Size-inclusive fit doesn’t just begin with grading more sizes of your pattern. It starts far earlier in the design stage. Size-inclusivity starts with how you think about your customer, conceptualize your designs, and consider each detail for different bodies.
Print (the textile design) and pattern (the garment sewing pattern) may start out separately in design and development, but they converge in production before they meet in the finished garment. The different ways the two can come together have pros and cons within the final product that need to be accounted for during development.
Tolerances control what variance from the spec measurement is acceptable. Writing proper tolerances is a balance between controlling product quality and having realistic expectations for a production environment. Each POM gets its own tolerance, so how do you get that balance right for each one? These are the factors to consider when writing POM tolerances.
It’s a situation I see happen far too often to brands. I hate to see it. The brand has developed a design with a full package production factory, but the factory made them and they won’t release them. So, what options does the brand have if they decide to switch factories?
You might not be ready to work with a patternmaker. For the investment in product development to be worth it, the design needs to be more than just a rough concept. It needs direction and you need clarity. Here’s how to know you’ve reached that point and are ready to work with a patternmaker.
If you use deadstock fabrics, you’re going to need to take a different approach to designing and developing new styles. Knowing your fabric is important for development, but when using deadstock, the process looks a bit different. Let’s break it down.
Without a good size chart, your customers will be confused and disappointed – and your return rates will show it. If you don’t have a size chart (or your current one isn’t working to help your customers find their best size), read on for a step-by-step guide to making a size chart for your fashion brand.
The block that I live on is full of old trees. This block must have looked quite different 87 years ago when these houses were first built and the trees were newly planted. Growing trees like this is slow business. In many ways, this is what I want my business to be – a slow business.
The difference between a good idea and a successful product is a team that can make it happen. For apparel brands, a key member of this team is your patternmaker. Here are ten questions to ask that will help you decide if a particular patternmaker is the person you want to work with.
Once you’ve selected your stretch materials and planned the fit of the garment, it is time to start drafting your pattern. The pattern harnesses the stretch properties of your fabric to shape the fit and hug and support the wearer in all the right places. It is at this stage that creative design gets technical.