Write for the intended use
A competition jersey, a travel hoodie and a supporter T-shirt do not need the same fabric or fit. Start with the wearer, climate, expected movement and likely care routine. State whether the garment is intended for long seated sessions, frequent travel, outdoor queues or everyday casual wear. Those details help suppliers propose an appropriate construction instead of guessing from a visual mockup.
Decide whether you are decorating an existing blank or developing a cut-and-sew garment. A blank gives you a predefined pattern and existing size range, while custom construction introduces more decisions and sampling work. Record the supplier’s exact style reference if you use a blank. A generic description such as “heavy black hoodie” is not enough to keep repeat orders consistent.
Specify material without confusing claims
Record fibre composition, knitted or woven structure, fabric mass in grams per square metre and the intended finish. Fabric mass alone does not establish quality, opacity or durability. Two fabrics with the same mass can behave differently because of yarn, construction and finishing. Request a physical swatch and assess handle, stretch, recovery and appearance under realistic lighting.
For a cotton or blended garment, discuss shrinkage and colourfastness after the intended wash cycle. ISO 6330 describes domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing, while ISO 5077 addresses dimensional change. ISO 105-C06 concerns colourfastness to domestic and commercial laundering. Agree which procedure, conditions and acceptance criteria apply; quoting a standard number without those details does not create a useful test requirement.
Define fit with repeatable measurements
Write a point-of-measure description for each measurement in the size chart. Explain whether chest width is measured flat, where body length begins and whether ribbing is included. Keep the garment relaxed unless a measurement explicitly requires stretching. Include a clear drawing so a supplier and a reviewer can use the same reference points.
Specify the base size, intended grading and an agreed tolerance for each measurement. Do not apply one tolerance automatically to every feature. A neck opening and overall body length may need different control. Review multiple sizes when fit is important; approving only a middle size can hide problems at either end of the range. Publish customer-facing measurements from the actual approved garment rather than borrowing a familiar brand’s chart.
Resolve construction and decoration together
Document seams, collar shape, cuffs, hems, pocket construction and any reinforcement. Locate graphics from stable garment features rather than the edge of a mockup image. Give print dimensions in millimetres and state how placement changes across sizes. A fixed-width chest graphic may work on the central sizes but require a separate decision on the smallest garment.
Decoration can affect material choice. Sublimation usually requires a suitable polyester substrate; heat-applied decoration requires compatible temperature, pressure and fabric behaviour. Embroidery may need stabilisation that changes the feel against skin. Ask the supplier to review the complete combination before approving the garment. A material sample and a decoration sample tested separately do not prove that the final combination will work.
Check labels and evidence carefully
Agree fibre-content labels, care information, size identification and any market-specific requirements. ISO 3758 provides a care-labelling system using symbols, but legal requirements and symbol-use conditions still need checking for the markets involved. Care advice must suit the finished decorated article, not only the undecorated fabric. Packaging and product listings should describe the same garment.
Claims require evidence at the right level. OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 addresses testing for harmful substances within its certification scope; it is not a general guarantee of organic production. GOTS concerns organic textile processing and defined environmental and social criteria. Check certificate validity, covered products and permitted claim wording. REACH obligations are a separate regulatory matter. Do not turn a supplier’s broad marketing statement into a specific product claim without supporting documentation.
Make the sample the reference
Assign a revision to the specification and a unique reference to the approved sample. Record measurements, decoration positions, wash observations and any accepted departures from the original brief. Photograph the sample for identification, but retain the physical reference when possible. State who can approve changes and what must happen if a fabric, trim or production route becomes unavailable.
A useful handoff lets another person distinguish an intentional detail from an unresolved issue. Close open questions before the order is released, and keep the approved specification attached to the production record. You are not trying to eliminate every manufacturing variation; you are defining which variations matter and how they will be judged.