A Complete Guide to Texture Maps: Why Optical Properties Matter in Apparel 3D Design

When we talk about optical properties in 3D design, we’re really asking: how does a material interact with light? Does it reflect light like polished metal, absorb it like velvet, or bend it like glass? In the world of 3D graphics, these qualities are expressed using something called a texture map—essentially an image file that gets wrapped around a 3D model to give it realistic surface details. There isn’t just one type of texture map. In fact, there are several, and each serves a unique purpose in creating depth and realism. For instance, one texture map might define the base color, while another adds the sense of roughness or gloss. When layered together, they can transform a plain 3D object into something that looks and feels lifelike.

Take a look at the example: on the left, you see an object without any texture maps applied—it looks flat and uniform. On the right, once the texture maps are in place, you can see not only the color but also the subtle bumps and surface variations that give the object a tangible presence. This is the power of texture mapping in bringing digital fashion assets to life.

 There are many types of texture maps, and by combining them, you can create surfaces that look remarkably realistic.

Let’s take a closer look at different types of texture maps and how each contributes to the overall material expression.

 

 

 

Normal Map

A Normal Map is used to simulate the small surface bumps and textures of a material.
It’s built from RGB (Red, Green, Blue) values, where each color channel represents a direction (X, Y, and Z) of the surface. By varying the intensity of these colors, the map gives the illusion of depth and three-dimensional detail.

When a normal map is applied together with a base color map to a 3D object, as shown below, you can see how it adds realistic fabric texture and shading.
However, the effect is limited to the surface—it doesn’t actually change the geometry. The object’s edges remain flat. To create genuine surface displacement, including raised or indented edges, a different type of map called a Displacement Map is used.

　

Displacement Map

A Displacement Map is used to add real three-dimensional relief to a flat 3D surface. It uses a grayscale gradient, where white represents raised areas and black represents recessed ones. Compared to a normal map, it provides a much more realistic sense of three-dimensionality. As you can see from the example, applying a displacement map gives the object visible height variations—even along the edges.

　

One thing to note: because this process actually modifies the mesh geometry, it can be computationally heavy and take longer to render, so it’s best to apply this map only when you really need that extra level of realism. Also, some render engines may not fully support displacement maps or may require additional settings to enable them.

Alpha Map

Also known as an Opacity Map, this texture defines which parts of a surface are transparent and which are visible. It’s typically a black-and-white image: the white areas remain visible, while the black areas become fully transparent. For sheer or lace-like fabrics, applying an Alpha Map helps you achieve that delicate see-through quality in 3D.

Roughness Map

A Roughness Map defines how rough or smooth a material’s surface appears.
In this map, white areas represent rough, matte surfaces, while black areas indicate smooth, glossy ones. For example, in a woven fabric that uses metallic (lamé) yarns like the one shown below, the areas without metallic threads appear white—indicating a rough texture—while the sections with metallic yarns appear black, representing shiny, reflective surfaces.

　

Metalness Map

A Metalness Map—sometimes also referred to as Reflectance or Gloss—defines how reflective a surface should appear. In the context of apparel materials, metalness maps are often used to represent metallic finishes—such as foil prints, coated fabrics, or sparkly effects created with metallic (lamé) yarns.

 

The Benefits of Using Texture Maps

 

Realistic Appearance

One of the biggest perks of using texture maps is how they transform flat 3D objects into something that looks and feels real. By applying maps, you can give an object depth, surface detail, and shine.
After combining multiple maps, each parameter can be fine-tuned—allowing you to freely adjust surface roughness, glossiness, or bump intensity to achieve the exact visual effect you want.

Improved Workflow Efficiency

Without texture maps, adding surface detail to a 3D model requires manually deforming the mesh to create bumps and wrinkles—a time-consuming process that demands advanced modeling skills.
Moreover, subdividing the mesh for high-resolution detail increases file size and can slow down performance. By using texture maps, you can achieve rich surface detail and depth without the need for heavy mesh editing, resulting in a much faster and more efficient workflow.

Design Flexibility

Texture maps are easy to create, modify, and swap out. Simply preparing maps with different colors or patterns allows you to change an object’s appearance instantly. In the fashion industry, where multiple colorways and pattern variations are often developed from the same product, texture maps make it easy to explore design options and present proposals without having to remake the original 3D model.

 

 

When it comes to the apparel industry, APEXFiz^®, developed and offered by Shima Seiki, has earned an outstanding reputation.
What sets APEXFiz^® apart is its unique ability to create texture maps without requiring physical materials. Instead, you can design the material from scratch in a virtual environment. By scanning actual yarn and building a digital fabric, the software automatically generates all the necessary texture maps as part of the process. That means you’ll have access to all six types of maps we covered earlier—ready to be applied to your 3D models for ultra-realistic results.

 

 

Normally, creating texture maps requires physical materials, which are scanned or processed using specialized software to generate the maps. However, with APEXFiz^®, you can complete the entire 3D modeling process without preparing any physical materials. This approach not only streamlines the workflow but also contributes to more sustainable production in fashion and apparel design.

In addition, APEXFiz^® supports the creation of a wide range of materials—everything from woven fabrics and circular knits to towels and embroidery. This makes it possible to build highly realistic 3D models for virtually any type of apparel product.

 

Note: In the example shown here, we’ve only displayed three types of texture maps for simplicity. In reality, APEXFiz^® automatically generates all six: Base Color Map, Normal Map, Displacement Map, Alpha Map, Roughness Map, and Metalness Map (with the Metalness Map output as a solid black image by default).