How to use A23D PBR Textures in Marvelous Designer

This guide explains how to apply A23D PBR texture maps to garment panels and imported geometry in Marvelous Designer using the Surface settings in the Object Browser.

Version note: Marvelous Designer 2024.1 and newer includes PBR map generation/application support for channels such as displacement, opacity, roughness, and metalness. Use a current version when the final preview depends on roughness or metalness.

1. Download and Extract the Texture Set

  1. Sign in to your A23D account.
  2. Browse to the texture you want to use.
  3. In the Software dropdown on the asset page, select Marvelous.
  • A23D automatically delivers the texture set in the format best suited to Marvelous Designer (PNG maps) - no manual format selection required.
  1. Click Download and save the .zip to a known location on your computer.
  2. Extract (unzip) the archive. You will find:
  • A23DTEX_Albedo.png - Base color / diffuse
  • A23DTEX_Normal.png - Tangent-space normal map
  • A23DTEX_Roughness.png - Surface roughness
  • A23DTEX_Metalness.png - Metallic values

2. Select the Garment Panel or Object

  1. In the 3D Window, click on the garment panel or imported geometry you want to texture.
  2. The Object Browser (right panel) highlights the selected item.
  3. With the object selected, expand the Surface section in the Property Editor.

3. Assign A23D PBR Texture Maps

In the Surface section of the Property Editor, each texture channel has a small folder icon to load an image file:


Marvelous Designer Surface SlotA23D Map to UseNotes
Texture (Diffuse)A23DTEX_Albedo.pngThe base color of the surface. Click the folder icon to browse to the file.
Normal MapA23DTEX_Normal.pngAdds surface micro-detail without extra geometry. Set type to Tangent Space if prompted.
RoughnessA23DTEX_Roughness.pngControls surface shininess. White = matte, Black = smooth/glossy.
MetalnessA23DTEX_Metalness.pngWhite = metallic surface, Black = non-metallic.

4. Adjust Texture Scale and Tiling

To control how the texture tiles across the surface:

  1. In the Surface properties, find the Tile settings (U and V repeat counts).
  2. Adjust the tile values to match the intended real-world size of the material:
  • For a fine fabric with a 5 cm repeat, increase the tile count so the pattern appears at the correct scale relative to the garment.
  • For a large surface material (1 m tile), lower tile values so the pattern does not repeat too frequently.
  1. Preview the result in the 3D Window in Fabric Render mode for an accurate material preview.

5. Preview the Material

  1. In the 3D Window toolbar, switch the display mode to Fabric Render (or enable Physically Based Shading if your version supports it) for an accurate preview of the PBR maps.
  2. Rotate the model using Alt + Left-drag to check how the Normal and Roughness maps affect the surface at different lighting angles.
  3. When the material looks correct in Marvelous Designer, export the garment (and the avatar if needed) as FBX or OBJ to your DCC application for final rendering with the full PBR texture set.

Additional Resources

For more details on surface properties in Marvelous Designer, refer to the official documentation:
Marvelous Designer Help - Set Fabric Textures
Marvelous Designer Help - Apply Texture
Marvelous Designer Help - Material

Need some help?

Contact our team at support@a23d.co