How Much Does Pattern Grading Cost ?

How Much Does Grading Cost ?

266. Grading prices vary according to a number of factors, including the number of pattern pieces, how complicated the pattern is, and the size of the pieces. So how much does pattern grading cost in the UK ?

Different graders use different methods for pricing. Some charge per hour, some  charge a per piece rate. Others use a flat rate per garment type. Some will charge a setup fee on top.

As a rough guide a pattern with up to eight pieces may cost around £30 – £40 per size. A lined, tailored jacket may cost around £60 – £70 per size.

One thing to be aware of with some types of complicated patterns, such as tailored jackets or technical garments is that there may be a lot of small pattern pieces for pockets, or internals like fusing. If you dont know about garment construction you may not be aware of these.

While some larger fashion companies choose to grade in-house to maintain more direct control over the size and fit, many prefer to outsource grading to a specialist grading service. When outsourcing to a grading company, they would need to provide a size chart to ensure that sizing was standardised to the companies own specifications.

Manual Vs Digital Grading.

There are very few manual graders left today, although some pattern cutters will choose to manually grade if only a few sizes are needed. This can sometimes be more cost effective, although Computer grading is generally far more efficient and accurate.

If you are intending to have your patterns digitally graded, this too could affect the price. Much of the time involved in digitally grading a pattern is the initial scanning and digitising.

If your digitiser is digitising and grading your pattern at the same time, then there is little extra work involved beyond the initial digitising and then figuring out the grading rules. The price for additional grades should be significantly less than for the initial digitising.

You may want to check how much it would cost if you were to return for the grading at a later date. Some digitisers have a minimum charge, which could cover say three sizes. So, if the price were £20 per size, they may charge £60 as a minimum.

Keep in mind that if you need alterations to your original pattern, this could require additional costs for re-digitising, or altering the original pattern. Sometimes it is better to have a manual pattern for sampling, then to have all the sizes digitised at the same time.

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