Virtual Reality and 3D systems are widely in use in many industries, both for design and marketing. Automobiles are designed by 3D systems, and the same images are further used in sales promotion and also in sales configurations. 3D design systems are also used by several fashion companies. But only a few go beyond that and present virtual products in web sites and in configurator applications like the famous Sales Wall by Adidas, which is regarded to be the company at the forefront in virtualization in fashion.

3D software solutions are widely available. Lectra offers tools for designers while Browzwear, Optitex and Clo3D go further by integrating the 3D designs to sales configuration solutions including moving avatars. The Korean golf wear manufacturer Elrod organizes virtual cat walks for presenting their garments, where nothing, i.e. models (avatars), garments, cat walk and scenery, is real. The visual quality of avatars and garments improves continuously. Furthermore, such systems make customized e commerce possible.

The aim of the recently completed Horizon 2020 funded project 'fromROLLtoBAG' was to create an integrated consumer driven local production system with the help of virtual design and digital manufacturing. Consumers connected with mobile devices can customize the avatar, insert own measurements and virtually try on garments from suppliers’ collection. Once done the order is transferred to a local manufacturer which with digital printing, cutting and unit assembly produces the product and ships to the customer in one day. Besides offering digital market place to brand companies, the objective of the project was to bring garment production back to Europe.