Ultimate guide to software tools for fashion brands & designers in 2022
The fashion industry is growing quickly, and so are the demands of consumers.
As if running a fashion business wasn’t hard enough, the advent of fast fashion has now got customers expecting new collections in stores every other week. It’s setting business owners back hundreds, if not, thousands of dollars, and forcing them to work around the clock to meet their customer’s demands while still offering high-quality, sustainable products.
As a brand, you’re supposed to design, manufacture, test your product, and ship it all while keeping the cost and sustainability of your business in mind — but how do you keep up?
Luckily, there are plenty of tech companies out there that have a passion for fashion. These companies have developed software to help you manage your business more efficiently, so you can get back to doing what you do best: making clothes that make people feel good!
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of the top fashion software on the market — tools that will make sure your business doesn’t just survive, but thrives.
1. Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is the industry-standard design tool for fashion professionals. With it, you can create flat and functional sketches to communicate your ideas more clearly.
You can use the software to build your tech packs (technical packages) that are immediately ready to be sent to your manufacturer. With a little bit of training, you’ll have all the skills you need to make any pattern from scratch or alter an existing one. It also allows you to work faster on your designs if you have digital patterns available as a starting point.
The processes are similar to Adobe Photoshop, but the primary difference is that Illustrator is a vector-based program that lets you scale your digital designs without compromising their quality.
2. Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) Software
Once you have a clear idea of what you want to create, it’s time to create a digital prototype. Computer-aided design (CAD) software can help turn your sketches into digital designs and then generate patterns for sewing. Additionally, CAD software can be used to perform virtual tests for fit and quality assurance.
If you want to start introducing automation into your manufacturing process, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software is the way to go. This software makes it possible to generate machine instructions that are passed down through the supply chain — from production line managers who use the instructions to operate machines to technicians who use them on factory floor equipment. The more complete the set of instructions provided by CAM tools, the more automated a fashion company’s factory will be.
3. Product Lifecycle Management Software
PLM software may be a confusing topic, but don’t worry. Think of PLM software as a software package that lets you build, manage and maintain your garment line from end to end. It helps you organize every last detail and will make sure every step is completed correctly, thereby preventing errors and ensuring that each garment is delivered on time to customers.
The most common use of PLM software is within high-volume clothing brands, where keeping track of multiple styles manufactured by different factories can be quite a challenge.
However, modern PLM programs like WFX PLM are great for both big and small-size operations as companies can choose the features they want and customize the software to their needs.
4. Demand Forecast & Analytics Tools
Demand forecasting tools are critical for fashion brands because they help you optimize your inventory. How exactly? Well, they enable you to forecast demand by analyzing sales, inventory, and customer data. You can also consider factors like seasonality, product lifecycle and marketing to help predict future demand with the power of artificial intelligence.
This is important because the fashion industry changes so fast. Having a high turnover rate is the best way to stay relevant in the market. With analytics tools that forecast demand, you can order less without worrying about missing out on sales potential!
5. 3D Design Software
3D design software (CAD) is the future of product design, and it’s important to become familiar with this technology now before it takes over the fashion industry like a tsunami. Using CAD can help you:
- Improve your designs. It’s easier than ever to create multiple iterations of a design with CAD. You can also easily render new ideas and add details like realistic fabrics, finishes and trims — saving time on patternmaking, sample sewing and grading.
- Develop products faster. With CAD technology, you can create digital patterns for apparel or accessories using just measurements input into your software program! And if you’re part of a team working on projects from different locations, you can collaborate online through the same platform — no more messy emails back and forth!
6. Virtual Fit & Sizing Apps
Fit and sizing tools are a natural step for brands who want to provide consumers with the most true-to-fit garments possible. Using AI, these apps scan a person’s body and create custom-sized patterns without even requiring a measurement tape. The technology works by increasing or decreasing the pattern based on the consumer’s body measurements. However, not all of these tools work exactly the same way, so it's best to explore some options and see what works for you.
For example, digital scanning technology company 3DLook uses artificial intelligence to provide apparel brands with accurate sizing across their product lines. Fashion tech company Fits.me uses what it calls “virtual fit modeling” software to predict how different styles and sizes will fit wearers’ unique bodies with 99% accuracy, according to its website.
7. AI-based Styling Apps
Styling and personalization are a big deal in fashion, so it makes sense that AI stylists are here to make that job easier on a larger scale. AI stylists help increase customer loyalty by boosting shoppers satisfaction — making relevant recommendations based on personal style preferences and buying behavior. This boosts customer loyalty, which translates into more sales for your business over time.
AI stylists can help your fashion brand in a number of ways:
- They provide customers with personalized style recommendations, which can make them more likely to make purchases. According to a report, 60% of customers surveyed said they were happy when they received personalized recommendations from an online retailer.
- They increase the number of purchases — because there’s less friction between the customer and checkout. They might be more likely to buy something. Another report showed that as much as 78% of people say frustration is their main reason for abandoning their cart at checkout.
- They help brands manage inventory, since AI can identify trends and predict demand for products based on what it observes about buyers’ preferences. If you have too much stock of one kind of shirt, but not enough stock in another kind, the AI stylist can send you alerts so you know what to order next from your manufacturer or distributor.
8. Virtual Showrooms
Virtual showrooms are the next evolution for designers looking to show off their work to prospective buyers. They use 3D animation and virtual reality (VR) technology to create a digital space for you to showcase your products — without the need for a physical one.
By using a virtual showroom platform, designers can save money on travel costs, and can showcase their products to a wider audience than they would be able to do with a physical space. Brands (or manufacturers) can create innovative presentations, videos and use hi-resolution imagery that enhances the buying experience and boosts sales.
The best virtual showroom tools also have features for streamlining your workflow, including design boards, customer management software, email marketing, data tracking tools, and more.
Summary
In conclusion, if you’re a fashion business hoping to grow in the coming years, you’ll need to make some key investments in software tools. Your options might seem overwhelming at first glance, but hopefully this article has given you a better sense of what’s out there and how it applies to your needs.
Some of these tools require a little bit of specialized knowledge to use, but others are surprisingly easy to learn! No matter which ones end up being your favorites, remember that any business-building tool is only as valuable as its ability to ease your workload while also improving productivity and efficiency.
Text by Vishakha Somani. Image courtesies as mentioned.
