Think it’s a “Simple” Garment? Think Again

Your aesthetic may be clean and simple lines, or you want to make elevated basics. These basic functional garments seem straightforward and should be easy to produce, right? Any manufacturer would be ok with taking on these items! A pattern maker should be able to whip up something quickly! You are only offering 3 sizes that focus on inclusivity and gender neutral, so that should be no problem! 

If you are new to the garment industry this is a pretty frequent mindset that professionals come across, but it is usually far from the truth. Guys, you should know by now that I’m not going to tell you what you want to hear, instead, I’m always going to tell you what you need to hear so you can set your fashion brand up for success. 

Simple lines do not equal simple construction. Personally, I love clean looking garments with architectural elements. I’ve been wanting to make myself some clothing, because I get exactly what I want that way and I can tailor clothing to fit my petite frame. (Frankly, I need to move beyond my t-shirt, jeans and hoodie uniform.) However, as I peruse online retailers for some inspiration, I’ve noticed that my anxiety rises the deeper I scroll. The thought of making some of the garments that I love the look of and alterations I would have to do to make it look good on my body, the construction techniques or the fabric and materials that have to be sourced just eventually make me end up quitting and I need to make myself some kava tea to calm my nerves. 

I’m always so excited for the bravery in what my clients present and what they can accomplish, and how I can be a part of it. With the right mindset anything is possible. But I want you to be prepared. Because without knowing what really makes up a simple garment you can be setting yourself up for disappointment and failure because it ended up being harder than you thought it would. Everything is doable once you commit to tackling the roadblocks.

Words to avoid

Words that you think may be assuring to someone you are trying to convince to take on your job actually have the opposite effect. When someone says they have an “easy,” “simple,” “basic,” “straightforward” garment- that’s a red flag. Nothing is ever easy, simple, basic, or straightforward. There are always twists and turns, but that’s why I love my job. I’m always up for a challenge. However, if someone I have never worked with before wants me to do their “simple” collection I’m going to ask for lots of details before committing. 

I once had a design entrepreneur convince me that she needed help with some “simple” vests. Oh boy, these were far from simple. They were basically sculptural art installations. So now you’ll find me asking for images or tech packs before I agree to a project.

Instead of saying that you have a simple garment that you want to make, just say you have a blouse, pants, jacket, dress, etc..that you can provide photos, or a tech pack of so everyone understands the parameters of the project and there are no surprises. 

Friends, my goal is to teach you how the garment industry works so you show up prepared! So let’s get into the details as to why simple garments are actually pretty complex.

Complexities in Sewing

In a traditional factory setting, no one person is sitting down sewing an entire garment themselves. Different parts of the garment are broken down into different processes which include the use of different machines. Let's use the example of probably the simplest garment that comes to mind- a basic white t-shirt with a pocket. For a relatively straightforward t-shirt you will the following separate operations: 

-overlock for sewing side seams and armholes

-overlock with taping attachment for shoulder seams

-machine to set pocket (either straight stitch or chain stitch, or fancy specialized pocket machine)

-collar attachment

-coverstitch for sleeve hems and bottom hem

-heat seal label placement

These are just the most basic part of this t-shirt and perhaps it doesn’t sound like much, but when a factory has to coordinate setup, workflow, color changes with all the machines and processes, it can be a lot to manage. 

You could potentially go to the factory with your simple t-shirt and say you want a flatlock on the side seams. But machines are expensive so not all factories have all machines. They may not be able to accommodate this request. Sometimes the small details that you want can require a lot of problem solving on the production side. 

Complexities in pattern making

Sometimes simple styles are actually a lot more complex than they would appear. As a pattern maker I have to think of how a garment will be constructed and the operations that will go into making something. Often a home sewer can make anything they want go together. But in mass production, we need to think about durability for the long run and what will require the least amount of fiddly work (hand sewing). As a side note, hand sewing is to be avoided at all costs in mass production. 

Even a classic pair of yoga leggings can have different takes on seam finishes and construction options- do you want a foldover waistband or a seamed waistband with elastic for support? Can your factory do a flatlock? Where are you planning to put your logo so I don’t put a seam there, etc.. 

