Fabric has been part of human life for millennia. In ancient Egypt, cotton, silk, wool and flax fibres were used for textiles and there’s evidence of cotton in India and silk in China around 3000 BCE. Thanks to mechanical innovations like the spinning jenny and the evolution of loom technology, textiles have evolved but, we’re reaching a tipping point where technology in other industries is outpacing development in fabrics. That doesn’t mean the world of fabrics is waiting around to be left behind.
The last notable innovations in textiles were the creation of Spandex and Kevlar around the 1960s. With the world looking at how we live with a totally different perspective from previous decades, the time is now for fabrics to innovate again. The need for sustainable, smart solutions is driving consumer demand and the competition is tight in an already demanding global industry.
Recyclable fabrics, fabrics made of atypical fibres and fabrics with digital technology embedded in them are all part of the array of where fabrics are going but let’s look at digital fabric twins.
A digital twin is a digital representation of a physical object. Twinbru’s digital fabric twins are digital representations of close to 11,000 Bru fabrics that are collated in an extensive fabric texture library. The fabrics are digitised through a high-quality, ultra-high-resolution scanning process that maps the finest detail of each fabric in 3D, including true colour, pattern and texture.
The result is a hyper-realistic digital image of each fabric produced in a relatively short period of time with a vast amount of content ready for customer use. There are noteworthy benefits to adopting this technology:
In 2018, Gartner predicted digital twins as a top trend, saying that “with an estimated 21 billion connected sensors and endpoints by 2020, digital twins will exist for billions of things in the near future."
For furniture manufacturers, wholesalers, architects and interior designers, these digital fabric twins afford the ability to showcase a variety of fabrics to customers in a realistic, curated setting, therefore, increasing the chance of securing a sale. Being able to present fabrics and furniture in a digital environment reduces costs because you don’t need those expensive in-person photoshoots of fabric sample books. Digital samples are more environmentally sustainable and Twinbru aims to support a vast reduction in waste and carbon dioxide production thanks to its digital fabric twins.
What sets Twinbru’s digital fabric twins apart is that we are leaders in our industry. As the digital business venture of Bru Textiles, Twinbru was built on over 25 years of fabric expertise and a deep wealth of knowledge of innovative fabric technology from sustainable production to stain resistance. All of the digital fabrics in Twinbru’s library are twins that capture the essence and texture of market-ready physical fabrics, providing all the sensory information in a far more sustainable, forward-thinking format. Knowing fabrics inside and out is what drives this innovation and Twinbru is proud to carry this expertise into the digital space.
So, if you’re looking for a smart, sustainable solution that puts you at the leading edge of your industry, digital fabric twins are it. Leading-edge technology can be a phenomenal advantage for business as it builds value in your brand and makes your business more competitive with a unique selling proposition. Digital fabric twins could also provide a better route to developing markets and help develop original concepts.
The right innovative solution like digital fabric twins can help you save precious time and money, and give you a competitive lead in expanding your business. What’s not to love?
Contact us today to find out how our digital fabric twins can enhance your business offering.