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Apparel Search How To
A step-by-step guide to checking a garment sample on a body or form and turning what you see into clear changes for your factory.
A fit session is where a sample meets a real body, or a dress form, and you find out whether the measurements on paper actually work. Done well, it gets you to an approved sample in fewer rounds. This guide shows how to prepare, what to look for and how to write comments that a factory can act on. It builds on pre-production samples and the size chart you created.
Have the sample, the tech pack and the measurement chart ready, so you can compare what you see with what you asked for. Gather a tape measure, pins or clips, a pen, a notebook or a device for notes, and a camera. Decide beforehand which issues you most want to check.
Use a fit model or a dress form whose measurements match your base size, and use the same one each time so results are comparable. A model can tell you how a garment feels and moves, and a form is consistent and always available. Note the model's measurements on every fit record.
Lay the garment flat and measure each point against the spec. Record every difference and its direction, such as chest 1/2 in over. This separates problems of construction from problems of design, and it shows whether the factory followed the tech pack.
Keep your spec and tolerances in the Tech Pack Builder and check graded sizes with the Size Grading Calculator.
Put the garment on and look at it standing, sitting and moving. Check the neck and shoulders, chest or bust, waist, hips, sleeves, armholes and length. Look for pulling, gaping, wrinkles, twisting seams and areas that feel too tight or too loose. Take photos from the front, back and sides.
Pin or mark what needs to change, and write it down at once. Be specific: increase the chest by 1/2 in, lower the neckline by 3/4 in, shorten the sleeve by 1/4 in. Use photos, sketches and measurements, and separate fit changes from construction and styling changes. Specific comments get fixed quickly, and vague ones come back wrong.
Once the base size fits, check a smaller and a larger size, since grade rules can create problems that only show up in other sizes. Adjust the grade rules if needed.
Send a clear written report with photos, the revised measurements and the changes you want, and update the tech pack and its version number. Agree on a date for the next sample so the schedule stays on track.
Add sample rounds to your schedule with the Production Timeline Planner.
Approve when the garment meets your fit, measurement and quality standards, and say so in writing. Keep the approved sample as your reference for production, and ask the factory to match it. Our pre-production samples guide explains the next checkpoint.
A fit session is a review where a garment sample is tried on a fit model or form to check how it fits, so changes can be sent to the factory before production.
Not always. A dress form is consistent and always available, while a live model shows how the garment feels and moves. Many brands use both at different stages.
It varies with the style and how complete your tech pack is. Plan for more than one round, and allow time for each in your schedule.
Be specific and measurable, for example increase chest by 1/2 in. Add photos and note the location of each change, and keep fit changes separate from construction changes.
When it meets your fit, measurement and quality standards. Approve it in writing and keep it as the reference for production.