Key takeaways: a connected workflow for technical fashion design
Digital product creation brings pattern development, 3D fit review, production information, and visualization into one workflow. CLO is designed for fashion teams that want to move between 2D patternmaking and 3D garment development while keeping production needs in view.
- Pattern development and fit review: CLO brings 2D pattern tools and 3D simulation together. Designers can draft and edit patterns, work with Points of Measure (POM), and apply grading formulas while reviewing garment fit on an avatar.
- Material-led simulation: Fabric settings, avatars, and pattern geometry work together in CLO to help teams assess drape and fit. Fit maps can make areas of concern easier to review against the material’s physical properties.
- Production-ready information: CLO supports common pattern and document formats, BOM editing and export, fabric-consumption calculations, and connections with CLO-SET and documented enterprise systems.
- A fashion-focused toolset: CLO is optimized for fashion workflows. Marvelous Designer is CLO’s sibling software, geared toward animation and gaming; the two tools serve different creative contexts.
2D CAD pattern precision, measurement-based drafting, and size grading
A useful digital prototype starts with patterns that can be developed, measured, and graded with production in mind. CLO places 2D pattern creation alongside 3D simulation, so designers can move between pattern edits and visual fit review in the same workflow.
CLO’s Pattern Drafter and Auto POM & Grading tools support measurement-based drafting and editable grading. Designers can work with multiple grading fields, use formulas for irregular size deviations, and calculate Points of Measure in the application. Sketch on Avatar turns sketches drawn directly on an avatar into 2D vector patterns, while parametric drafting functions support the development of garments such as trousers and skirts.
That close connection between 2D and 3D can help teams assess proportion and fit as a design develops, rather than treating patternmaking and visualization as separate steps. Customizable avatars provide a way to review how graded patterns sit across body dimensions and size ranges. As with any virtual fitting workflow, results depend on the accuracy of the pattern, avatar, and material settings.
Fabric physics simulation, drape realism, and fit validation
A convincing digital garment depends on how its material behaves. Bending stiffness, shear resistance, tensile stretch, and collision behavior all influence the way a garment drapes and fits.
CLO simulates fit and drape using fabric parameters, avatars, and 2D pattern geometry. Fit maps help identify areas of strain in relation to the selected material’s physical properties, giving designers another way to assess fit during development. CLO also supports GPU-accelerated soft-body and trim simulation, as well as physical fabric digitization through CLOFAB data.
For garments where finish and construction matter to the design review, CLO includes visual wash effects for denim, along with construction details such as threaded lacing, glued accessory patterns, and custom OBJ zipper teeth. These tools give teams more ways to represent garment details in a digital sample. Simulation remains a design and review aid; physical samples and material testing are still important when confirming production outcomes.
Marvelous Designer shares a foundation in 3D garment creation as CLO’s sibling software, but its focus is animation and gaming. CLO is optimized for fashion, where pattern development, fit review, and production handoff are central parts of the workflow.
Global CAD interoperability, tech pack generation, and PLM connectivity
Production handoffs often involve pattern geometry, Bill of Materials (BOM) information, and fabric-yield estimates. CLO supports common exchange formats to help teams share design and pattern information with other parts of their workflow.
CLO can import and export formats including DXF, Adobe Illustrator (AI), and vector-preserving PDF. Its BOM Editor supports organizing and exporting product materials information, while nesting tools calculate fabric consumption and average per-garment production costs, with controls for bundle direction. The available tools can help connect design decisions with practical production planning.
For collaboration, CLO connects with CLO-SET, the cloud platform for managing and sharing 3D product content. CLO also has documented integration connectors with PTC FlexPLM, Centric Software, and BeProduct. The exact setup and data exchanged depend on the connected systems and a team’s implementation, so organizations should confirm their requirements before planning a handoff.
Downstream 3D rendering and engine export pipelines
CLO can support work beyond apparel development, including rendering and real-time visualization. Moving a garment into tools such as Blender or a real-time engine still requires attention to geometry, UVs, and texture assignments.
CLO supports 3D exchange formats including OBJ, FBX, glTF, USD, and USDZ, as well as integration with NVIDIA Omniverse Connect. Export options and related tools support workflows for digital humans and game engines, including polygon reduction and rig templates. CLO’s rendering tools support GPU rendering on macOS and Windows, PBR texture imports, high-resolution output, and Toon Shading.
