Systems and methods are described that provide for automated manufacturing of garments using cutting, folding tools and adhesive dispensers operating on continuous webs of fabric webs to manufacture garments in an efficient manner while improving quality and overcoming material handling issues resulting from the properties of fabrics.

Embodiments herein describe automated systems and methods to assemble a garment, such as a T-shirt. Some embodiments provide for systems and methods for transferring and manipulating fabrics and joining garment components during garment manufacturing in a way that is more suitable to automation. Some embodiments provide for garment manufacturing systems and methods that are reconfigurable to enable both mass production of customized garments and small batch processing with reduced human intervention.

Embodiments herein describe automated systems and methods to assemble a garment, such as a T-shirt. Some embodiments provide for systems and methods for transferring and manipulating fabrics and joining garment components during garment manufacturing in a way that is more suitable to automation. Some embodiments provide for garment manufacturing systems and methods that are reconfigurable to enable both mass production of customized garments and small batch processing with reduced human intervention.

Embodiments of the invention concerns a method of designing a sports article, including: (a) scanning at least one body part of at least a first person; (b) creating a first digital model of the body part of the first person; (c) creating a digital model of the sports article; (d) digitally arranging the digital model of the sports article on the first digital model of the body part, while allowing the digital model of the sports article to stretch digitally and (e) digitally modifying at least one property of the digital model of the sports article based on the first digital model of the body part and the digital model of the sports article.

A method and tooling for manufacturing flexible articles of manufacture such as garments, bags, backpacks and accessories that require hemmed edges. The method and tooling are compatible for use in an automated system and simplify the hemming process by performing the hemming operation on a flat pattern of material before the pattern of material has been joined with other patterns of material to form a finished or intermediate three-dimensional workpiece. This facilitates the formation of the hem by allowing the hem to be formed on a flat material pattern on a flat surface, thereby facilitating the folding, creasing and affixing of the hem without the requirement of human dexterity and labor.

A method and tooling for manufacturing flexible articles of manufacture such as garments, bags, backpacks and accessories that require hemmed edges. The method and tooling are compatible for use in an automated system and simplify the hemming process by performing the hemming operation on a flat pattern of material before the pattern of material has been joined with other patterns of material to form a finished or intermediate three-dimensional workpiece. This facilitates the formation of the hem by allowing the hem to be formed on a flat material pattern on a flat surface, thereby facilitating the folding, creasing and affixing of the hem without the requirement of human dexterity and labor.

A garment station including a first guide separated from a second guide by a repositionable gap. The garment station further includes a head carrier disposed between the first guide and the second guide. The garment station further includes a first tool head and a second tool head attached to the head carrier and configured to join webs of fabric disposed across the gap. The head carrier is configured to maintain the first tool head and the second tool head aligned in the gap as the gap is repositioned.

A tool allows a user to create new designs for apparel and preview these designs in three dimensions before manufacture. Software and lasers are used in finishing apparel to produce a desired wear pattern or other design. Based on a laser input file with a pattern, a laser will burn the pattern onto apparel. With the tool, the user will be able to create, make changes, and view images of a design, in real time, before burning by a laser. Input to the tool includes fabric template images, laser input files, and damage input. The tool allows adding of tinting and adjusting of intensity and bright point. The user can also move, rotate, scale, and warp the image input.

Laser finishing of apparel products allows an operating model that reduces finishing cost, lowers carrying costs, increases productivity, shortens time to market, be more reactive to trends, reduce product constraints, reduces lost sales and dilution, and more. Improved aspects include design, development, planning, merchandising, selling, making, and delivering. The model uses fabric templates, each of which can be used to produce a multitude of laser finishes. Operational efficiency is improved.

Laser finishing of apparel products allows an operating model that reduces finishing cost, lowers carrying costs, increases productivity, shortens time to market, be more reactive to trends, reduce product constraints, reduces lost sales and dilution, and more. Improved aspects include design, development, planning, merchandising, selling, making, and delivering. The model uses fabric templates, each of which can be used to produce a multitude of laser finishes. Operational efficiency is improved.