Product Design
Digital sketching, colourway, print and graphic design.
What really happens at this stage
Product design translates the approved concept into an actual garment: silhouette, proportion, colourway, trim detail and construction intent are worked out through sketches, technical flats and often a first mood-to-garment translation in a design software package. Designers work closely with technical designers from the outset so that aesthetic intent is checked against garment engineering reality, such as seam placement, ease allowances and fabric behaviour, before a physical sample is even cut. Colour and fabric are finalised against the approved concept board, with lab dips and strike-offs commissioned to confirm the design intent can be reproduced consistently in bulk.
Each style is documented in a design pack containing a technical flat, a bill of materials listing fabric, trims and quantities, and initial construction notes, which becomes the reference document for pattern making and first sampling. Design review meetings, usually attended by design, technical design and merchandising, assess each style against commercial viability, cost target and brand fit, either approving it to proceed to pattern development or sending it back for revision. Decisions made here on fit block, trim selection and construction method have a lasting effect on cost, production speed and eventual quality, so this stage carries significant downstream weight.
How it is done
- 1Develop the design sketch and flat
Produce a front and back technical flat for each style showing proportion, seam lines and trim placement to scale.
- 2Select fabrication and confirm lab dips
Choose the base fabric from the approved fabric story and request lab dips against the target colour standard, typically allowing 2-3 rounds to reach approval.
- 3Build the bill of materials
List every fabric, trim, label and packaging component with supplier, consumption estimate and target unit cost.
- 4Draft construction notes
Specify seam types, stitch classes and special construction details needed to achieve the intended fit and hand.
- 5Conduct internal design review
Present the design pack to a cross-functional review panel to check commercial fit, cost target and brand alignment.
- 6Release the design pack to pattern making
Finalise and issue the approved design pack, including flats, BOM and construction notes, as the base document for first pattern development.
Key metrics (indicative targets)
| Metric | Working target | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Design pack completeness | typically 100% of required fields completed before release | incomplete packs cause errors and delays at pattern and sampling stage |
| Lab dip approval rounds | typically 2-3 rounds to approval | excessive rounds indicate poor colour communication and slow the fabric booking timeline |
| Design review approval rate | typically 60-80% approved on first pass | a low first-pass rate signals concept and design stages are not well aligned |
| Cost target adherence at design stage | typically within 5% of target cost | large deviations force late fabric or trim substitution that can compromise design intent |
| Design-to-first-pattern lead time | typically 5-10 working days | slow handoff compresses the overall product development calendar |
Targets are indicative working ranges, not standard or legal limits.
Control points to check and sign off
- Confirm the technical flat matches the intended silhouette and proportion before the pack is released
- Check lab dips are approved against the correct colour standard and lighting condition
- Verify the bill of materials lists accurate consumption estimates and approved suppliers
- Record construction notes clearly enough for a pattern maker unfamiliar with the design to interpret them
- Obtain design review sign-off with named approvers before releasing the pack to pattern making
Common pitfalls and their consequences
- Releasing a design pack with an incomplete bill of materials, causing costing errors discovered late
- Approving a lab dip under poor or inconsistent lighting, leading to colour rejection at bulk stage
- Designing a silhouette without early technical design input, resulting in a fit that cannot be achieved economically
- Skipping the cross-functional design review to save time, letting an unviable style proceed to sampling
- Leaving construction notes vague, forcing the pattern maker to guess intent and creating fit inconsistency
Main activities
- Brief interpretation and range planning
- Concept, silhouette and colour development
- Digital sampling and virtual fit sign-off
Quality risks
- Non-manufacturable design
Sustainability risks
- High-impact materials picked
AI opportunities
- AI-assisted colourways
Official sources
Learn the skills used at this stage
Free GarmentEd lessons with worked calculations, checklists and practice questions for the work described above.
Also relevant: Appliqué and Badges, Digital Garment Printing, Embroidery Technology, Fabric Selection for End Use, Product Durability and Care, Screen Printing.