You have your first prototype. Now what?
Reviewing your clothing prototype in 7 steps
I remember the first prototype I got in when I started in the apparel industry. It was a golf vest. I was thrilled. I definitely texted my mom.
Maybe you can relate to the excitement of getting your first prototype in on a design you worked so hard on.
After the excitement, though, what do you do with your proto?
You need to review it for accuracy, quality, and fit, and then you need to send your feedback to your factory so they can fix any issues and get to an approved for production proto.
Here’s how to review your prototype in 7 steps:
Check your email or the package itself for a note from your factory:
Often your factory will send over a measurement sheet where they measured the proto and note any differences from your spec (the measurements you requested). They will also note anything else they want you to know about the prototype. If they couldn’t make the construction how you asked, or if a measurement is wrong, they might tell you about it here. This sheet is helpful, but don’t rely on it. You’ll still need to review the proto yourself.
Compare the prototype to your flat sketches:
Hopefully you started your design from a tech pack with technical flat sketches. Go through each sketch and carefully compare it to your prototype. It’s like those find the difference pictures from when you were a kid. What doesn’t match your sketches? Make a note of any differences and decide if you’re ok with the prototype as is, or if you want to ask your factory to change it to match your sketch in the next prototype.
Check the prototype for quality:
Review the proto for construction quality. This can include things like checking for loose threads, or flimsy button sew on.
Check the prototype against your BOM:
Check your new proto against your BOM and make sure all trims you asked for are included. You may not have all your final trims in your proto, and that’s ok, but you want to make sure nothing major is missing, and depending on where you are in the process you may want to double check that your next proto or samples will come in with the correct trims
Measure the prototype:
Using the point of measure guide from your tech pack, measure your prototype and note any areas that are out of tolerance (too big or too small).
What about that measurement sheet your factory sent over where they already measured the proto? If they already measured it, do you still need to measure it yourself? Yes, you do. While it’s great your factory is measuring on their end, you’ll need to measure it yourself to be sure the prototype is accurate. Factory measurements are often optimistic in how closely they match your spec.
Fit the prototype:
Try the prototype on your brands fit model. Take note of any problem areas and pay special attention to any areas where the measurements came in too big or too small.
Send your comments to your factory:
Enter your findings into the prototype review page in your tech pack. I also recommend taking front, back, and side view photos of the proto. This makes it easy for you to remember what the proto looked like and how it fit and allows your factory to see exactly what you are seeing.
Make any changes needed to your flat sketches, measurement set, and BOM, and don’t forget to update the change log. Send the updated tech pack to your factory with your request for another prototype, or your approval to move to production.
That’s it!
It’s easy for me to say “that’s it!” Seven easy steps, right?
Honestly, though, this gets pretty technical and often brands I talk to have a deer in headlights look in their eyes when it comes to reviewing their first proto.
If you need help reviewing your proto, or didn’t start development with a tech pack and need to create one now, I help brands in this position every day.
Schedule a call to chat about your needs and I can help you get your proto review comments ready for your factory.
Need help reviewing your proto or creating your first tech pack?
Schedule a call to chat about your needs and see if we would be a good fit to work together. The call is free and there’s no obligation.