When used correctly, 3D design tools are far more than creative software. Beyond accelerating development, cutting prototype waste and reducing the cost of shipping samples across time zones, 3D also serves as a powerful data engine. Here, Ryan Lee-Teng, vice president of business development, Americas at CLO Virtual Fashion, explains how data-rich 3D assets enhance communication and collaboration across the entire apparel value chain, and how 3D has become fashion’s single source of truth.
HGI: How is CLO evolving from a 3D design tool into a decision-making platform across the apparel value chain?
Ryan Lee-Teng: 3D has always been about being able to design/develop/decide, but if there were a fourth “D” it would have to be data. Unlike abstract rows in a spreadsheet or traditional text-based platforms, a 3D asset made with CLO provides immediate visual context alongside technical specifications. This makes it the most efficient, intuitive medium for communication across the entire garment lifecycle, significantly reducing the manual interpretation and data entry that legacy tools require. Our main focus at CLO is building the tools and infrastructure for brands and suppliers so that these data-rich 3D assets can flow smoothly from start to finish, making them the ultimate single source of truth for everyone involved.
HGI: What organizational or cultural barriers still prevent 3D from becoming the default starting point for apparel design?
RLT: It usually comes down to stakeholders aligning on objectives and creating a truly collaborative environment. We like to think of 3D assets as “dynamic data containers” that help teams across the value chain work together. As 3D garments travel from the initial design phase through sourcing and production, they pick up valuable layers of information—things like production [bill of materials] BOM details, annotation history, ESG metrics and costing data. But for this to work, the whole organization has to be oriented, and genuinely motivated, to take advantage of all that valuable data.
HGI: Where are brands seeing the fastest ROI from CLO today and why? Is it speed to market? Cost reduction? Sustainability?
RLT: Is it too sales-y if I said “all of the above?” Of course every brand is different, but seeing a 40% boost in sampling speeds is pretty common. We’ve had partners knock out about 90% of prototyping digitally on CLO before ever cutting fabric for a final approval sample. And guess what? That precision gets better over iterations. But the biggest ROI people often overlook is simply time. It’s not just about racing to market; it’s about speeding up the whole product lifecycle so teams can make better decisions earlier. It really reduces the friction experienced by brands and their vendor partners because they are able to get on the same (digital) page, sooner.
HGI: How does CLO integrate with PLM, material libraries, and AI tools without disrupting existing workflows?
RLT: So many of our early mover brands and their vendor partners using CLO-enabled 3D assets—whether that’s full products, meshes, materials or components—are already seeing the benefits of connecting the various existing workflow stages. We really see this as the end of the “Black Box” era of silos and disconnects and the start of a “Glass Box” partnership enabled by transparent passing of valuable supply chain data. At CLO, we are continually working on newer and better ways that allow for seamless integrations between existing workflows/tools to transform purely transactional relationships into a highly collaborative, technical partnership that brings more value to brands. Our clients’ data is paramount to successful digital transformation of their supply chain, and it all starts with a 3D asset.
HGI: What needs to change, whether technologically or commercially, for physical sampling to become the exception rather than the norm?
RLT: We think the main thing is trust; building the confidence that what you see on the digital screen translates to physical, tactile reality. Physics-based 3D delivers this because unlike a 2D photo, it communicates weight, drape and fit. It answers the question: “How will this behave on a body?” Once brands, and eventually consumers, fully trust that 3D makes designing, manufacturing and even shopping a better experience, digital sampling will naturally become the norm. In fact, the companies leading the charge have already made 3D the backbone of their entire value chain, connecting it directly to manufacturing, costing and customer engagement. Often, when we see inaccuracies in comparing a physical sample to a digital one, there has been a break of consistency somewhere among the product’s life cycle and 3D was not used correctly.
