Page 10 - Anthropometry, Apparel Sizing and Design

New directions in the field of anthropometry, sizing and clothing fit 5

industry. Repercussions of this technological upheaval on jobs and livelihoods of
labor employed in this sector will need due consideration. Experts from software tech-
nology field would have to be integrated into the apparel manufacturing process, while
patternmakers and designers will have to scale up their digital skills and work closely
with IT experts. Upskilling of labor force across the entire value chain would be
required. While some changes would be inevitable, it is important to strike a balance
between technology, skills, and livelihoods. Judicious selection and implementation
of technologies that benefit the customer and the manufacturer appears to be the way
forward. The following paragraphs discuss these developments in detail.

1.2 Anthropometry

Anthropometry is defined as the science of “measurement of the human body.” The
term includes the complete process of data collection, summarization, documentation,
analysis, and communication. Over the last 100years, vast amounts of anthropometric
data were collected by tailors and garment manufacturers across the world. Based on
these data, apparel companies built their own closely guarded database of anthropo-
metric measures, patterns, and size charts. As a result, there was no standardization of
data or sizes across companies or countries (Olds, 2004). However, in the last 40years,
several countries have conducted large-scale, standardized size surveys—some exclu-
sively for clothing sizing and others for multiple applications in the design of auto-
mobiles, products, and clothing.
Methods and technologies for capturing of anthropometric data have evolved with
advances in science and technology. In medieval times, body measurements were
taken either with a measurement taker that was a long and narrow strip of parchment
or paper on which the measurements were recorded or by draping method wherein
fabric was wrapped around the body and thus attained its shape and size directly.
Eventually, tape measures, scales, and calipers were used to collect large amounts
of data. All these methods yielded data in the form of linear measures. Over a period
of time, need was felt to include data on body shapes into anthropometric measures,
and technologies were developed to capture three-dimensional shape of the body.
Detailed discussion on traditional methods as well as digital 3-D anthropometry
and methods of quality control of data are available in Chapter 2 of this book. Digital
methods of scanning the body in 3-D are now the mainstay of any large-scale anthro-
pometric survey across the world, even though manual surveys continue to be con-
ducted. Details of digital anthropometric sizing surveys conducted across the world
and the considerations in planning and conducting a large-scale survey are available
in Chapter 3 of this book.

1.2.1 Development in body scanning devices
A comprehensive write-up on 3-D scanners appears in Chapter 6 of the book. How-
ever, an account of how the 3-D measurement systems have evolved and affected the
industry during the last few years is summarized here.