What is the sample that production gets checked against?

The sample that production gets checked against is the approved physical piece made before the main order, using the fabric, details and making methods that the maker will use for that order. It establishes what the finished clothes should be like. Once approved, it becomes the reference for checks during production and before delivery.

01The approved sample must use the materials intended for the order

A sample can look close to the finished design while still using a substitute fabric or temporary buttons. Those choices can be useful when checking whether a design can be made. The sample production gets checked against has a different job: it must show the clothes the maker is expected to reproduce.

Check that its fabric is the fabric approved for the main order. The same applies to the other parts, including the labels. Any print, embroidery, wash or finish needs to be the intended version, made using the intended method. The packing also belongs in this approval, because the agreed result includes how the clothes will be folded and packed.

Check the colour, feel and stretch of the fabric. Keep the approved fabric or colour reference linked to the design.

A photograph helps communicate a comment. It cannot replace the physical piece when comparing how the cloth feels, how it stretches or how a seam has been made. Keep the approved piece available for those comparisons.

02Earlier samples answer different questions

The first sample tests whether the design can become a piece of clothing. It can reveal that a pocket sits in the wrong place or a seam becomes too bulky. A substitute material may be acceptable at that stage if the intended material is unavailable, provided the purpose of the sample is clear.

A sample for checking fit establishes whether the clothes meet the agreed measurements and wear as intended in the chosen starting size. The intended fabric matters here because its stretch, weight and behaviour affect fit. Measure the piece against the written measurements, then assess it on a wearer or a form used for checking fit.

Approving that starting size does not prove the other sizes. Samples across the sizes check that the proportions still work as the clothes get smaller or larger. Keep those measurement decisions with the approval record.

A sample made for photographs or selling shows the intended appearance. It may be made before every part of the main order is available. Record any differences so it cannot accidentally become the maker's reference. The number of sample rounds varies with the clothes: a new fabric or fit can need more checking than a design being made again.

03Approval ties the physical piece to the written decisions

Check the sample against the current document that tells the maker what to make. That document should set out the measurements and how much variation is allowed. It also records details such as stitching, seam finishes and the position of artwork. A drawing alone cannot settle the size of a pocket or which button has been approved.

Make comments specific enough to act on. Record which measurement needs changing and the required result. Keep changes to the design separate from corrections to the fit, so the next sample has a clear set of instructions.

Bring feedback into one written response, with one person responsible for combining it. Include the sample version and the decision, along with the remaining comments and the date for the next action. Changes agreed in a call need to enter the same record before the next sample begins.

Before release, close each open point or explicitly record that it has been deferred. An approval with unexplained comments leaves the maker to interpret what still needs changing. Keep the approved sample protected, dated and identified by design, colour and size. Use the same version number on the sample request, written comments and document that tells the maker what to make.

04Changes after approval can affect the order and delivery date

Approval makes the complete sample the basis for cutting the fabric and preparing production.

Once fabric has been cut and making has begun, a changed colour or measurement can affect waste and cost. A change to print position, finish or packing can also affect the work and delivery date. The consequence needs to be stated, with the next action agreed.

If a material is approved only after a sample has been made, that sample may have a different basis from the main order. Record the status of the materials whenever requesting a sample. This makes clear what the piece can establish and what still requires approval before production goes ahead.

05Checks during making show whether production matches the agreement

Take a piece from production and compare it with the approved sample while there is still time to act on the result. This checks whether the maker is reproducing the agreed clothes under the conditions used for the main order.

Look for differences in colour or parts, as well as changes in stitching and measurements. Print position and packing also need checking against what was approved. A sample taken from production provides evidence about the clothes being made; the approved piece remains the reference for that comparison.

If something differs, establish how far the problem extends. Check which sizes or colours are affected and when the pieces were made. Compare the affected clothes with the approved sample and current written instructions before agreeing whether to correct the work, repair pieces, keep them separate or check further.

The same approved sample supports the final check before delivery. Keep the record connected: the physical piece, the comment that changed it and the point when that change entered production. That connection lets the finished clothes be checked against the decisions the brand and maker agreed.