Optitex

Optitex bridges the critical gap between flat 2D pattern making and 3D visual simulation. While tools like Adobe Illustrator are used for sketching the "idea" of a garment, Optitex is used by technical pattern makers to create the actual, mathematically precise cardboard templates (patterns) that the factory will use to cut the fabric. The software is famous for its powerful 2D grading and marker-making capabilities. "Grading" is the complex mathematical process of taking a size Medium pattern and scaling it up to a size Large and down to a size Small without ruining the proportions. "Marker making" is the process of arranging all those different pattern pieces onto a digital representation of a 60-inch wide roll of fabric, rotating them like a Tetris game to ensure the absolute minimum amount of fabric is wasted during the cutting process. In recent years, Optitex has integrated robust 3D capabilities alongside its 2D foundation. A pattern maker can adjust a curve on the flat 2D pattern, and immediately see how that change affects the drape of the garment on a 3D avatar in the adjacent window, drastically speeding up the fitting process before physical samples are ordered.