Sampling without the back-and-forth: approve a sample in one round

Most sampling delays are not production delays. They are approval delays: the sample arrives, nobody measures it, feedback comes back in four messages, and the second round starts two weeks late. This is the checklist we use so a sample gets approved in one round.

What a sample is actually for

A sample answers four questions: does the fit match the spec, does the fabric behave on the body, does the logo sit where it should, and will this survive washing. Nothing else. Treat it as a sign-off document, not a lookbook photo.

Before the sample ships

• Confirm the tech pack: measurements, fabric weight in gsm, colour reference, logo file and placement
• Agree the size to be sampled, usually M for women's and L for men's
• Ask for the fabric swatch or stock card in daylight, not on a phone screen

When it arrives: measure, do not eyeball

Lay the garment flat, measure the same six points every time: chest half, waist half, hip half, inseam, thigh, and body length. Compare against the spec table, not against a memory of the last sample. A tolerance of 1 cm on knits is normal; 3 cm means the pattern needs a look.

The four checks that decide approval

• Stretch and recovery. Pull the waistband and the thigh, hold five seconds, release. It should return, not stay stretched.
• Seams under load. Squat, lunge, raise both arms. Look for seam grin and pull at the gusset and armhole.
• Logo placement. Measure its position from the seam, not from the photo. Check edge lift by rubbing the corner.
• Colour match. Compare against the approved swatch outdoors, or under 5000K light. Never judge under warm shop lighting.

Lead times you can plan around

Stock fabric and stock colours: 3 to 5 days. Fabric that has to be developed or dyed: 10 to 15 days. Bulk after approval: 20 to 35 days, and the clock starts when the deposit clears and the sample is approved, not when the quote is sent.

What we send with every sample

Photos of the finished piece before dispatch, tracking on every shipment, and the measurement sheet so you can compare numbers instead of impressions. The sample cost is credited against your first bulk order for the same style.

Process detail lives on Quality & Delivery. To start a sample, send a reference and say which size you want sampled.

Where to go next

• Sampling, QC and delivery — the three checkpoints a bulk lot passes through.
• Private label and OEM activewear — how sampling fits the wider order process.
• Women Activewear — styles that can be sampled from stock fabric in 3–5 days.
• Five logo methods for activewear — decide the logo method before you approve the sample.
• Request a quote — ask for a sample and a written spec at the same time.