# Scanning of Historical Clothes Using 3D Scanners: Comparison of Goals, Tools, and Methods
###### Abstract  
Due to the UN and EU's strong interest in digitizing cultural heritage, the application of 3D scanning technology is gaining importance, even in the case of under-explored areas, such as the 3D scanning of historical clothes. This article discovers and compares methodologies of 3D scanning of historical clothes presented in the literature in order to determine if a new methodology is needed. PRISMA protocol was used to browse scientific sources in an organized way. We posed the following research question: How have 3D scanners been used to digitize historical clothes? The very limited number of works identified, despite our thorough search, allows us to conclude that this topic is very new, and a lot of research can be conducted in the future. We analyzed the methodologies proposed by other authors, taking into account factors such as what was scanned, what was the purpose of scanning, what hardware and software was used, how detailed the description was, etc. It was revealed that other authors explored the topic insufficiently and no complex and coherent methodology of 3D digitization of historical clothes is present. Generally, the field of 3D scanning of historical clothing remains, at this point, very small and fragmented. This work is one of steps to change it.  
3D scanning: historical clothes; heritage digitization; methodology evaluation; systematic literature review +
Footnote †: journal: Medical  
Among museums with clothing in their collections, the most common methods of sharing resources in digital media are the presentation of 2D photographs [7], 360\({}^{\circ}\) photographic views [8], or 3D models made by means of very laborious CAD modeling [9] or photogrammetry. These techniques are used by a number of famous institutions, such as the Louvre in Paris, the V&A in London, the Kyoto Costume Institute in Japan, Google Arts & Culture platform, the Museum at FIT (MFIT), Drexel University's Historic Costume Collection, the Digital Clothing Center (DCC) at Seoul National University, and the Museum of London [10].  
Within the academic literature, scientific studies on the topic of the 3D digitization of historical clothing tend to focus on the following areas:  
* Building 3D models with CAD (Computer Aided Design) tools, either using dedicated software for clothes (such as CLO 3D, Gerber AccuMark 3D, Optitex or Lectra Modaris) or general modeling solutions (such as MeshLab, Blender 3D Creation Software, AutoDesk 3D, or Rhinoceros 3D);
* Construction of 3D models using photogrammetric techniques (3D model generation based on a series of photos of the object).  
The above techniques are of limited accuracy when it comes to reproducing the shape and structure of garments. Greater precision and accuracy can be obtained using 3D scanners; however, only a small number of studies mention the use of 3D scanning in this process. Three-dimensional scanners, especially those based on structured light, provide a set of important features, especially with regards to obtaining a precise representation of the surface with simultaneous reproduction of its color. The value of these features is confirmed by the frequent use of this type of scanner in other aspects of the 3D digitization of cultural heritage objects. For these reasons, 3D scanners are the focus of the present study.