Materialise NV, a global leader in 3D printing solutions, announced that it has made a strategic investment in Ditto, a developer of virtual eyewear try-on platforms. In addition, the two companies will collaborate to advance additive manufacturing in the eyewear industry and support the creation of new and personalized shopping experiences.
Ditto partners with retailers, brands and eye care professionals to create personalized shopping experiences for eyewear customers. Ditto’s platform captures a precise map of each customer’s face and their personal style preferences to make insightful recommendations, determine precise fit and style, and visualize it all with vivid realism. In the process, their clients gain a deeper understanding of each customer that opens up new opportunities to better serve them across channels.
Additive Manufacturing in the Eyewear Industry
The introduction of advanced additive manufacturing in the eyewear industry is creating new opportunities, including the possibility to offer personalized frame recommendations and virtual try-on solutions. As part of an end-to-end digital platform, frames can also be 3D printed. 3D printing supports the creation of unique and personalized designs, reduces stock risks and enables a more sustainable manufacturing process.
Speaking about the investment, Kate Doerksen, Ditto’s CEO and Cofounder said, “Our collaboration with Materialise will help us deliver on our goal of making eyewear more personal. The shift towards eCommerce, digitally enabled smart stores, and digital manufacturing is inevitable. We are excited to bring combined solutions to our clients to create a differentiated, personalized customer experience and product offering.”
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Alireza Parandian, Global head of business strategy for wearables at Materialise commented, “Additive manufacturing holds the potential to transform industries by making it possible to create unique designs, manufacture in small batches and offer levels of personalization never seen before. With three decades of 3D printing experience, Materialise is ideally positioned to drive these industry transformations. Our collaboration with Ditto confirms our commitment to create an end-to-end digital platform for the eyewear industry.”
Additive manufacturing is transforming the eyewear industry by making it possible to cost-effectively mass-manufacture entirely individualized products. The digital manufacturing technology also makes it possible to shift from inventory-focused production to a more customer-centric approach. Materialise has three decades of 3D printing experience and has pioneered the fast transformation of the hearing aid industry. The company is now using its expertise to introduce additive manufacturing in the eyewear industry and transforming it by creating a digital manufacturing platform.
About Ditto: Ditto is the leading eyewear recommendation and virtual try-on technology platform for forward-looking retailers, brands and eye care professionals globally. Based in Oakland, California, Ditto brings advanced technologies like AI-based personalization and AR visualizations to the eyewear industry.
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