Article Preview
TopIntroduction
Industry 4.0, marking the fourth industrial revolution, has significantly transformed the manufacturing landscape, characterised by digitalization, automation, and smart materials (Kazancoglu et al., 2024). Identifying a significant gap in leveraging these technologies for garment comfort optimisation, this study aims to develop a predictive model that enhances the sustainability and efficiency of textile production. This study aims to develop a predictive model for garment comfort by integrating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and computational modelling, with the hypothesis that these technologies can significantly enhance the sustainability and efficiency of textile production (Montes et al., 2020). The specific aim is to develop a predictive model that integrates AI and computational modelling to optimise textile production for sustainability and efficiency, thereby improving product quality and consumer satisfaction (Lee et al., 2025). These advancements align with the broader goals of Industry 4.0, which aims to revolutionize manufacturing through digitalization, automation, and smart materials. This research provides a scientific basis for optimising garment design, which is of key importance in improving product quality and consumer satisfaction, and focuses on the intersection of these advancements with fabric texture and comfort assessments, crucial for the evolution of the textile industry (Alam et al., 2023). It takes note of recent studies on the integration of AI and computational modelling, highlighting the current trends and gaps in the field.
The second industrial revolution introduced mass production, while the third revolutionized manufacturing with computer automation. As we enter the 21st century, the internet, new energy, new materials and biotechnology are developing rapidly and creating huge industrial capabilities and markets at an astonishing rate, taking the entire industrial production system to a new and unprecedented level. At the Hannover Messe in 2013, the German government officially launched the Industry 4.0 strategy. The aim of Germany's Industry 4.0 strategy is to improve the competitiveness of German industry and to ensure that German manufacturing takes the lead in the new round of industrial revolution (Ding et al., 2024).
Information-physical systems are at the heart of Industry 4.0, and network technology is crucial for its realization. Industry 4.0 represents a pivotal shift towards digitalization and automation in manufacturing, directly impacting textile engineering and garment design. This study specifically addresses the intersection of technological advancements with garment comfort, aiming to provide a clear link between innovation and consumer satisfaction (Liu, 2024). Interconnection includes connections between production equipment, between equipment and products, between virtual and real—really, between everything. The interconnection of production equipment enables the formation of intelligent and flexible production lines that allow production equipment to be freely and dynamically combined to meet the production needs of different products. The interconnection between equipment and products enables some form of communication between the product and the machine, which in turn enables more intelligent machine production. The interconnection of the virtual and the real enables devices to have the five functions of computing, communication, control, remote coordination, and autonomy, thus achieving the integration of the virtual network world with the real physical world, which is where the information-physical system comes into play. The Internet of Everything connects people, things, data, and processes, reconstructing production tools, methods, and social life scenarios (Chen et al., 2021).
The evolution of Industry 4.0 in terms of design approaches is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Key features of the four industrial revolutions