Startup brand RedThread uses body scan technology to determine sizing

San Francisco-based womenswear brand RedThread has developed a new way to custom-fit its shoppers. Meghan Litchfield, who previously held the roles of vice president for direct-to-consumer, e-commerce and digital with GoPro and manager of consumer insights for Gap, founded RedThread to help consumers find clothing that fit right, especially when shopping online.

RedThread uses its own tailoring algorithms and 3D mobile body scanning technology to produce custom clothing for women. To determine sizing, shoppers answer questions online discussing their fit challenges, scan their measurements and take four photos. The shoppers send the photos through a link and detailed angling instructions RedThread provides after the purchase is complete. The brand’s body scanning technology is then able to use the photos to find 15 measurements to put into the algorithm to determine the best fit. RedThread delivers the end product to its consumers in roughly one week.

Litchfield told TechCrunch that the process is 80 percent math and 20 percent human. “The more the algorithm learns about how to do this, the more the technology can drive the decisions,” she said. “We envision a world where we’re at 95 percent math, five percent human.”

Though RedThread has future plans to grow its offerings, the brand currently offers four different styles in the everyday basics category: ankle pants and wide leg pants, each priced at 148 dollars, a t-shirt priced at 78 dollars and a jacket priced at 168 dollars. Both styles of pants are available in black, the t-shirt in off-white, teal or black, and the jacket comes in either black or white.