Manufacturing
Make the decisions on a physical garment
A drawing shows the design, but a sample brings the fabric, pattern, sewing and branding together. It helps you decide whether that combination is right for the wearer before you authorise the bulk order.
- Team
- 70 people
- In-house
- Pattern making, sampling, cutting, printing, sewing, finishing and quality control
- Initial reply
- Usually within 24 hours
From brief to approved sample
- 01
Agree what the sample is for
Tell us about the product and its use, send the design or reference you have and say which decisions you need to make. A first development sample and a revised sample may answer different questions, so agree what this version is meant to show.
- 02
Define the working specification
The specification sets a reference size, the main garment measurements, fabric requirements and construction details, as well as the artwork placement and finished size. Any detail still awaiting a decision is marked as such, so it is not mistaken for an approved requirement.
- 03
Make the sample
The garment goes through the cutting, branding and sewing steps it needs. For custom sublimation, heat transfers the design from the paper into the cut polyester pieces before sewing, and another garment may need the design applied in a different sequence.
- 04
Review and request corrections
Try the garment on the intended wearer or fit reference and compare it with what was agreed: measurements, length, neck and arm openings, seam feel, pockets or closures, fabric feel and graphic placement. Send one marked revision list that combines all comments, so that different approvers do not contradict each other.
- 05
Separate sample approval from order data
Name the sample and artwork version you approve and any corrections still required. Final quantities, size breakdown, any number list, labels and packing instructions are confirmed separately. A later size breakdown or a changed design is reviewed on its own before the production step it affects.
What a useful reference tells us
Send front, back and detail photographs, or describe the reference garment you can send us. Say what each reference is for: the fit of one garment, the neckline of another and the graphic style of a third are different instructions. Mark the details to keep, rather than leaving us to assume that every detail stays the same.
If you have measurements, tell us how and where they were taken, because a body measurement and a flat garment measurement describe different things. Add whether the fit is for adults or youth and the size range you expect. We can clarify missing dimensions and development requirements with you before sampling.
Questions and answers
How long does it take to make a sportswear sample?
A sportswear sample usually takes 5 to 7 business days once the specification is complete. The time depends on the product and the customisation, and your own review and approval time comes on top. Send the delivery date you need with your enquiry so we can plan the sample and assess whether the order date is workable.
What do you need from us before a sample can be made?
Before we make a sample, we need the garment type, the artwork or a reference, the quantity, the size breakdown and the fabric you want. The brief should also set a reference size, the main garment measurements and the artwork placement, and flag any detail still awaiting a decision so it is not mistaken for an approved requirement. We clarify missing details and can develop a design on request.
What should we mark on a reference garment before sending it?
On a reference garment, mark which parts to carry over and which to change. Send the garment itself, or clear front, back and detail photographs, and say what each reference is for: the fit of one garment, the neckline of another and the graphic style of a third are different instructions. A reference garment settles construction questions faster than a written description.
Will bulk production match the approved sample?
The approved sample is the reference for bulk production, and fit, construction and artwork placement are compared with it. We check the work during production and before packing. Keep a clear record of the approved sample and artwork version, because any later change to the design, size breakdown or labels needs its own review before the production step it affects.
When does a repeat order need a new sample?
A repeat order may need another sample or a review when something changes: a different colourway or fabric, a revised logo, new label text or an altered fit. Send the previous product details with every change marked. We check the current production requirements and confirm which earlier approvals still apply, because reusing a style reference does not approve anything that has changed.
Send the brief in whatever state it is in
Send the garment type, the artwork or a reference, the quantity, the size breakdown and the fabric you want. We clarify any missing details with you and can develop a design on request.