eTryOn · Project

Virtual Try-On Technology Lets Online Shoppers Fit Clothes Without a Fitting Room

digitalPilotedTRL 7

etryon-h2020.eu

Imagine pointing your phone at yourself and seeing exactly how a jacket or dress would look on you — without ever putting it on. That's what eTryOn built: technology that creates a realistic 3D copy of your body, then digitally dresses it in real garments so you can see the fit, the drape, even how it moves when you walk. They also added smart fashion recommendations by analyzing what people like on social media. Think of it as a magic mirror for online shopping, plus a design studio for fashion creators.

By the numbers

interactive applications developed (VR designer, mobile social, AR e-commerce)

total project deliverables

demo deliverables with working software

consortium partners

countries in the consortium

83%

industry partner ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Online fashion retailers lose billions annually to product returns, with sizing and fit being the top reason customers send clothes back. Fashion designers waste time and materials on physical prototyping and fitting sessions. Meanwhile, influencers and brands struggle to showcase clothing collections without expensive photo shoots and logistics.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered 3 working applications: a VR tool for fashion designers to test garment designs on photorealistic 3D avatars, a mobile app letting social media users virtually swap outfits in photos and videos, and an AR magic mirror for e-commerce that recreates the in-store fitting room experience at home. Supporting these are a self-scanning mobile app for creating personal 3D avatars, garment simulation software, and fashion trend prediction models built from social media data — totaling 18 deliverables including 8 with demo software.

Audience

Who needs this

Online fashion retailers and e-commerce platforms with high return ratesFashion brands and design studios looking to reduce physical prototyping costsInfluencer marketing agencies needing virtual outfit showcasesAR/VR technology companies building retail solutionsFashion technology startups developing smart fitting room products

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Online Fashion Retail

any

Target: E-commerce fashion retailers and marketplace platforms

If you are an online fashion retailer dealing with high return rates because customers can't try clothes before buying — this project developed an AR mobile application that lets shoppers virtually try on garments at home. The system generates photorealistic 3D avatars of each customer and simulates how garments fit and move on their body. With 3 dedicated interactive solutions built across 18 deliverables, this is ready for integration into existing e-commerce platforms.

Fashion Design & Manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Fashion brands and design studios

If you are a fashion brand spending weeks on physical prototyping and fitting sessions — this project developed a VR application that lets designers see realistic fitting of digital garments on photorealistic 3D avatars. The creative fashion app was built specifically for fashion designers, allowing them to evaluate garment designs virtually before producing physical samples. The consortium included 5 industry partners across 4 countries with direct fashion sector expertise.

Social Media & Influencer Marketing

SME

Target: Social media platforms and influencer marketing agencies

If you are an influencer marketing agency struggling to showcase clothing collections without expensive photo shoots — this project developed a mobile application that lets social media users virtually change their outfit in images and videos, then upload directly to social platforms. The system also includes fashion trend analysis and prediction models built from social media mining, giving brands data-driven insight into what styles resonate with audiences.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or integrate this virtual try-on technology?

The project data does not include specific licensing costs or pricing models. However, as an Innovation Action with 5 industry partners and 2 SMEs in the consortium, commercialization was a core goal. Contact the coordinator to discuss licensing terms and integration pricing.

Can this scale to handle thousands of products and millions of users?

The project developed 3 separate applications (VR designer tool, mobile social app, AR e-commerce app) with dedicated avatar-garment simulation software. The system was built through 18 deliverables including core software architecture with abstract classes designed for scalability. Based on available project data, the simulation engine and 3D avatar generation were built as modular components.

Who owns the IP and how is it licensed?

The consortium of 6 partners across 4 countries (Belgium, Switzerland, Greece, UK) jointly developed the technology. IP ownership follows standard Horizon 2020 rules where each partner owns the results they generated. The coordinator ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS in Greece can clarify specific IP arrangements.

How accurate is the virtual fitting compared to real garments?

The project focused specifically on photorealistic 3D avatars and physically accurate garment simulation, including size fitting and visualization during body movements. Deliverables include dedicated avatar-garment simulation software and a self-scanning mobile application that creates personalized 3D body models. Based on the deliverable descriptions, multiple iteration cycles were used to refine accuracy.

What data does the system need from my existing product catalog?

Based on available project data, the system works with digital garments and requires a garment collection in 3D format. The project built core functionalities for avatar-garment simulations along with a basic garment collection for development. Integration with existing product catalogs would need to be discussed with the technology providers in the consortium.

Is this technology compliant with privacy regulations for body scanning?

The project developed self-scanning mobile applications that generate 3D avatars from user input. As an EU-funded project running from 2020 to 2022, it operated under GDPR requirements. Based on available project data, specific privacy compliance details should be confirmed with the consortium partners.

What is the timeline for deploying this in a live retail environment?

The project closed in December 2022 with working versions of all 3 applications delivered. As an Innovation Action, the technology was developed closer to market deployment than basic research. The 8 demo deliverables and pilot phase testing suggest the technology could move toward commercial deployment with additional integration work.

Consortium

Who built it

The eTryOn consortium is heavily industry-driven with 5 out of 6 partners (83%) coming from industry, backed by 1 research organization — the Greek national research center CERTH which coordinated the project. The partnership spans 4 countries (Belgium, Switzerland, Greece, UK) and includes 2 SMEs, suggesting a mix of agile technology companies and established players. With zero universities in the consortium and an Innovation Action funding scheme, this project was clearly designed for near-market technology development rather than academic research. The international spread across major European fashion and tech markets (including the UK and Switzerland) indicates commercial ambitions beyond a single national market.

ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXISCoordinator · EL

How to reach the team

The coordinator is ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS (CERTH) in Greece. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to discuss technology licensing and integration options.

Order a report on this consortium See ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how eTryOn's virtual try-on technology could reduce your return rates or speed up your design process? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the development team and help you evaluate the technology fit for your business.

Order a report on this topic More in Digital & ICT