Introduction
The 3D Retail Coalition (3DRC) Grand Challenge, established in 2018, is an annual competition that recognises innovators leveraging 3D technology to transform the retail and apparel industry. Organised in collaboration with the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE), PI Apparel and Kalypso, the challenge provides a platform for start-ups, researchers, and technology pioneers to showcase solutions that enhance digital product creation, automation, and consumer experiences. The challenge has played a crucial role in accelerating industry adoption of 3D, offering winners visibility, mentorship, and credibility to scale their innovations.
As we head into its 7th year, in this series we interview past winners and explore where they were then, where they are today, and how the challenge helped them scale for success.
2021 & 2023 Grand Challenge Winner
Dinesh Pai is a Professor at the University of British Columbia and the Founder of Vital Mechanics, a company spun out of his lab research that has developed the industry’s first scientifically grounded soft avatars for apparel simulation, unlocking a more accurate, responsive, and human-centred approach to digital fit prediction.
Vital Mechanics first won the 3DRC Grand Challenge in 2021 for their foundational research, and then won again in 2023, under the University of British Columbia, with their scaled solution: a new AI-driven technology that enables goal-directed pattern adjustments. With this solution, they have enabled the automation of fit improvements based on intuitive, user-defined feedback (e.g., “reduce pressure on shoulder”) rather than traditional manual pattern edits.
🎥 Watch the full video below!
Don’t have time to watch the full video? Scroll down for a summary of key takeaways and noteworthy quotes.
🔑 Key Takeaways
🧩 1. Fit is Fundamental BUT Harder Than You Think
Dinesh emphasised that while everyone in the industry talks about fit, few grasp its technical complexity. His team built a deep tech stack combining soft body simulation, finite element analysis, and real-world tissue data to create accurate digital twins of the human body.
🚀 2. Soft Avatars are Just the Start
To simulate fit accurately, it’s not just about the body but about the interaction between body and garment, including seam construction, friction, and even sweat. Vital Mechanics’ solution accounts for all of this, offering a level of precision previously unseen.
🧠 3. AI as a Fit Assistant
Their 2023 innovation uses AI to make goal-driven pattern edits – users can “paint” their fit feedback directly onto a 3D avatar, and the system predicts the optimal pattern changes to achieve that outcome.
📈 4. Scalability is the Secret Sauce
Behind the scenes, Vital Mechanics runs thousands of simulations in parallel to generate training data for AI models. This scalability enables real-time responses to complex fit problems and lays the groundwork for further AI applications like size recommendation.
🎥 5. Cross-Industry Thinking Powers Innovation
Coming from aerospace and film (they even worked on a Harry Potter prequel), Dinesh brought simulation thinking from other industries into apparel, a field still playing digital catch-up.
🏆 6. The 3DRC Grand Challenge as a Catalyst
Dinesh shared that simply entering the Grand Challenge helped sharpen his team’s focus, forcing them to articulate their value clearly and fill in critical gaps. Winning provided validation from within an industry they were relatively new to, proving that their outsider perspective had real merit. He encourages others to participate, not just for exposure, but for the learning and growth that come with it.
🗣️ Noteworthy Quotes
🛣️ On the Journey…
“Fit is fundamental. Everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it. Solving fit requires a marathon mindset—not a sprint.”
“We’re not just building soft avatars; we’re building accurate digital twins of the human body and garments, right down to the seams, friction, and pressure points.”
“The human body is one of the most complex objects in the world. Predicting how garments fit on it isn’t just difficult—it’s massively underestimated.”
🤖 On AI and Technology
“To make AI work, you need a huge amount of good data. We generate thousands of pattern variations and run simulations in parallel to train our models.”
“The beauty of computers is they don’t get tired. Humans stop after three pattern edits; we can simulate 100,000.”
“Brands are sitting on incredible data. The key is connecting the dots between that data and the decisions they need to make.”
⛰️ On Industry Challenges
“In aerospace and automotive, you don’t just build a plane and see if it works. You run simulations. Apparel needs that same shift in mindset.”
“We were shocked at how much waste existed in the industry—and how much of it is tied to poor fit.”
🚀 On the 3DRC Grand Challenge
“Winning gave us credibility. As outsiders, that kind of recognition helped us start conversations we wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
“The challenge created real visibility. People reached out. Some were ready to move, others were still exploring—but the door was open.”
“Just preparing for the challenge was valuable. It forces you to think critically, to fill in the gaps, and present a cohesive solution.”
💡 Advice for Innovators
“This is one of the last industries to fully digitize—and that means the opportunity is huge.”
“You need patience. If someone isn’t adopting your solution, it might be because there’s something else in the way. Find it and help them solve it.”
“If you’re passionate about making a difference, apparel is a space where you can help both the planet and the bottom line.”
To find out more, connect with Dinesh Pai directly here.
The 2025 Grand Challenge is now LIVE!
The 7th Annual 3DRC Grand Challenge is back with a bold new theme for 2025: harnessing the transformative power of data-driven AI and 3D technology to revolutionize the product development lifecycle.
This year, we invite visionary minds to push the boundaries of innovation and reimagine how retailers and brands discover, design, make, and sell products!
Want to know more? Click on the image below…
