When it comes to apparel, texture tells a story. From the silky drape of a skirt to the ruggedness of denim jeans and the cozy knits of a wool jumper, these little details are what brings a garment to life.
Nail them, and your images will resonate with shoppers. Ignore them, and your images might just fall flat or, worse, look unnatural.
Online customers can’t see or feel your apparel like they would in-store, so it’s super important to make your visuals as true to life as possible. If they purchase an item online, and it turns up looking and feeling different from what they saw on your site, it could turn them off from your brand completely.
Mastering the art of apparel retouching lies in highlighting these fabric details while staying true to their authentic textures and the natural way they drape the body. So, how do you walk that fine line between enhancing and over-editing?
Here are some of our expert tips to keep your visuals true to life.
1. Enhance Fabric Details
The unique texture of fabrics like wool, denim, or silk is often what catches your customer’s eye. Use contrast and clarity adjustments carefully to highlight the natural weave of the material without going overboard. The goal is to make textures pop while ensuring they still look authentic – not artificially enhanced.

2. Preserve Natural Folds and Draping
Fabric is meant to move, bend, and fold naturally. When retouching, make sure you retain the garment’s natural folds and draping. Over-smoothing these elements can leave garments looking flat and lifeless, losing the sense of how they fit and move across the body’s contours.
Pay close attention to the way fabric should drape over the model to maintain its natural appeal. Having retouchers with knowledge of anatomy or experience in apparel design can take results to the next level!

3. Avoid Over-Smoothing
Be cautious with smoothing tools. While they’re useful for refining the overall look, overusing them can strip away crucial texture details, making fabrics appear flat and one-dimensional. Subtlety is key – focus on cleaning up imperfections while letting the natural characteristics of the fabric shine.
4. Remove Moiré Without Losing Texture
Moiré patterns are a common issue, especially with finely textured fabrics or intricate patterns. Use advanced techniques, such as frequency separation or specific filters to minimize these effects without compromising the texture of the material.
5. Apply Selective Sharpness
Certain details, like stitching, seams, or embroidery, deserve a little extra attention. Use selective sharpening to highlight these elements, showing off the craftsmanship and giving the fabric a more tactile, dimensional feel. However, avoid over-sharpening the entire garment, as it can make the image look too harsh.

6. Use Subtle Color Adjustments
Color is a big deal when it comes to texture. Oversaturating or making drastic hue shifts can wash out textures and make fabrics look unrealistic. Stick to subtle color corrections that maintain the material’s true appearance. The trick is balancing color vibrancy with texture retention.
It’s also incredibly important that colors are consistent between your images and videos. Learn more about why here.

7. Maintain the Fabric’s Fit and Stretch
When retouching fitted garments like active wear, swimwear, or intimates, it’s essential to preserve the fabric’s stretch and elasticity. Over-editing can make these garments appear stiff, which misrepresents how they fit and move on the body. Pay attention to how the material interacts with the model’s pose to ensure it reflects the product’s true flexibility.
Achieving texture authenticity in apparel retouching is all about balance. You want to highlight each fabric’s unique qualities while keeping everything true to life. By enhancing fabric details, preserving natural elements, and avoiding over-editing, you can create visuals that inspire confidence and trust in your brand’s products!
At VMG, we understand that these nuanced details make all the difference. Our expert retouchers specialize in elevating visuals for premium brands, ensuring texture authenticity and consistency across the board. Whether it’s enhancing fabric textures or maintaining the natural fit of garments, our tailored solutions are designed to meet your needs – efficiently and cost-effectively.
Needing more texture authenticity in your images? Start using these tips or get in touch to learn more about our image retouching services.
More to Explore
Nasreen Shaikh
Nasreen is a dedicated content marketer with a talent for creating compelling and engaging stories. She is currently driving VMG Premedia's content marketing efforts to inform, inspire, and resonate with diverse audiences.