A strike-off is a small test print that lets you check print quality, color accuracy, and scale before committing to a full garment sample or even bulk production. Skipping this step could mean wasting thousands on prints that look nothing like your original design.

So, do you need one? If your fabric has a print, the answer is simple – YES.

Pro Tip: While fashion designers are the ones responsible for asking for strike-offs, I would be very alarmed if a factory was willing to go into production without getting sign off on one.

What to Ask Your Factory When Requesting a Strike-off

Be strategic with the strike-off you’re requesting. Here’s a quick checklist to ensure you get a sample that actually reflects your final product:

1. Use the actual production fabric

Make sure the strike-off is printed on the exact fabric you’ll use for production. Different fabrics absorb dye differently and can change how the print looks.

2. Request a larger sample for all-over prints

For repeat prints (AOP), ask for a strike-off larger than one full repeat to check alignment, seamlessness, and overall flow.

3. Placement prints should be actual size

For placement prints, request the full design at the correct scale so you can visualize or mock up exactly how it will appear on the garment.

4. Specify Pantone colors clearly

Colors often look different on screen vs. in print. Provide Pantone codes, swatches, or color standards to ensure you’re on the same page with your manufacturer.

Why Do You Need a Strike-off?

Strike-offs allow you to do 5 things:

1. Check quality of print: Have you ever had a shirt with a logo print that cracked easily or felt really stiff and scratchy? This is something that can be checked early using a strike-off.
2. Confirm color accuracy: What you see on your computer screen and paper print-out won’t look the same on fabric. Strike-offs allow designers to verify that colors look right in real life and match accordingly.
   
   Variations in fabric types, fabric dyes, and fabric printing methods can also affect the final color’s appearance. For example, printing on 100% cotton fabric might give off less vibrant colors than printing on synthetic fabrics like polyester.
   
3. Test fabric compatibility: In some cases, certain fabrics cannot hold onto dyes AT ALL. Manufacturers should know about fabric and dye type compatibility already, but if you are testing new fabrics and printing methods, this step is crucial to make sure you’re using the correct fabrics and that your prints won’t come off after one wash.
4. Check print size and placement: Imagine making a bikini with a floral print. If the print size is too small or too big, it might make it difficult for consumers to appreciate the print.
5. Assess overall look and feel of the design: Strike-offs help designers make adjustments or corrections based on how the print looks and feels. In some cases, the idea may get scrapped entirely (it happens!).

Here’s a checklist to review strike-offs (I used during my 15+ years working in fashion)!

Strike-Offs for All Over Prints (AOPs) vs Placement Prints

How you test a print also depends on the type of print.

Strike-offs for All Over Prints or Repeat Prints 

AOPs are designs that seamlessly repeat across the fabric. During the strike-off review, checking the scale of the print is crucial to make sure that the design is not too big or too small. 

Depending on the size of the pattern, you can request a strike-off just a few inches big to a few feet big to visualize how it will look like in real life.

Strike-offs for Placement Prints

Placement Prints are positioned in specific areas of the garment. Imagine a t-shirt with a graphic print on the front – strike-offs will help you finalize the correct size and placement.

Keep in mind that across big size ranges, this might change. It’s rare that the same size and location of a placed print on an XS t-shirt is going to look good in a size XXL as well.

Once you have a size and placement (for placed prints) that feels good, add that to your tech pack like, “Place graphic print 3″ below the neckline seam.”

Pro Tip: Before requesting print strike-offs, test out a paper printout that you can mock-up on a garment. While you won’t be able to tell how colors or quality (hand-feel) will come out in real life, you can at least proof the size/scale and placement faster.

Strike-offs and Manufacturing

Want to see how strike-offs fit into the full production process? Check out my Step-by-Step Garment Production Guide to learn more.