Abstract
Fashion design is, by nature, a very hands-on activity in which the touch and feel of a textile are considered vital to the design of the garment. Yet when designers work with digital fashion design software, they rely on digital textile definitions that are visual instead of tangible textile swatches. In this research, we created a new Textile Digital Drape Definition (TD3) that is heavily informed by textile drape properties. We compared the TD3 to traditional tangible textile interaction, via an intense workshop examining eleven textile sample swatches. The digital drape of the TD3 follows standardized textile science drape methods, and it is created using the measured properties of the physical textile. The participants (N = 24), all digital fashion designers, undertook a three-phase workshop where they 1) observed the TD3 and indicated attributes and design considerations for each textile, 2) repeated the process after a tangible interaction, and 3) reflected on the visual TD3 as a tool for determining attributes and design considerations for digital textiles. The results show which textiles benefit the TD3 and when tangible interaction is needed to better understand, interpret, and refine design considerations. The TD3 treats drape as an entity that combines its visual and measured mechanical properties. The TD3 is relevant for researchers, educators, students, and practitioners in fashion and textile design who work with textiles in digital design software. The research introduces a digital textile definition that effectively informs design considerations in digital design with needed standardized implementation.
Keywords
Digital Textile Definitions; Digital design considerations; Textile drape; Fashion Design
DOI
10.21606/TI-2026.162
Citation
Kuijpers, A., Nachtigall, T.,and van Bommel, M.(2026) Textile Digital Drape Definition - TD3: Comparing Digital to Physical Design Considerations, in Jane Scott, Sophie Skach, and Rebecca Stewart (eds.), Textile Intersections 2026, 17-18 September 2026, London, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/TI-2026.162
Conference Track
researchpapers
Included in
Textile Digital Drape Definition - TD3: Comparing Digital to Physical Design Considerations
Fashion design is, by nature, a very hands-on activity in which the touch and feel of a textile are considered vital to the design of the garment. Yet when designers work with digital fashion design software, they rely on digital textile definitions that are visual instead of tangible textile swatches. In this research, we created a new Textile Digital Drape Definition (TD3) that is heavily informed by textile drape properties. We compared the TD3 to traditional tangible textile interaction, via an intense workshop examining eleven textile sample swatches. The digital drape of the TD3 follows standardized textile science drape methods, and it is created using the measured properties of the physical textile. The participants (N = 24), all digital fashion designers, undertook a three-phase workshop where they 1) observed the TD3 and indicated attributes and design considerations for each textile, 2) repeated the process after a tangible interaction, and 3) reflected on the visual TD3 as a tool for determining attributes and design considerations for digital textiles. The results show which textiles benefit the TD3 and when tangible interaction is needed to better understand, interpret, and refine design considerations. The TD3 treats drape as an entity that combines its visual and measured mechanical properties. The TD3 is relevant for researchers, educators, students, and practitioners in fashion and textile design who work with textiles in digital design software. The research introduces a digital textile definition that effectively informs design considerations in digital design with needed standardized implementation.