How many samples are normal before bulk?

You asked me this. And when founders ask this question, I can usually tell what’s happening.

Either things feel like they’re dragging and you want to move faster.
Or you’re worried you already approved too soon.

I’ve seen brands get burned by both. And both will cost you. Just at different stages.

I’ve been doing this over 20 years. The brands that struggle in bulk almost always had the same issue. They were never clear on what each sample round was supposed to answer.

Some factories will tell you three to five samples is normal. I don’t love that approach. With my team, we try not to go beyond 2-3 rounds unless the style is complex or the client changes design details last minute.

So…

how do we keep it tight?

The first sample is where most brands waste time and money.

Let me explain why.

Most people think the first sample is just to see if the design works in fabric. Yes, that’s part of it. But for us, round one does much more than that.

On the first sample, we check:

• Does the fabric actually work with the design
• How is the overall fit on a real body, not just on paper
• Is the construction aligned with the target price
• Can that construction realistically be duplicated at 1,000 units or 10000 units

Here is something my team does that I do not see often.

On the first sample, I use as much production fabric and production-level components as possible.

Why?

Because I want what I see in round one to behave as close to the final product as possible.

And the construction we plan in that first sample is the same construction bulk will follow. We are not planning one way for sampling and another way for production. It is the same from the beginning.

I know that sounds like a lot for round one. But that is exactly why our clients do not end up stuck in round five wondering what went wrong.

Depending on the design, there are additional strategies we apply at this stage. Things I can only share once I see your linesheet, because every style tells a different story.

The second sample is about final fit.

We take all the notes from round one. We make the adjustments. And we come back with a sample that is ready to be worn, photographed, and approved.

Yup, photoshoot ready.

I cannot promise every design only needs two samples before production. But that is how my system is built. I cannot stand the idea of going through 3-5 fit samples. That is outdated system and too expensive for any brand.

Here is something that surprises most people.

Sampling is not the stage that takes the longest. Planning and sourcing does.

When planning is done right, patterns, cutting, and sewing at the sample stage move quickly.

Bulk production is not the hardest stage either. Bulk is simply the outcome of planning and samples.

If your production fit does not match your approved sample, or you are already past three rounds and still unsure what you are approving,

Pause

Message me. I am happy to take a look and give you perspective. Sometimes you just need someone who has seen this thousand of times to look at it with you.