𝙇𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙣 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤 🇬🇧

A sketch is not a garment. And social media does not show you what happens in between. From where we sit, the designers who go the distance are not always the most talented on paper. They are the ones who show up for every fitting, ask the right questions and are not precious about starting again when something is not working. Sampling is where the real design happens. It is unglamorous, expensive and sometimes frustrating. It is also where good ideas become real clothes. Have you hit a wall in your development process? We would love to know what stage you found hardest.

Last week a new client came to us with a 15-piece collection. She wanted a production quote. Before we go garment by garment, we always ask one question: what do you usually retail at? She went quiet. Said she'd rather not share that. We understood that most founders think it's a negotiation tactic — that if they say £2,000, we'll reverse-engineer the cost to match. That's not how it works. When we know your retail price, we know your positioning. As a high-end manufacturer, our setup, our materials, our standards — none of that is built for the high street. Knowing where your product sits tells us immediately whether we're the right fit. If we're not, we'll say so. Better at the start than after a quote that was never going to work. We'd rather lose the enquiry early than waste her time — or ours. So if you're approaching a manufacturer for the first time, share your retail prices upfront. "Luxury" and "high-end" mean something different to everyone. A number doesn't. Have you ever been in her position? Tell me what stopped you.

📏Accuracy is crucial when it comes to measuring garments.📏 We have prepared seven tips to help you to achieve optimum accuracy when taking measurements. 🙌 Here they are: 💎Before measuring, be sure to assess the method for how measurements need to be taken. 💎The measured garment should lay on a flat surface unless otherwise specified. 💎The garment must lay in a natural, relaxed position. Avoid stretching the garment when laying it down; this will distort the results. 💎The tape measure should be placed flat against the garment unless you are measuring a curve. If measuring a curve, use the side edge of the tape measure. 💎Take all the relaxed measurements first, then move onto the extended or stretched measurements. 💎Always allow garment to relax on a table. Stretched or knitted garments may stretch out of shape on the hanger so be sure to take this into consideration. 💎Bulky seams should be shifted inwards to keep the garment as flat as possible. 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 "𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀" Link can be found in bio * * * * * #techpack #fashiontraining #fashionacademy #fashioncourses #fashioncourse #fashioneducation #fashionacadem #fashiondrawing #fashiondrawings #fashionsketches #garmenttech #onlinefashioncourse #fashionexpert #buildyourbrand #fashiondesignerstudent #fashionenterpreneur #technicaldesign #garmentproduction #emergingdesigner #businessoffashion #futureoffashion #garmentconstruction #patterncutting #fashiondesignstudent #fashionclass #fashionfeature #fashionportfolio #fashionsketchbook #garmentmanufacturing #garmentmaking

Are you skating on thin ice by not providing your manufacturer with the right paperwork?⛸ Have you made sure that your requirements are clearly reflected in your purchase orders? Did you know that purchase orders are not only communication tools between you and your manufacturer but could potentially act as legal protection for your brand? 𝘈 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘖 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. Let's say you issued a PO to the garment manufacturer with very vague specifications; as per our example below: 𝐄𝐱-𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: ASAP 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬: TBC 𝐂𝐌𝐓 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭: £55? These non-specific requirements set out will most likely, this will prompt the following actions: 𝐄𝐱-𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: there is no particular deadline; I can produce it whenever. 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬: I can demand what I want and keep production on hold until my requirements are met. 𝐂𝐌𝐓 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭: I can increase my rates. Obscure terms could potentially cost you a loss of revenue or order cancellations. These are our three tips to avoid this: 👍Be precise 👍Double-check with the supplier that the terms of your PO are clearly understood and agreed upon beforehand 👍Get a written confirmation or signature from your supplier to confirm the agreement. A new masterclass covering this and other aspects for production. Link in bio or DM us 😃 #garmentmanufacturing #textileindustry #madeinuk #ukmanufacturing #postbrexit #skilledworkers #madeinbritain #makeitbritish #britishfashion #samplesale #prsample #samplemaker #samplestudios #branddevelopment #businessdevelopment #designdevelopment #fashionlondon #fashionuk #londonfashion #londonfashiondesigner #ukfashion #ukfashion

Recently, one of the industry-leading consultants left me disheartened when I was told that it is quite acceptable to have creative sketches in your production tech pack. 🤦‍♀️ That bit of news prompted me to write this post and share my manufacturing opinions. 𝗔𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀?🙏 I'm afraid that I personally have to disagree that designers should use sketches in 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀. The sketch is a creative representation of the style which conveys emotion and colour. Flat drawings, on the other hand, are all about precision. Whilst comparatively uninteresting at times, they deliver important messages to the manufacturers, breaking down language barriers.🌐 𝗔 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: ✂️Correct proportions ✂️Clear black and white lines ✂️Sufficient detail ✂️Include information on internal and external garment construction None of the above is the requirements of creative drawings. I would say 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 is at the start of the development stage when you begin working with the pattern cutter. Not sure where to start? Book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call; we will be happy to assist. Link in bio. * * * * * #fashionindustry #clothingdesigner #fashioncommunity #fashionmaker #independentfashion #newclothingline #fashiontech #fashiontechnology #fashionschool #fashionstudy #fashioninstitute #digitalpatternmaking #garmentproduction #fashionbusiness #fashionstartup #productdevelopment #fashioneducation #freelancefashiondesigner #behindtheseams #cad #fashionsketches #fashiondesignstudent #techpack #techpacks #techpackconsultant #technicaldesigner #garmentconstruction #specsheet #fashionfabrics #launchyourline

