Capture is the first complete online clothes measuring tool for your iPhone. If you run a resale, vintage or made-to-measure clothing business, it’s a great way to add efficiency and flexibility to your process. Besides, what business doesn’t want their teams working on more important tasks than clothes measuring and data entry?
Capture uses machine learning and computer vision technology to accurately measure clothing without a measuring tape. Additionally, Capture is not a mobile app, it’s a web app. This means you access this unique measuring tool from the browser on your iPhone. That’s right, no need to download another app, that was so 2010.
Capture is available for Android devices also. That’s the beauty of web apps, they’re not device specific. We created Capture to help retailers and consumers eliminate measuring tasks and solve a myriad of fit issues. What Capture does best is eliminate the need to measure clothing by hand. It’s the way measuring has been done forever and it’s time we introduced a more efficient way.
The second thing Capture does great is help people easily find clothing that fits like the clothes they already wear.
Capture Is Not Measure For iOS
When people hear the words digital measuring app, they may think of the iOS app Measure – which is available on the App Store. Capture is not this.
Measure is great at measuring simple objects. For instance, Measure will help you obtain the dimensions of a window in your house or the rug on your floor. What Measure, and all other measuring apps, won’t do is accurately measure an item as complex as a pair of jeans or a blouse.
iOS Measure app – not Capture
If you were in a bind, Measure could help you measure the waist or inseam, but Measure won’t measure the entire garment with one photo. This is what makes Capture unique among all digital measuring apps available today. It’s ability to measure an entire garment in less than 5 seconds.
How Digital Clothes Measuring Works
Without getting too technical, Capture functions similarly to other measuring technologies paired with mobile devices. The first question most will ask is “How does it achieve accurate measurements?” Digital measuring technologies use a reference item in a photo to determine scale. The reference item eliminates the need to have the camera in a fixed position. Meaning one could be standing any distance away from, within reason, the item they’re trying to measure.
The reference item will be something of known dimension that the machine learning can look at for determining the dimensions of an object. Common reference items are credit cards, standard sized printer paper, and CD’s. If the reference item is not in the photo, there is no way for the system to determine how big or small something is. This is similar to a police officer placing a dollar bill or a ruler next to a footprint when performing crime scene analysis.
The Capture Reference Card
The Capture online clothes measuring tool uses a custom reference item developed by Tailored. It’s a business card with a pattern of 16 black circles on it. The card can be printed by anyone using a household printer. The team offers this for two reasons: the first is to achieve the most accurate measurements. The second reason is to make sure everyone has access to the reference item. After all, trying to figure out the one item every person or business has in their possession is difficult. Tailored figured they should create one instead.
Unique Garment Layouts
Unique to Capture is the way garments must be positioned to obtain accurate measurements. The example above shows a pair of trousers being measured using Capture. Notice the wearers left leg is folded to the side. This action is performed to expose the crotch seam area. Which anyone who’s worked in fashion knows is an important spot. Many measurements are based off of this location, such as the inseam, front rise, thigh, and knee.
Similar to trousers, tops also have a specific way of being laid out. Any shirt with sleeves is required to have the sleeves folded up and away from the garment. The purpose, like trousers, is to expose an important measurement area. In the case of shirts this would be the underarm seam location. This location is important to properly measure the chest/bust and waist on a shirt or blouse.
What Special Equipment Is Required To Use Capture?
The beauty of mobile apps is no special equipment is required. If you have clothes in your closet and a cellphone with a camera, you’re in business.
Often people will ask if a special surface is needed to place the garment on. Or if they should use a table instead of the floor. The answer is which ever is easiest for you. For most using Capture at home, placing a garment on the floor is the route they choose. Though a variety of options are available for those using Capture at an office or warehouse.
To make sure you receive the best measurement results, Tailored recommends photographing garments on a contrasting background that is one solid color. Surfaces with patterns or lines may throw off the measurement accuracy.
Additionally, the surface must be flat and hard. So placing a garment on the top of a bed would not be recommended.
How Do I Get The Measurements After A Photo Is Taken?
After you’ve photographed a garment, it only takes a few seconds to see the results. On screen, you are presented with an image identical to your photo along with the complete set of measurements. Though the output image has the addition of labels showing where the garment was measured.
Download as JPG or PDF
There are two options for retrieving your garment’s measurement data. The first is within the Capture web-app. After taking a photo, you’re able to save results to your device in the form of an image or a PDF. You’re also able to choose an email option to instantly share with anyone you choose.
The second way to access measurement data is on the web.
Capture offers private access to an admin portal where you can view all garments photographed under your license. Additional features are also offered here. Such as the ability to download bulk data in the form of a CSV. But one of the most unique features in the Capture online clothes measuring tool is the ability to adjust measurements after a garment has been photographed.
The measurement edit feature was developed because Tailored understands no AI is perfect every time. Therefore if you notice during your review Capture didn’t quite nail the crotch seam location, you can go in and adjust it. Click save and Capture will recalculate all measurements based off the new crotch seam location.
What Can I Measure With Capture?
Out of the box, Capture will measure the most important areas on a garment. For slacks this would include the following:
- waist
- inseam
- hip
- thigh
- front rise
- leg opening
For tops the following are included:
- chest/bust
- shoulder width
- overall length
- waist
- bottom opening
If you’re business doesn’t require all of the above, measurements can be turned off with the Capture web-app. If you require additional measurements or adjustments to where measurements are taken, Tailored will work with you to make the improvements.
How Tailored Works With Fashion Businesses
The idea for Capture came when Tailored co-founder Kristy Desmarias experienced a difficult day shopping for jeans. Nothing fit. This spurred the idea consumers should be able to locate well fitting clothes based on the fit of items they already own. She also said it should be as easy as taking a picture. Besides, the clothing in your closet is the best indicator of your fit preference.
After a couple years of research and development, Tailored realized this technology should be available to more than just consumers. The resale industry is booming and is now one of the primary target markets for Capture. Resellers are able to eliminate manual measuring tasks and import data directly into their listing forms. In addition to this, their customers get a better idea of how garments will fit because of the unique labeling and added metrics.
Made-to-measure businesses are also a target of Capture. As the globe continues to shift to more online clothes buying, there’s less need to head to the local tailor. Check out our original product video to see the full vision for Tailored Capture.