Marvelous Designer is also used in downstream character and animation pipelines, reflecting its focus on entertainment production. CLO’s fashion-oriented workflow can help apparel teams develop garments digitally and prepare assets for visualization where needed. In either case, exported assets should be checked in their destination application to confirm that topology, UVs, materials, and animation data behave as expected.
CLO’s integrated technical fashion workflow
CLO brings pattern development, simulation, production information, and 3D visualization into a connected set of tools. The table below summarizes how those capabilities can support common stages of apparel development.
Comparison table Scroll to view every column ↔
| Workflow stage | CLO tools and capabilities | How teams can use them |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern development | Pattern Drafter, measurement-based drafting, editable POM and grading tools | Develop and adjust 2D patterns while working with body measurements and graded rules |
| Fit and material review | 3D garment simulation, fabric settings, fit maps, CLOFAB data | Review drape and assess fit in relation to material properties |
| Production preparation | BOM Editor and export, nesting and fabric-consumption calculations, DXF/AI/PDF support | Organize product information and prepare data for downstream production workflows |
| Collaboration | CLO-SET and documented enterprise connectors | Share 3D product content and connect design work with broader business systems |
| Visualization and export | OBJ, FBX, glTF, USD/USDZ, Omniverse Connect, rendering tools | Move garment assets into rendering, review, and real-time visualization workflows |
Marvelous Designer is CLO’s sibling software for animation and gaming workflows. CLO is optimized for fashion design and apparel development, so the tools address distinct use cases rather than serving as direct substitutes for one another.
Category-specific implementation: outerwear, denim, knitwear, and activewear
Different garment categories bring their own construction and material considerations. CLO’s pattern and simulation workflow gives teams ways to explore those details digitally as a design develops.
Outerwear and heavy layered assemblies
Layered outerwear combines base layers, insulation, shells, and structural trims. A clear layer hierarchy and suitable collision settings can help manage overlapping garments during simulation. CLO supports garment layer assignments and GPU trim simulation; features such as lacing and gluing can help position details including zippers, buckles, and pockets on a garment.
Denim and structured wovens
Denim development often calls for fabric settings that reflect a structured material, along with attention to grainlines and pattern layout. CLO includes visual denim wash effects for treatments such as stone, bleach, and enzyme washes. Nesting tools can also help estimate fabric consumption and account for bundle-direction settings during planning.
Knitwear and elastic activewear
Form-fitting activewear and knit tops call for close attention to stretch and fit across the body. CLO fit maps can help highlight areas of strain in relation to the selected fabric properties. CLO also integrates with SHIMA SEIKI ApexFiz knit design software and includes a Knit Swatch Editor for configuring details such as gauge, yarn thickness, wales, and courses.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I bring 3D clothing simulation into Blender for final rendering?
Yes. CLO supports OBJ, FBX, and USD exports, which can be brought into Blender for further work. Geometry and PBR texture assignments should be checked after import, since the result depends on export settings and the receiving application.
How do I export 3D garments to Unreal Engine without breaking materials?
CLO supports formats including glTF, FBX, and USD/USDZ, and provides tools for digital-human and game-engine workflows. Before using an asset in a real-time engine, check its UV coordinates, topology, texture assignments, and materials in the destination project. Format support alone does not guarantee that every material or setting will transfer exactly as expected.
Can I visualize how pattern grading affects fit across a full size range?
CLO’s Auto POM & Grading tools support multi-field grading formulas and Points of Measure based on body dimensions. Reviewing graded patterns on customizable avatars can help teams assess proportion and fit across a size range. The usefulness of that review depends on the accuracy of the measurements, grading rules, and avatar setup.
Can one software handle pattern drafting, fabric simulation, and production information?
CLO combines 2D pattern tools, 3D fabric simulation, fit maps, nesting and fabric-consumption calculations, BOM editing, and production-file exports in one workflow. That can make it easier for apparel teams to connect design review with production preparation, while still allowing them to exchange files with other systems as needed.
Can active university students get an individual CLO subscription?
Yes. Active students studying at an accredited university qualify for a CLO individual subscription license. They may also receive a student discount when they submit appropriate enrollment documentation to CLO’s user support team for verification.
Is CLO Academy free, and does it offer a certificate?
CLO Academy is free for all individual subscribers, including active students. It does not currently offer quizzes or certificates of completion. CLO provides a separate, paid certification exam; successful candidates receive an official certificate from CLO verifying their proficiency in the specific software version used during the test.