What Are the Benefits of CAD Software for Fashion Design?

CAD enables designers to design more than just the "plain white T-shirt."

Fashion designers spend hours agonizing over sketches, measurements and small details that ultimately make an entire garment come together. With computer aided design (CAD) software, this process can become streamlined and efficient, leaving the designer more time to design.

Benefits

The main benefit of CAD software in fashion design is the measure of preciseness. This translates into quicker patterns, better fit for sizing and easily interpreted designs for manufacturing.

Pattern Making

Pattern making can often be difficult after an initial design has been created. With CAD software a designer is able to choose from thousands of preset patterns and then make the necessary adjustments to the pattern on the computer to achieve the design.

Sizing Using CAD

With CAD software, a designer can input dimensions of a model to achieve the correct fit. Additionally a pattern could accurately be sized up and down for commercial use.

Design Interpretation

When sharing designs with manufacturers and others it is important that the correct design is interpreted. With CAD software precise measurements and instructions can be given. For example, a seamstress will know precisely how much to hem a pair of pants, exactly where to place the buttons, and exactly which fabric choices and finishes should be used.

Popular CAD Software Used in Fashion

Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Colour Matters, U4ia, Kaledo and Optitex are programs that are often used in schools that teach fashion design:

References

• Fashion Institute of Technology