3DBodyTech2025 - Adopting 3D Body Scanning in Customized Apparel Design

Adopting 3D Body Scanning in Customized Apparel Design: Cultural, Technical, and Perceptual Barriers of Fashion Designers, Pattern Maker and Final Users Technology - 25.42 Extract of Presentation of Daria CASCIANI, Politecnico di Milano, Department of Design at 3DBODY.TECH 2025 Full paper at https://proc.3dbody.tech/abstracts/2025/2542.html Full video available in the proceedings Abstract: This study investigates the technical, operational, and socio-cultural aspects of 3D body scanning, exploring consumer perceptions and fashion operators experiences in integrating scanning into digital fashion workflows. A mixed-method approach was adopted: approximately 23 participants completed surveys before and after scanning sessions using the We Wear by Prisma Tech cabin, assessing emotional responses, trust, and usability. In parallel, 8 fashion operators among designers and pattern makers participated in semi-structured interviews to examine digital measurement extraction, avatar generation, digital-to-analog conversion, and parametric pattern-making. Consumers reported that the 3D body scanning experience was generally positive, describing it as fast, intuitive, and non-invasive, with increased confidence in its ease of use after the session, although some concerns remained about body image discomfort and the perceived loss of artisanal touch. Fashion operators valued body scanning for enhancing fit, reducing waste, and enabling visualization and pre-prototyping, yet noted challenges including measurement inconsistencies and misalignment with manual ones, mesh quality issues in converting digital avatars, limited software interoperability, emphasizing the need for leaner digital processes and clearer training. A revised workflow framework is proposed to bridge gaps between analog and digital practices across fashion design workflows.