Samples are what your potential clients see first. They represent your brand. They are costly, but also a necessary investment required in order to generate sales. 💸 𝑾𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆: 🔸Where possible, try to make your samples from bulk materials. This way, you will 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒚 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒆𝒔 during production and take the necessary steps to avoid them. 🔸Pay attention to the fit of the garment. Whilst the photographer may be able to resolve any fitting problems in post-production, your buyers will still need to wear the garment. 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒂 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒚 and potentially cause you to lose out on sales. 🔸Make it beautiful from the inside out. 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒃𝒖𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕 in your brand by having an impeccable finish starting from the inside. 🔸Don't forget about 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓. Sometimes it's a matter of adding an extra hanging loop, swapping a hanger or extending the facing edge. Here at Plus Samples, we pay attention to every detail and are delighted to assist you with your samples, patterns and small production runs.🧚‍♀️ Book 𝒂 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 to find out if we are the right match—link in bio.🤩 And, before you go, don't forget to bookmark this post! 😊 * * * * * #fashionindustry #garmentmanufacturing #fashioncommunity #fashionmaker #independentfashion #newclothingline #fashiontech #fashiontechnology #fashionstudy #fashioninstitute #madeinbritain #garmentproduction #fashionbusiness #fashionstartup #productdevelopment #fashioneducation #freelancefashiondesigner #behindtheseams #londonstudio #fashionsketches #fashiondesignstudent #fashionsamples #fashionbuyers #techpackconsultant #technicaldesigner #garmentconstruction #specsheet #fashionfabrics #launchrealestate

Ever wondered how to make the sewing and cutting process more efficient? Minimal tweaks and budget-friendly upgrades make a huge difference. One such example is a gathering foot. This helps to reduce the gathering time by 1.5 times as well as improving the overall quality. It also provides a more consistent finish and garments look more even as a result. We would love to hear your how you have managed to reduce costs and increase efficiency in your business. Please share your tips below! * * * * * #madeintheuk #madebyus #ukmanufacturing #ukfactory #fashionstudio #fashionhouse #readytowear #rtw #beyondbrexit #madeinbritain #madeinbritain🇬🇧 #britishmade #londonstudio #madeinengland #manufacturinguk #btsfashion #londondesigner #fashiondesigners #seamstresslife #seamstress #fashionstartup #fashionstuff #fashionstudies #fashionschool #fashioncollection #fashionconsultant #fashioncollections #fashioncultures

So, you’re now at the stage where your sketches are done your collection is designed! You cannot wait to link up with a pattern cutter and start bringing your ideas to life.😃 But before you go ahead and have this important hand-over meeting, it makes sense to check if you have the following: ✅All the 𝙛𝙖𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 for your collection are finalised and you have swatches to share with your pattern cutter. A slight change in fabric stretch or weight could cost you time and money. ✅You have determined your base and 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙯𝙚. In all probability, you will be using your samples for photo shoots and gifting purposes. Take careful consideration of your target market and what size will work to your advantage. ✅Evaluate how you will 𝙛𝙞𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚. Will it be through a professional model fitting, will it be done in-house or will you use your friend? Make sure the fit model is matching your base size and you have the measurements to hand to your pattern cutter. ✅At last but not at least, is the utilisation of a 𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙝 𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙠. It doesn't have to be complicated at this stage, however, all the information must be clearly presented to avoid miscommunication and mismanagement of time. 𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙡𝙨? ✨Click the link in bio to find out what free support is available to you right now. * * * * * #fashionindustry #clothingdesigner #fashioncommunity #fashionmaker #independentfashion #newclothingline #fashiontech #fashiontechnology #fashionschool #fashionstudy #fashioninstitute #digitalpatternmaking #garmentproduction #fashionbusiness #fashionstartup #productdevelopment #fashioneducation #freelancefashiondesigner #behindtheseams #cad #fashionsketches #fashiondesignstudent #techpack #techpacks #techpackconsultant #technicaldesigner #garmentconstruction #specsheet #fashionfabrics