I had a client that wanted to do a “simple” t-shirt that would be stonewashed and distressed. He didn’t tell me that part until it was sampled. The t-shirt  was the basic construction that we all know, but the distressing process shrunk the garment, so we had to go back to the beginning and build in shrinkage so it would come out the right size. 

For my own clientele, I make up a pattern in a way that I know will be the most straightforward whether it will be for a home sewing pattern client, or a retail designer who is working with a manufacturer. Once the basics are in place it’s easier to start the conversation as to what can be modified to get the look or the construction that the designer wants. 

Complexities in Sizing

Unless you are doing only small, medium, and large for your sizing- it’s going to always be complex. You have to decide who is your smallest customer, and who is your largest customer, and what your sample size is. If you want to be size inclusive then you have to determine if it’s in the budget to create a second pattern that will fit the larger sizes better. The trouble with sizing is that it’s nearly impossible to fit everyone perfectly and offer a size for every potential customer, unless you are doing custom work. 

For those who think that it should be easy to use ASTM standards to make your size chart and/or grade rule, let me stop you. Just because these are “standards” does not mean they are one stop shopping for all of your sizing needs. ASTM standards are an average of human bodies sampled across a range. A grade rule basically zooms out even further on sizing data and creates a repeatable formula to be used on a pattern. Sizing has to be sort of predictable as your customer has been programmed to inherently know they are a specific size and garments need to be easily differentiated by recognizable numerical differences. This is why I tell anyone who wants to build their own size chart to start off by looking as to what their competitors and mass market retailers are doing. Chances are they figured it out. 

Even paring down sizing to something as simple as size 1, 2, 3, 4 creates a lot of questions. How will your customer know what size to choose? What incremental differences define these sizes? What gender is this intended to fit ?(a womens large is different from a mens large, for example). Will this sizing be sustainable for the long term or will you have to pivot? 

You don’t have to try to reinvent sizing or cater to everyone, especially if you are just starting out. You may not know who your customers are yet, so invest in sizes you know you can sell. It’s never ideal to leave anyone out, but getting requests for sizes gives you a better idea of of how to expand your sizing for your next production run. 

Complexities in Fabrics

The materials you choose for your clothing will affect the fit and drape of your garment. But there are a lot of complexities to fabrics themselves. There are different weights, different yarns used, different fiber contents. And then there is the question of where do you source your fabric from? Will it have the finish and hand feel that you envision? Will you leave it up to your factory to choose the fabric. 

Let’s revisit our example t-shirt from a fit perspective. You can sample this t-shirt in three different fabrications with slight variance in weight, color and fiber make up. I guarantee you that each sample will have a slightly different look to it and perhaps a different fit. Anyone who designs home sewing patterns knows that it’s a real challenge to design something that can be made in a range of fabrications and still have the same look as the sample images that it was bought based on. 

I did a brief stint as a designer, but I realized you have to be really into fabric and that just wasn’t me (I’m more of a shapes type of gal). As a designer you have to love fabric and note all the subtle differences and weigh lots of options against one another. If you choose to leave the sourcing of your fabric to your factory, you may be disappointed with the results. This is why it’s important to really have an invested interest in the materials you use. 

Complexities in the details

It’s the small stuff that can be the biggest challenges in garment production and it often overlaps with sizing. For instance, If you are doing something with a specific print, you need to ensure that all the sizes will have the same placement. If your business is button down blouses for women it’s important to ensure that all sizes have a button at the apex. This isn’t something that you should necessarily leave to your graders discretion. 

Then there are parameters of the trims you use. Maybe you have to decide that certain sizes need to have the same zipper length on a garment to meet zipper minimums, or you find that the topstitching thread is not giving you the look you want so you have to find a heavier quality. 

I know you already have a lot on your plate of things to do (and I’ve probably already given you lots of food for thought), but I really encourage you as a designer to source all components of your garments yourself. Don’t leave it to someone else to choose an elastic that may not hold up or a zipper with a pull that is gigantic, or a topstitching color that doesn’t really match the way you wanted. You gotta sweat the small stuff to get to the good stuff–your vision coming to life!