With the help of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and 3D body scanners, the textiles ministry is aiming to develop an India-specific standardized size chart for the textiles as well as the garment industry. The Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-Delhi) has signed an agreement with New Delhi-based deeptech startup Mirrorsize to use an AI-powered app to achieve this approach.

The Ministry of Textiles said in 2018 that NIFT would craft an Indian size chart and conduct a survey, with the project expected to be completed in a few years. India's national sizing research project cost Rs.3.1 billion, of which Rs.2.1 billion was contributed by the Ministry of Textiles and the remainder by NIFT. The charts were made for 25,000 men and women aged 15 to 65 in six cities namely New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, Shillong, and Hyderabad, using computerized 3D scanners and the project is still in the works.

Mirrorsize on the other hand, is said to not use the laborious as well as costly 3D body scanners. Instead, it plans to deploy a 3D body measurement app that employs AI, powerful computer vision, deep learning models, and mesh processing to deliver precise body measures in real time.

It’s founder and CEO Arup Chakraborty explains that “by combining image processing and data analytics to display body measurements, our patent-pending technology allows a user to wear skin tight or ordinary clothing while using the app”.

Due to its size and cost, 3D body scanners are often only installed in shopping malls and other public locations. Anyone can utilize the app from the comfort of their own homes by simply downloading it to their smartphones.

"IIT-Delhi will employ data analytics and statistical modelling to come up with up to 60 standard sizes for all body types in India. By the end of this year, the app should be ready to use”, says Deepti Gupta, a professor at IIT-department Delhi's of textile and fibre engineering.