Is this the end of Savile Row?

Carson sportswear manufacturer JS Apparel Inc. has signed a deal with Shanghai Yin Science & Technology Co. Ltd. for use of its Yin 3D garment fitting system, which takes a full body scan of a fit model to create a pattern that is then cut into a sample clothing item.

The technology, said Scott Wilson, JS Apparel’s vice president of sales and development, helps cut production time from days to hours.

“This is one of those ‘wow’ things that don’t come around too often,” Wilson said. “It’s a way for us to be competitive with offshore. It just drops our costs down and adds in the technology that generally isn’t used offshore right now.”

The system scans a model in about five seconds and captures 180 measurement points. Wilson said it replaces human tailors, who can spend about an hour to measure a fit model at about 20 different points.

The system, including cameras and software, costs about $40,000. JS Apparel, which has already used the technology to create clothes for Bloomingdale’s and others, will also be the technology’s sole licensing representative in the United States, marketing it to other manufacturers.

“This technology is too good to just keep,” he said. “It needs to be shared. … Would I compete against our own technology? Yes, but it’s OK.”

– Subrina Hudson