These Are The 8 Types of Garment Samples You Actually Need

At the very least, consider these eight samples. They each serve an important role during development:

1. Proto or Development Sample
2. Fit Sample
3. Size Set Sample or Jump Size Set
4. Garment Performance Test (GPT) Sample
5. Pre-Production (PP) Sample
6. Red Seal or Sealed Sample
7. Top of Production (TOP) Sample
8. Shipment Sample

How to Combine Garment Samples (so you only need 4)

1. Use a proto or development sample as a fit sample.
2. A size set sample can also serve as a GPT sample.
3. Pre-production (PP) samples can be used as sealed samples.
4. The top of production (TOP) sample becomes the shipment sample.

After combining these samples, you’re down to just four essential samples.

(Just don’t skip any of them thinking you’ll save time or money. One time, my client pushed me to skip re-sampling after a fabric issue and we wound up with 1200 see-through leggings after production.)

Below are explanations of what each of these samples are.

1. Proto or Development Sample

The proto sample or development sample is the first physical version of your design based on your tech pack. It’s typically made with the closest available materials to keep costs down. It won’t be perfect yet, but it should be pretty close to your intended design.

2. Fit Sample

Fit samples are used to check how the garment fits on the body. A fit model tries it on so designers can rectify any fitting issues. While fit samples might not use the final materials, you have to make sure that the substitute fabric has similar properties, as fabric affects fit too. I also wouldn’t proceed with the production run without fitting the garment using the final material at least once.

3. Size Set Sample or Jump Size Set

A size set, also called a size run, is one garment sample in all sizes you plan to sell.

This gives you a chance to see how your pattern works across a range of bodies and spot if something’s a bit off with the smaller or larger ends.

If budget is tight, you can use what we call jump size samples, picking sizes like XS, M, and XL, and skipping the sizes in between.

Pro Tip: It may take a couple of protos or fit samples before you can move on to the size set sample. When it comes to these development samples, three is often the sweet spot. It allows enough iterations to refine the garment without overburdening the process.

Exceeding three samples could indicate issues like poor pattern making, wrong fabric choice, incorrect specifications, etc.

4. GPT (Garment Performance Test) Sample

A GPT sample is for testing how the garment performs physically and chemically. These tests include shrinkage, color fastness, seam strength, and more.

These tests can be done by the clothing manufacturers themselves or by a third-party inspection company. If your garment comes in multiple colors, you only need to fully test one color (assuming that you used the exact same fabric type for all); the rest just need color fastness tests.

5. Pre-production Sample (PP)

Request pre-production samples or PP Samples before going into bulk production. These samples use all final materials and serve as a test run to verify everything from stitching. It’s the last chance you have to make any changes.

6. Red Seal or Sealed Sample

A sealed sample has a red tag that signifies final approval of the garment including construction, fit, trims, and packaging. It’s then sealed by the factory to prevent tampering. Once sealed, production can officially begin.

7. Top of Production Sample (TOP)

A TOP sample is taken directly from the production line, serving as an exact representation of the bulk production. It includes all final packaging details such as hangtags, folding methods, and shipping specifications (i.e., polybag with UPC sticker).

8. Shipment Sample

Once production is finished, a few shipment samples are selected from the bulk to double-check packing details and ensure all finishing touches on the garments are correct.

Brands usually wait to approve shipping until these samples are reviewed. Shipment samples also serve as a counter sample in case of customer issues, as they can be used to compare discrepancies between the sold garment and the approved shipment sample.

Learn more about the garment sampling in my guide to the Garment Sample Making Process in Fashion. I also talk more about each type of garment sample in detail in my guide on the 12 Types of Garment Samples During Apparel Production.

Top 8 Tips to Reduce the Number of Garment Samples

1. Make Mock-ups: Whenever you can, create mock-ups in your garment development process. For example, if you’re working on a graphic t-shirt, you can mock up different print sizes and placements. Have your fit model try on a similar shirt and play around with the print by pinning it on to see how it looks.
2. Send Reference Garment Samples: When designing based on existing garments, consider purchasing and sending them to your factory. This is actually a common practice in fashion as it cuts costs by eliminating guesswork. Buying a pair of jeans might set you back $50, it’s so much better than wasting $200 on a rejected sample.
3. Create Detailed Tech Packs: Make sure to include all necessary details in your tech packs to avoid misunderstandings during production. Check out these 30 Tips to Improve Your Garment Tech Packs with advice straight from seasoned technical designers.
4. Communicate Directly with Sample Makers: To make sure your garment samples turn out just right, schedule direct calls with your sample makers. At a brand I worked with, we were lucky to have our manufacturer close by, so we could have face-to-face revisions with the sample and pattern makers. If you can’t meet in person, video calls work just as well.
5. Stay on Top of Things: If you find yourself repeatedly resampling a garment for the same issues, it’s time to figure out the root cause. No one is perfect in the process, whether it’s the pattern maker, sample maker, or factory. Sometimes, even the fashion brand’s own technical designer might be at fault. 

For example, we once kept receiving a sample with some POMs out of tolerance and insisted the sample maker meet our required measurement specs, only to find out it was impossible to achieve. We only learned this after speaking directly with the pattern maker. So, be open to discussion when a problem keeps arising.

6. Use the Same Fit Models: Stick with the same fit model for all your samples, or at least regularly update their measurements. We once kept adjusting a garment sample’s size, only to find out later that our fit model had been losing weight – not a problem with our measurement specs. Some bigger fashion brands even hire fit models and pay them to maintain their size.
7. Create Pattern Blocks: In one brand I worked for, we nominated pattern blocks for frequently repeated or popular patterns. This allowed us to skip directly to creating size sets for these designs.
8. 3D Garment Sampling and Design: Although still relatively new, 3D sampling has significantly reduced the number of physical samples needed by enabling virtual fittings using digital garment samples. 

While it requires adjustments in your fashion brand’s product development process, it makes a significant impact by cutting down the number of physical garment samples you need to make. Major fashion brands like Adidas, Hugo Boss, Nike, and H&M have been utilizing 3D sampling for years to streamline their sample development.