{"id":12611,"date":"2018-10-12T14:55:33","date_gmt":"2018-10-12T18:55:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/textiles.ncsu.edu\/news\/?p=12611"},"modified":"2018-10-12T14:55:33","modified_gmt":"2018-10-12T18:55:33","slug":"textiles-researchers-develop-a-fitting-solution-to-determine-size","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/textiles.ncsu.edu\/news\/2018\/10\/textiles-researchers-develop-a-fitting-solution-to-determine-size\/","title":{"rendered":"Textiles Researchers Develop a Fitting Solution to Determine Accurate Size"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
By Susan Fandel<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2017, an estimated 1.66 billion people worldwide purchased goods online. During the same year, 20 to 50 percent of online clothing sales were returned — a majority due to poor fit. Researchers at the <\/span>Wilson College of Textiles<\/span><\/a> at <\/span>NC State University<\/span><\/a> have developed a solution to the waste and cost of these returns: <\/span>Prime Fit<\/span><\/a>, a proprietary mobile app and garment system that would offer an inexpensive way for consumers to obtain accurate body measurements in the privacy of their own home (patent number US2018\/046248). <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis system could be revolutionary for online shoppers, e-commerce clothing companies and even fitness and wellness applications,\u201d said <\/span>Andre West<\/span><\/a>, assistant professor in the college\u2019s department of <\/span>Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The app, in development, obtains measurements from 2D images that have been taken with a cell phone or digital camera while the user wears a special Prime Fit measuring garment. The software uses height, weight, age, gender, ethnicity and the 2D measurements to provide an output of accurate dimensions to help consumers identify their \u201csize\u201d for clothing purchase.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n We wanted to find a way of making it easy and fun for people to track their size through weight loss or gain with very accurate results.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Common methods of determining the right size clothing include trying on dozens of garments until the right size is found, taking manual measurements or being body scanned by professionals. Most consumers do not know their body measurements when shopping online and have significant difficulty taking their own measurements. Body scanning, while accurate and fast, requires expensive equipment and training for operation. The constant presence of cell phones in our daily lives would make the Prime Fit method convenient and easily accessible for consumers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n