When a factory says 'the sample is ready', the right question is: which one? Sampling runs in stages, and each answers a different question before a single bulk piece is cut. