Activewear Garment Development

What Is Clothing Product Development ? 

36) Clothing  product development is the process of bringing a clothing product to life – Assessing,  designing, creating and sampling the new clothing product from concept up to the point of production.

Your design idea may be an activewear product, a technical garment,  a more general clothing product, or a completely new idea. A fashion product normally has a shorter selling lifespan than either a technical garment or a general clothing product, so requires less time and expense to perfect.

A completely new and original type of clothing or sewn product will probably need to be developed by a small  unit with all the facilities required for your design – Unless you have a lot of money to invest in hiring a larger specialised factory for its development.

Whichever type of apparel product you are considering, this  usually means   building  on existing designs, while introducing new or different characteristics to the product. It can also mean developing an entirely new product from scratch.

If you are designing several activewear products you want them all to be based on the same general fit and size.

No clothing design is completely unique, and all fashion designers copy other designs to some extent. Dont be afraid to use what other people have already designed, as long as you are not copying them exactly.

Some active wear products that are a little more unique require more research and development than others. It is important to start with as much information as you can, in order to speed up the development process, and to keep costs as low as possible.

How Do I Develop An Activewear Product ?

We are often asked how to go about developing a clothing product. This page is aimed mainly at developing a single garment product, although it is also relevant to a collection of garments. Our workshops can cater for either.

Fashion Apparel Versus Functional Apparel.

Sometimes the clothing product is a straight forward fashion garment, that requires little in the way of development, beyond the basic shape, fit and style. Most high street brands develop each new style from an existing similar block pattern to ensure uniformity of fit, and to keep trial and error to a minimum.

As most of our clients are small startup brands with limited budgets, we need to ensure that we have enough information to get every design right first time around, maybe with a few pattern tweaks. If we feel that more than one prototype may be required we will try to let you know in advance.

Some  types of garment require far more development, and several samples  before final approval. These tend to be functional or specialised garments. Sometimes they are an entirely innovative concept that may require patenting. Again, the high street brands will generally base each design on a previous one.

For small brands or individuals looking to get a specific product on the market, it can prove to be a very long and frustrating process, unless they approach it the right way.

Although we normally suggest not worrying too much about researching, this is one area were a little research is advisable. A little out of the box thinking may be required, but it is really important to find something relevant to your own product.

Product development requires a tremendous amount of technical knowledge, combined with an appreciation of aesthetics and design. In today’s world, even technical garments need to be designed with as much consideration for design aesthetics as for function.

 EMAIL   [email protected]

Technical Clothing Designs.

Most fashion designs will require little development before the final prototype is approved. If fashion is the main criteria, then one or two samples should be all that is necessary to achieve a good result.

Other, more technical designs where function is more important, can take several more iterations before the final sample is approved.

Part of this development process is ensuring that we have the best starting point possible, so as to avoid trial and error and minimising cost. This means reviewing existing garments, images and ideas to put together a unique and workable design.

New Product Research.

With any new  product it is  important to maximise sales, and minimise  costs and returns. The product needs to be sufficiently researched and tested to ensure that it meets the requirements of the intended user. Technical products in particular need to be well thought out and thoroughly tested. The customer tends to be very knowledgeable and can be fastidious.

Perfect Is The Enemy Of Good.

Many of our clients, especially if they are developing just one product, are concerned with getting the one perfect product.  The design must be constantly changed and tweaked, with the aim of achieving  that one perfect product.

It is better to make a good product than to aim to make the impossible perfect garment.

Minimise Returns.

Returns are your biggest enemy, although sometimes your best friend too. You need to get your product as good  as you can, as quickly as you can, as cheaply as you can. Then release it to the public for the ultimate assessment. Let them tell you what you need to improve.

You dont want to intentionally release a poor product, and you dont want to be inundated with returns, but you need to obtain  good feedback in order to update it and improve it next time.

Good Fit Model.

One aspect of developing a fashion product that is greatly overlooked  is a good fit model. Its not just about being the correct size. It is about having a good  sense of what feels right, and providing accurate feedback.

Just as a good designer will have an eye for detail, a good fit model will have a feel for fit. They know what feels right and will not be afraid to let you know.

Many great designers will have their favourite models for the catwalk, and their favourite models for fitting. They are not just looking for someone they get along with. They also want someone who is critical, open and honest.

They do not have to be professional models. They can be friends or acquaintances who are quite picky and not too bothered about saying things just to please you.

Many of our clients insist on having the base size custom made for themselves. This would not be a good idea anyhow, unless their size just happened to be the precise size of their average customer.

Information. 

Information is vital when developing any product. You need to supply as much information as possible to enable the pattern cutter to produce the initial shape for your design. The more information you provide the easier, quicker and cheaper it will be.

Dont complicate things with unnecessary explanations or detail. Provide the information as concisely as possible. If necessary you can provide a separate page with an overview of your thinking and ideas.

Our Technical Team.

