Finalise the design. Create a product specification or Tech Pack. Here at Costume.code we will find and connect you with companies or individuals who specialise in design and specification preparations for your Idea.

Be sure you have this covered before you proceed to have your sample made as these documents will be your blueprint moving forwards.

Define the materials you will need to use for your project. You can do this yourself or you can consult with a specialist, who will work on each style’s fabric choices for you.

It’s good to experiment but remember that not all experiments work out, so you will need to be patient. Don’t forget about smaller components, such as trims, zips and buttons. This will also need to be defined at this stage.

Pattern making is a process of making template pieces of a garment. Usually, cut out from thick paper or created digitally with software, these templates are later used in cutting out specific parts of clothes from fabrics.

Another name for pattern making can be pattern cutting. This process involves cutting out patterns – parts of a design which will then be sewn together to produce your garment.

Once you have confirmed the materials and finalised your design and tech pack, share it with a preferred sampling studio or manufacturer so they can start the work.

To check that your garment fits correctly, a fitting sample, which is the first sample, is produced. This process is called sample making. Often a toile is used at this stage to save wasted use of your final fabric

Once the sample is approved and you’re ready to reproduce your garment in various sizes, the next step is size grading with your pattern.

Pattern grading creates various sizes from the master pattern. Using software or by hand, it is possible to grade sizes up or down using specific measurements, depending if the items are standard or have a certain specified style (like oversized items) or function (like competitive sports uniforms).

If you are not sure on the best sizing for grading, you can ask to use industry standard sizing data to perform size grading. These can usually be provided by the specialist or factory you work with. Note if you are creating items for specific purposes (maternity clothes, competition gear, oversized garments), the standard might not always be your best solution and you should check the samples in a size up and down before preparing your garments for bulk order.

Once all sizes are approved and you know the quantities and breakdown of items per colour and per style, then we can run an estimate on the required consumption of materials. This will inform you of quantities for fabric and trims you will need to buy.

The final step is bulk manufacturing of your clothes. Do not forget to check about quality control procedures. It is always simpler to make amendments before the bulk is shipped to you, so asking for pictures of the completed products is a good idea.

Now that you know how this works and what to expect, get started on your first project and submit your first enquiry.