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US 11,832,670 B2Granted
Apparel customized by using base templates and laser finishing
AssigneeLevi Strauss & Co.
InventorsElizabeth O'Neill, James Barton Sights, Jeff Zens, David Love
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Laser finishing of apparel products allows an operating model that reduces finishing cost, lowers carrying costs, increases productivity, shortens time to market, be more reactive to trends, reduce product constraints, reduces lost sales and dilution, and more. Improved aspects include design, development, planning, merchandising, selling, making, and delivering. The model uses fabric templates, each of which can be used to produce a multitude of laser finishes. Operational efficiency is improved.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- manufacturing a plurality of garments made from denim fabric panels, wherein the denim fabric panels are sewn together using thread;
- using a first base wash recipe to wash a first subset of the garments to obtain a plurality of first base templates;
- using a second base wash recipe to wash a second subset of the garments to obtain a plurality of second base templates, wherein the first and second wash recipes are different;
- storing a first inventory of the first base templates at a retail store;
- storing a second inventory of the second base templates at a retail store;
- in the retail store, providing a kiosk comprising a laser finishing machine having a laser head to laser-finish a garment;
- in a user interface of the kiosk, allowing the user to select a visualization of the first base template or second base template;
- in the user interface of the kiosk, allowing the user to specify a first laser finishing pattern and showing a visualization on a screen of the kiosk of the first laser finishing pattern on the first base template or the second base template, as selected by the user;
- loading the selected first base template or the second base template in front of the laser head of the kiosk;
- burning the first laser finishing pattern on the selected base template;
- and
- obtaining from the kiosk a finished garment corresponding to the user's first laser finishing pattern and selected base template,
- wherein the kiosk comprises a digital design tool that generates the visualization on a screen of the kiosk and allows editing of the finishing pattern.
10 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing a laser finishing machine comprising a laser head, wherein the laser finishing machine is capable of burning a first finishing pattern onto a target garment blank;
- providing a holder for the target garment blank, wherein the holder is coupled to the laser finishing machine, the holder positions the target garment in front of the laser head, and the target garment blank is selected from
- a plurality of first garment templates that are washed using a first base wash recipe, a first garment template is an assembled garment made from fabric panels of a woven first material comprising a warp yarn comprising indigo-dyed cotton yarn, and the fabric panels are sewn together using thread, and
- a plurality of second garment templates that are washed using a second base wash recipe, different from the first base wash recipe, a second garment template is an assembled garment made from fabric panels of the woven first material comprising a warp yarn comprising indigo-dyed cotton yarn, and the fabric panels are sewn together using thread;
- providing a screen, wherein the screen provides a user interface for a first user to select an available garment template, including the first garment template and second garment template, and use a design tool to create a first laser finishing pattern associated with a selected garment template, and
- the design tool displays on the screen a photorealistic preview of the first laser finishing pattern as associated with a selected garment template as it would appear after a postlaser wash;
- and
- a memory at the laser finishing machine to store the first laser finishing pattern associated with the first user,
- wherein a process to burn the first laser finishing pattern includes loading the selected garment template, either the first garment template or second garment template into the holder, and then causing the laser to burn the first laser finishing pattern onto the selected garment template, and as a result of the burn process, a custom laser-finished garment is produced for the first user.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.