---
title: Garment Transfer
description: >-
  What garment transfer is, and how AI renders a clothing item from a product
  photo onto an image of a person while adapting to pose, body shape, and
  lighting.
shortDefinition: >-
  The AI process of rendering a clothing item from a product photo onto an image
  of a person.
relatedTerms:
  - virtual-fitting-room
  - diffusion-model
  - image-inpainting
  - image-segmentation
  - drape
heroImage: /glossary-images/garment-transfer-before-after.webp
keywords:
  - garment transfer
  - virtual dressing
  - image-based try-on
publishedAt: '2026-06-10'
updatedAt: '2026-06-10'
noindex: false
canonicalPath: /glossary/garment-transfer
---

## What is garment transfer?

**Garment transfer** (also called *virtual dressing* or *image-based try-on*) is the process of taking an image of a clothing item and rendering it onto a photo of a person, adapting it to their pose, body shape, and the lighting of the original photo.

It works from standard 2D product photos (on-model shots, flat lays, or [ghost mannequin](/glossary/ghost-mannequin.md) images) rather than requiring a 3D model per product.

![Garment transfer: product photo plus person photo produces a try-on image](/glossary-images/garment-transfer-before-after.webp)

## How it works

1. **Person parsing**: [image segmentation](/glossary/image-segmentation.md) identifies the body, hair, and the clothes currently worn.
2. **Pose understanding**: [pose estimation](/glossary/pose-estimation.md) maps shoulders, waist, and limbs so the garment lands at the right scale and angle.
3. **Garment encoding**: the product photo is analyzed for shape, fabric texture, and construction details.
4. **Generation**: a [diffusion model](/glossary/diffusion-model.md) repaints the clothing region via [image inpainting](/glossary/image-inpainting.md), synthesizing [drape](/glossary/drape.md), wrinkles, and shadows consistent with the scene.

## Main challenges

- **Drape**: fabric folds differently on every body; folds must be synthesized, not copied from the product photo.
- **Detail fidelity**: logos, prints, and text must survive the transfer without warping.
- **[Occlusion](/glossary/occlusion.md)**: crossed arms, hair, or bags must stay in front of the new garment.
- **Identity preservation**: face, body, and background must remain unchanged; only the clothing region is modified.

## Garment transfer vs. 3D try-on

| | Garment transfer | 3D / AR try-on |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Input per product | 2D product photos | 3D asset per SKU |
| Typical products | Apparel | Rigid items (glasses, watches, shoes) |
| Output | Static generated image | Live camera overlay |

<Faq>
  <FaqItem question="Is garment transfer the same as virtual try-on?">
    Garment transfer is the underlying technique; virtual try-on is the user-facing feature built on it. For apparel, garment transfer is what runs behind a try-on widget.
  </FaqItem>
</Faq>