Case study: Production samples

Manufacturer

"We very rarely get given a pre-production sample that doesn’t involve me spending a couple of hours and several phonecalls to the designer trying to make sure we have accounted for all the changes before we start making the docket."

Seal samples can be expensive and time-consuming for designers to produce. Designers may need to pass samples on to PR companies for selling or press. In some cases they are sent out while still in development but with lots of notes to explain the changes to be made. Larger companies are more likely to have 'duplicate' samples (for instance, in an alternative colour-way), as they have the budget, but for small companies, producing duplicates is costly and labour-intensive.

However, most manufacturers will stress the importance of having an approved sample before production begins. Many will insist on making a pre-production sample in the correct production fabric if they did not make the original sample, as this allows them to assess exactly how the garment needs to be made.

Ideally, any amendments made to samples that are going to be used as production samples need to be minimal, and the amendments should be clear both in the spec sheet and in the pattern.

Top Solutions

• Designers should try to make PPS samples and cost this into their collection
• If not possible designers should make any notes clear and concise and should visit the manufacturer to talk through the sample

Relevant sections from the Fashion Toolkit:

• Production Management

• Quality Control