Overview
Shahi Exports faced significant challenges with traditional fabric scanning methods. This resulted in time-consuming and inaccurate texture maps produced manually through Adobe Photoshop. By integrating NunoX's Premium Scanner and NunoX Cloud material editing software, Shahi Exports received high-definition texture maps, reduced product development time, and improved overall efficiency. This case study highlights the journey, solutions, and success of Shahi Exports with NunoX.
Overcoming Traditional Limitations by Embracing New Technology
Shahi Exports is India’s largest apparel manufacturer and exporter, supplying fabrics to global brands. They specialize in high-quality fabrics and are known for their innovation and commitment to maintaining high quality, ethical operations, and environmental sustainability. With global clients like Target, Walmart, Gap, and Decathlon, Shahi needed to upgrade its technology to satisfy client requests.
Shahi Exports historically utilized traditional scanners that provided good-quality images but only from one angle, without the lighting necessary to showcase the fabric’s unique characteristics. As more advanced technology developed, the limitations of these scanners became apparent. This prompted Shahi to explore alternatives for producing more detailed fabric scans for client projects.
Navigating the Challenges in Traditional Fabric Scanning
Traditional Scanner Limitations:
Scanners turn physical fabrics into virtual versions for digital design. Traditional scanners capture only one angle, lacking the necessary lighting to see detailed textures. It was especially difficult to get clear details for black and white fabric scans, prolonging product development time.
Manually Created Texture Maps:
Texture maps help designers visualize how fabrics look and move on digital garments. These maps are essential to create a virtual touch-and-feel experience without physical samples. They add information like colors, wrinkles, shininess, and depth to enhance the design process and presentation. The design and development team manually created and edited texture maps in Adobe Photoshop. This process was time-consuming and led to inconsistencies and inaccuracies, affecting the overall quality of fabric representation.
Example of Different Types of Texture Maps (Generated by NunoX Cloud) .
Defining Success in Fabric Digitization
When searching for a solution, Shahi kept 3 key goals in mind:
1. Improve Scan Quality:
Achieve higher resolution and more accurate fabric scans to better represent fabric details.
2. Reduce Texture Map Creation Time:
Find software that automatically creates texture maps and stores digital fabric samples to save time and resources.
3. Enhance Efficiency:
Improve overall efficiency in the fabric digitization process, from scanning to sharing samples on garments with buyers.
Integrating NunoX: A Leap Forward in Fabric Digitization
NunoX’s Premium Scanner helps Shahi capture fabric images from multiple angles with professional lighting, making issues with black and white fabrics a problem of the past. A 3D digital fabric replica, or “digital twin,” is created in minutes with downloadable texture maps compatible with popular design software. These texture maps provided accurate textures for client garment samples.
With the support of NunoX’s customer service team, Shahi quickly integrated the Premium Scanner and Cloud platform into their digital product development workflow. Instead of taking weeks, it now only takes a few days to go from fabric scan to garment sample.
Shahi found the NunoX Cloud Shared Link via QR code feature especially useful when collaborating with clients. Clients can scan the QR code to see the fabric used on the garment sample. Clients feel more engaged in the product development process, and Shahi receives firm confirmation that the product is on the right track.
Shahi shares that their most recent client was very surprised they can achieve this kind of detail in digital format. Their client expressed satisfaction with the digital samples, highlighting the improved quality and efficiency of completing proposals.
Shahi attaches a QR code to the fabric for clients to view
Measurable Benefits with NunoX Solutions
After integrating NunoX’s solution into their workflow, Shahi is producing accurate and high-quality digital fabric texture maps faster than before. The time required to create digital garment samples was reduced from several weeks to just 2-3 days, significantly accelerating the product development cycle. This integration has not only improved their internal processes but also elevated the output for their global clientele, ensuring that Shahi produces quality products for their clients.
Fabric scanned with NunoX Premium Scanner is used on a client proposal
Shahi also notes that NunoX products are really simple [that] any designer can do it by just downloading the software and connecting it with the scanner. NunoX's user-friendly system allows designers to operate it with minimal training, thus increasing productivity and reducing reliance on specialized skills.
The Road Ahead: Enhancing Capabilities with NunoX
Overall, NunoX solutions have transformed Shahi Exports' fabric digitization workflow in 3 key ways:
1. Automatically create high-resolution texture maps.
2. Reduce garment sample creation from several weeks to 2-3 days.
3. Easily share fabrics for clients to view via a shareable link
This has allowed Shahi Exports to meet buyers' needs more effectively and maintain their competitive edge. Shahi Exports plans to continue using NunoX's solutions for future projects. They are also looking forward to exploring additional NunoX features, such as AI Physics to simulate fabric drape, to enhance their processes.
Learn more about NunoX and the Premium Scanner here.
Explore More:
The NunoX Cloud Shared Link feature allows any piece of fabric in the library to be viewed from anywhere via a unique QR code or link.
Try it out: Click on each image below to see each fabric in 3D. Blue
