Abstract
Textile swatches historically are important in the design and prototyping of new products for accessories, apparel, footwear, interior and exterior design, and many other areas of design. Originally, creating a textile swatch meant cutting up fabrics or materials into small pieces to be sent to interested parties or provided a reference. While making these swatches is still very important, virtual swathes are now seen as an avenue to pursue prototyping without as much associated waste. With the increasing demand for virtual textiles, the researchers wanted to evaluate and compare large websites that provide digital swatches to users for their virtual designs. The primary focus of this study was to see how simple it was for users to turn their ideas or virtual swatches into physical textiles. To do this, a ranking scale was created, and the researchers evaluated the asset websites, accordingly, based on ease of use. The researchers discovered that there is much room for improvement on these websites. Many of the websites reviewed provided the digital swatch, and occasionally the vendor information. However, it did not give users access to order fabric from the vendors, except for the one brand that had an integrated website. Users still need to contact the vendor directly or go to the vendor’s website to order, which could be difficult as not every vendor lists their contact information. The researchers concluded that it would be beneficial for these websites to integrate a method of ordering from the vendors and simplify use.
Presenters
Amanda J. ThompsonAssociate Professor, Clothing, Textiles, and Interior Design, University of Alabama, Alabama, United States Trevor Collins (Hill)
Instructor, College of Human Enviromental Sciences, The University of Alabama, Alabama, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Swatches, Textiles, Virtual Swatches