We have a team of clothing industry professionals with many years experience in clothing and fashion sample development. I have been in the clothing business for over forty years. Between us we cover just about every aspect of clothing, with particular emphasis on functional clothing, such as swimwear, sportswear and activewear of every description.

Concept Development.

In order to develop your design concept you need to sit down with a clothing professional with all the information and references in order to finalise your product. Our Clothing product development workshop is perfect for this.

Tech Packs.

We do not ask our clients to provide a tech pack for sample development, as we have our own highly experienced  tech pack designers, and it is far better for us to obtain all the necessary information needed to create the product directly from the client.

Tech packs need to be produced by very experienced professionals, otherwise they can be a source of complication and confusion. For sampling purposes it is best to forget tech packs, and just supply all the information you think is relevant.

The Garment Development Process.

The following is an example of how the process of garment development would work with us. It is just a  guideline, so may vary form client to client. Some client would require less services, while some would require more – Such as branding and marketing etc.  :

• Meeting to discuss the project.
• Startup workshop.
• Brainstorming to develop the designs.
• Finalise the designs.
• Produce the tech packs.
• Source fabrics and trims.
• Make the patterns.
• Make the first prototype (toile).
• Fit the prototype and discuss changes.
• Alter the pattern according to prototype changes.
• Make the second prototype.
• Fit the second prototype.
• Make final pattern adjustments.
• Make the first sample.
• Fit the first sample.
• Make the final pattern.
• Make the tech pack.
• Grade the pattern.
• Make salesmen samples if required.
• Get the factory to make their production sample.
• Production.
• Quality control.

Where Do I Start ?

If possible, start with relevant existing garments for fit, size, shape, or  particular features. Developing a single  product normally suggests a technical garment that requires a fair amount of sample, or prototype  development.

You will also need to provide a sketch, with concise, relevant  information. If you have provided a reference garment this is not so important, but you need to clearly illustrate what your design is.

Garment development  can be expensive for a startup on a budget, if not kept in check. Costs need to be kept down to an absolute minimum.

Even if yours is a completely new idea, there will be relevant garments out there that you can refer to. For instance, although cycling wear, equestrian wear and motor cycling wear are different fields of clothing, there are similarities.

Each discipline involves similar ergonomics, with similar weather requirements.  But each has its own specific functional requirements.

A cyclists clothing needs to be light and breathable. A motor cyclist needs armour protection more than it needs lightness.

How Do I Keep Development Costs Down ?

In order to avoid enormous development costs, try to find garments that have similar requirements to your own design. It is preferable to use the best example that you can find of its type.

It doesnt have to be the most expensive, but it should be a trusted brand in its field.

If its a cycling top, then you might choose  Endura. If its a motorcycle garment, you might choose Belstaff. These brands would have spent many thousands of pounds developing each of their products.

You need to use what they have already done, and build on it with your own design. Whatever you do, you dont want to start from scratch.

Dont use a fashion brands imitation of the real thing as your starting point. They will not have used specialists to develop  their own version.

Should I Employ  A Mentor ? 

Definitely. If you have no knowledge of the clothing industry, at some point you will need to find someone who would act as a mentor.  Your mentor could be a designer, a factory owner, a pattern cutter, a clothing technician, or a fashion business consultant.

Your mentor would guide you through the whole process. It doesnt have to cost a lot as long as you use their knowledge economically.

Even if you do have some experience within the industry, you will still probably need a specialist adviser with wide ranging knowledge of the industry.

At the very minimum, you need someone with  fifteen years experience. Preferably more, because they need to have a wide range of capabilities.

What Information Do You Need To Provide?

• Front and back technical sketch. Neatly hand drawn is fine.
• Any relevant garments are extremely useful for shape and size.
• A look book, or mood board of ideas and inspirations.
• A general outline of what you are trying to achieve.

Do You Need A Tech Pack ?

No, we dont need a tech pack. They can cause problems if the tech pack maker is not sufficiently experienced or knowledgeable. We do have a tech pack service.

How Much Does Sample Development Cost ?

The cost of developing the sample can vary enormously, depending on a variety of factors. We can  give you a rough estimate of costs when we see what your garment product is. Some garments can take far longer than others. It also highly  dependant  on the quality of the information we receive from you.

Most of the samples we make are quite straight forward, requiring just the one sample, with maybe a few alterations. A technical garment normally needs around three samples before the final approval.

Lets take the example of a lined technical cycling jacket. And lets assume that you have given us a reference garment for shape and fit. These are the estimated costs for developing the sample:

• Pattern – £400
• Toile – £60
• 3 Samples – £360

Do You Have Any Specific Advice ? 

Well tons actually. But to repeat myself, and to  quote Voltaire – “Dont let the perfect be  the enemy of the good”. Next, I need to re-emphasise the importance of clear, accurate information. Not in the form of “just another thing” emails, texts, and phone calls. Proper information all in one place,  clearly written and illustrated.

 EMAIL   [email protected]