress through digital sampling before signing off on one final physical sample. Richard Horvath / Unsplash

Producing 30 digital samples in place of physical samples reduced sampling costs by 50% in the Australian Fashion Council's first FashTech Lab pilot that explored ways to transition from physical to digital sampling. 

  • The pilot also showed that the process decreased sampling time from twelve to four weeks, and reduced textile waste by up to 450 metres.
  • The findings have been published in the report, Digital Sampling: The Business Case.

The Project: AFC FashTech Lab is a pilot programme run by the Australian Fashion Council (AFC), supported by City of Sydney, that partners fashion brands with technology businesses to trial a new digital sampling workflow to reduce time, cost and textile waste. 

  • The pilot programme was created to remove the accessibility and cost barriers associated with investment in technology for both small business and enterprises.
  • The fashion brand participants ranged from emerging designers to enterprise brands and included Cue, Bianca Spender, Matteau, Eupheme, Daniel Avakian, Ramp Tramp Tramp Stamp, West 14th and Palasade.
  • The technology partners were Style Atlas, Bandicoot Imaging, Couture CAD, Ponz Studio, Neuno and Ordre.
  • Brands transitioning from physical to digital sampling also reported a faster time to market and the ability to test multiple sizes of a garment without producing a single physical sample. 
  • This allowed brands to improve the fit of their garments and reduce their garment fault rate due to poor fit, further reducing costs and textile waste.

The Highlights: Among trends that emerged were:

  • Brands prefer a hybrid model where they progress through digital sampling before signing off on one final physical sample.
  • Realistic digital fabrics allow brands to consider drape and volume.
  • Digital sampling allows brands to sample and fit multiple sizes at low cost, thereby increasing quality and decreasing returns.
  • Digital sampling creates the potential for new digital revenue streams.
  • Digital sampling had limitations for textured fabrics.
  • Integration of Digital Sampling Workflow with existing systems, and securing workers with relevant skills are important considerations.
 
 
  • Dated posted: 30 March 2023
  • Last modified: 30 March 2023