Rouleaux loops are elaborate and quaint features that add a feminine touch to any garment. They could be made out of an array of different materials such as elastic, corded tape, self or contrast fabric with or without cord. Rouleaux loops can either have a practical fastening or be adorned as a decorative element. Here are a few elements to consider when choosing this particular finish for your garments:  Fabric rouleaux loops are fiddly and time-consuming to attach, therefore mostly used in higher-end garments. The cost of production has to be taken into consideration when determining their use.  The loops are constructed from a narrow tube of fabric that has to be turned inside out. Ideal materials for achieving a delicate look are light-weight chiffons, georgettes, satins or medium weight fabrics. Heavyweight fabrics, on the other hand, will create a bulky and untidy look and this may not be the desired effect.  They work at their optimum level when made out of slippery fabrics with a low level of friction. Heavy or high friction fabrics might create a lot of resistance and not allow  for the narrow tube of fabric to turn inside out. Need help with selecting correct finishes for your garment? We offer a 1-2-1 consultation to help you source the correct finishes for your garment to suit your niche and budget. Book a free 15-minute discovery session (link in bio) to see if we are the right match for you. * * * * #madeintheuk #madebyus #ukmanufacturing #ukfactory #fashionstudio #fashionhouse #readytowear #rtw #beyondbrexit #madeinbritain #madeinbritain🇬🇧 #britishmade #londonstudio #madeinengland #manufacturinguk #btsfashion #londondesigner #fashiondesigners #seamstresslife #seamstress #fashionstartup #fashionstuff #fashionstudies #fashionschool #fashioncollection #fashionconsultant #fashioncollections #fashionculture

Do you feel a sense of helplessness whenever you send out your production orders to your manufacturers? This seems to be a common predicament amongst many designers. Are you constantly afraid that the delivery will pass the deadline or the quality of the items will be subpar? 🙄 If you can relate to these common issues then keep reading and make sure to save this post as a guide for future reference. I have outlined 4 ways in which you can work with your manufacturer to eliminate these fears, make sure your products are delivered on time and at the standard you want them to be in. 🔹Communications is key. When you deliver all the components to the manufacturer it is important to keep in contact on a weekly basis. Do not bombard your manufacturer with endless messages and phone calls but do ensure a succinct e-mail is exchanged once a week to the relevant contact. Politely remind your manufacturer of the agreed dates and ask if they require anything from you. 🔹In the event that your manufacturer sends a query, make every effort to reply immediately as this is a good habit to develop streamlined communication. If you are not able to answer immediately, then reply to let them know that you have received their message and will respond at the earliest convenience. 🔹Double and triple check all the components delivered to the manufacturer. Ensure that they have correct quantities for all the raw materials down to a small button or hook and eye. From our experience, the most annoying thing is missing labels or size pips. Your manufacturer can put the entire production on hold because of something as seemingly insignificant as a size label and this can be especially annoying as it sets everything behind schedule. 🔹Deliver everything on time. If any of the production materials are running late, speak to your manufacturer to find out if they can start production without it. Many factories will not start working on your order until all the raw materials are delivered to them so it is essential to let them know as soon as possible to save time. On the 18th of January, we will be holding a free webinar to help you to navigate through manufacturing. More info and link in bio.

Garment measurements… How often things might go wrong with measurements? There are numerous ways to measure a garment or body and no set method is right or wrong; it is down to the individual. Factors like inaccurately communicating how and when measurements were taken can have a noticeable impact on the end result. Here are three factors that can be determined to clarify your specifications to the manufacturer: 📐Taking into account whether the measurements were taken on a model or if the garment was laid flat 📐Measurement start and endpoints, i.e. Centre Back Length (Nape to waist) 📐Noting if there is an elasticated detail on your garment. The measurement can be taken when it is either stretched or relaxed, i.e. 1/2 Waist Relaxed Don't forget to save this post as a future reference guide! By the way, this dress was made in our studio. Have you noticed the perfectly matched CB seam detailing? * * * * * #garmentmanufacturing #brexit #fashionroundtable #textileindustry #madeinuk #ukmanufacturing #postbrexit #skilledworkers #madeinbritain #makeitbritish #britishfashion #fashionstudent #fashionstudio #fashionleader #fashionstudy #fashiondesigners #fashionstudies #fashion #studyfashion #trims #londoncollegeoffashion #fashionproduction #fashionstartup #fashionbusiness #fashiondesigners #fashionskills #fashioneducation #garmentconstruction

We have taken part in many extraordinary projects and worked with some outstanding clients over the years. However, there are a select few special individuals who supported us throughout this pandemic in spite of the difficulties they were facing themselves. I just want to reach out and say thank you to all of our amazing clients who have stuck with us and supported us during this unpredictable year. We will battle through these tough times in style and we look forward to collaborating together next year. Here is to a successful 2021! #buybritish #bestofbritish #madeinbritain #ukfactory #handmadeinengland #londonstudio #RTW #londonfashion #madeingb #patterncutting #madeinUK #ethicalmanufacturing #ethicallymade #ethicalfashioninitiative #ethicalfashionbrand #ethicalfashionforum #sustainablestyle #sustainableclothing #sustainableluxury #sustainablebrand #ethicalsourcing #ethicalsourced #fashionsupplychain #conciousfashion #whomademyclothes #responsiblefashion #fashionrevolution #fairfashion #fairfashionootd