Page 95 - Anthropometry, Apparel Sizing and Design

60 Anthropometry, Apparel Sizing and Design

will be the centre of innovation in the fashion industry in 2018” (BOF/McKInsey,
2018) with key drivers being the adoption of principles of a circular economy, design
for longevity, use of sustainably materials, and more importantly commitment to
change (Op de Beeck, 2018).
However, despite these extensive, national and international activities and calls for
personalized clothing, little information has been found that directly addresses the
problem of poorly sized and shaped, mass-produced clothing. According to a study
conducted by Body Lab, 64% of purchases returned were due to sizing issues in
2016 (Cilley, 2016). This high percentage is due, in part, to the rise of online purchases
and business practices such as try-before-you-buy (TBYB) and free-returns strategy
described as a “returns tsunami” (Brightpearl, 2018). In addition, large volumes of
markdowns, unsold clothing, and the subsequent volume of landfill are all
unsustainable practices, and while not all these issues can be directly attributed to gar-
ment size and shape, it is the capture and application of contemporary and accurate
anthropometric data that has the potential to help reverse these trends.

3.3 Importance and significance of national size and
shape surveys

The value of size and shape surveys for clothing is considerable. Nevertheless, if we
recognize the need to confront urgent sustainability issues (the growth of and changes
within populations and variable life styles), then we shall need to undertake anthro-
pometric studies at regular intervals, to help accurately reflect such developments.
Countries comprise people of differing cultures, ethnicities, life styles, and ages,
which in turn influence the size and shape of people within populations. Data collected
during anthropometric surveys (scientific study of the physical dimensions shapes and
sizes) can be used for a variety of applications requiring different ranges of static and
dynamic dimensions. For this reason the type of anthropometric data collected during
a sizing survey needs to be appropriate for the people, the products they use, and their
purposes.
Interest in collecting body data from large groups of people for clothing applica-
tions has been well practiced for the military, but little was achieved for civilian
groups until the mid-20th century and then primarily for women. These early studies,
together with an increase in mass-produced clothing, continue to prompt many coun-
tries to undertake national and clothing-specific anthropometric studies, and although
manual studies are still being executed (see Table 3.1), the advent of three-
dimensional body scanning systems has accelerated those interests, particularly dur-
ing the last 20years (see Table 3.2).
The importance of these 3-D technologies lies in their capacity not only to extract
large amounts of accurate data very quickly and without subject contact but also to do
so in a way that enhances and extends traditional, one-dimensional measurement.
Anthropometric data collection can now capture information for one, two, three,
and four dimensions (e.g., 3dMD, 2016). Three-dimensional and 4-D scanning and
data extraction systems offer opportunities to increase our understanding of the static