Are You Ready to Get a Sample Made?

Written by Chandra Wong and Isa Perez 

 

A garment sample may be the next step in your production journey, but how do you know you’re ready to reach out to a pattern or sample maker? Before making a call or pushing send on an email, have you thought through the details of what you want?

 

The process of creating your first garment sample in a collection is exciting and stressful, yet necessary before bulk production. At Fashion Index, we make it easier for you to be prepared for that day!

 

Before contacting sample makers be sure you have:

• Your concept/product thought out
• Fabrics and Trims
• Patternmaking and 3D Development
• Technical Package (tech pack)
• Types of garment samples desired

We will outline all that you need to consider plus questions you need to answer to ensure you have everything ready. This checklist will give you the confidence to go on to the next step: sampling before garment production!

Carefully Craft Your Concept or Product

Designing a garment is thrilling and you may be anxious to see a physical product, but you must confirm everything is in order before proceeding to production. 

 

Know the garment you are creating. Have a clear silhouette (the look of the overall shape), style lines, color choices, and the sizes range you will offer. Many of these details come from your concept idea sketches. These are the foundation on which you build your technical package (tech pack). 

Fabric and Trims 

Once your concept is solidified, you will decide on fabric and trims. Search Fashion Index suppliers list to meet prospective business partners and decide on the elements you want, as well as where they will be sourced. 

Patternmaking and 3D Development

The industry is evolving at warp speed and did so, particularly during the initial pandemic shutdown. 3D technology and virtual fittings would have taken years before mass adoption however businesses were forced to pivot and integrate new technology and methods at this time.

 

3D rendering was adapted to visualize garments on avatars prior to sampling. These avatar images translate into 3D patternmaking and beyond on systems like Tukatech, Browzwear, Clo, and OptiTex. Check out Tukatech on Fashion Index. Also look at Elyannie (Ellie) from Digitech. She is a 3D patternmaker.

 

Tukatech program via youtube.com

Tukatech program via youtube.com

 

Video of Tukatech via YouTube

 

Viewing the silhouette on an avatar and making edits before creating physical samples reduces the number of iteration samples, saving time and money. 

Remember, however, that if your factory is making the pattern, it is done after they receive the tech pack.

Tech Pack

This is a document created by you or your team, potentially composed of a designer, technical designer (someone that articulates design details such as seam construction and garment specifications), and product developer depending on the abilities and size of the team. It provides the recipient with:

• Design flat sketches
• Colorway specification sheets 
• Bill of Materials 
• Labeling
• Packaging 
• Construction Details 
• Garment Specifications

Remember that precision is key in every aspect of the tech pack. The paperwork might seem a little overwhelming at first but The House of Chickadee (THOC) Fashion Design Consultancy on Fashion Index has some free and affordable guides that give examples of tech packs. The owner, Andree, makes it simple and easy for anyone to use. 

 

The next level is to use an integrated tool like Techpacker, an online resource that helps create flat sketches, track amendments, share with business partners, reduce repetitive data entry, and share and check measurement grading. They have several plans to fit your business needs.

Design Flat Sketches (Flats)

These are technical drawings of a garment as if it were laid flat to show the design details like seams and stitching. They differ from concept sketches, which are more artistic and have stylistic choices while flat sketches are precise so it is clear to sample and patternmakers how to construct the garment. 

 

Image via Vector Stock

 

There are a few tools commonly used to create these sketches, though it is not necessary to have a digital rendition of your sketch. They can be done by hand as long as the proportions are accurate and details are defined.

 

The primary program used to create a digital rendering is Adobe Illustrator which uses a plain croquis, a minimalist sketching style to serve as a blank canvas for drawing clothing to ensure accuracy. Another is Repsketch which allows you to customize or repurpose existing sketches created by a community of experienced designers.

 

Image via Billfishgear

 

Some designers provide a sheet with the flats that includes call-out details that need to be included in the garment. This helps sample makers know how the garment should fit.

Colorway Specification Sheet

A colorway is the range of color combinations of your design. The colorway specification sheet is a blueprint for your garment production as it contains all the necessary components required for manufacturing. It provides information on flats, material and trim call-outs (including embellishment), by colorway.

 

Image via Techpacks.co

 

This gives a clear picture of your garment and its variations for sample makers and manufacturers. 

Bill of Materials (BoM)

This is a complete list of all items with costs if known, and quantities that are required to build and ship your garment. The BoM will include all labeling, marketing and sales materials, and packaging.  

 

Image via techpacks.co

 

This sheet is ideally colored-coded and shows the various parts that will go onto the garment. 

Labeling 

An important part of the tech pack is how and where labels are placed. Labels include the main label which is typically your logo or company name, size, country of manufacture, and care instructions. This sheet will show the colors, size, shape, materials, and location of each label. 

 

Image via Techpacks.co

 

You will need to follow labeling laws as required by the intended market. For example, textile and apparel products sold in the United States must be labeled with the following information: the fiber content, the country of origin, the manufacturer or or another business responsible for marketing or handling the product, and the care instructions. The garment silhouette will determine where each label will go. 

Packaging 

Think of packaging as the customer experience and their interaction with your brand. Consider if it is esthetically appropriate and if it meets your company values while also keeping your products presentable. Packaging involves everything from the hang tags on the garment to the box, tissue paper, or bag you will be shipping it in. Packaging is brand messaging which is especially important for online businesses.

 

Image via Techpacks.co

 

This sheet will include garment folding, packaging size, color, font, material quality, and placement. 

Construction Details 

These are the instructions for the sewers so they know how to construct the garment. This will include your flat sketch with callouts, details on trims, stitches, and if a certain area will be sewn or fused with adhesive. 

 

Image via Techpacks.co

 

Depending on how complicated the garment is, you might need a mock-up to send to the sewers to show exactly what you want. Some facilities may have language barriers so providing written instructions and visual guides is key!

Garment Specification Sheet

This contains all the details of the garment. It is a front and back technical diagram or a sketch of a garment, including all of its measurements. 

 

Image via Techpacks.co

 

This also includes the details provided on other documents like the season, size range, interfacing, and fabrics. This could be based on a reference garment. 

Types of garment samples

 

Once your ideas and paperwork are in order it is time to find pattern and sample makers! A patternmaker is someone who creates templates used for the production of the garment while a sample maker is someone that will make a clothing prototype for you. They are independent of a factory unless you are working with a vertical factory. Their job is to sew a garment for you based on what you design and the supplies you provide.

 

There are several types of samples:

• Fit Samples: Checks the fit and construction of your garments

• Component Samples: Used for approval of all components used on your garment. This is often combined with Size Run (Size Run to reduce the number of samples. An alternative is to have the factory submit additional colorways on a card that represents all materials and trims in the garment.

• Color and Print Approvals: Make sure the colors and print are correct 

• Sales Sample: These are a selling tool

• Size Set Samples:  To check the sizes on the specifications

• Confirmation Sales Sample: Represents exactly what you will get from production
• Garment Production Test Sample: Used to test at labs for colorfastness or test fabric elements. 

Keep in mind that samples take a lot of time and money to make and ship. You should attempt to limit your samples to 2-3 depending on your garment. The more samples you have the higher the garment price in bulk production. 

 

To check size range fit, you eventually want the smallest size, mid-size, and largest size to confirm the grading. However, the same samples can be used for more than one purpose. Consider requesting size samples in different colors. You will be able to visualize your colorways and even test them. 

 

Your garment specifications will determine which sample maker you choose. Search Fashion Index sample makers page to find the best person to construct your garment!

Once your manufacturer has received your tech pack and created their sample, they will send it for testing and approval to check that it meets your requirements. Adjust as necessary. After that, you can proceed with the rest of the production. 

 

This process may seem complicated but it is necessary to have a garment sample that represents your desired product. The details you provide will give clear instructions so there is no confusion between you and the manufacturer you choose for bulk production. Having the tech pack and communicating with your team will provide a smooth transition!

 

Fashion Index is your go-to resource for building your fashion business. Find business coaches, designers, patternmakers, and suppliers for fabric and trim to make your vision materialize.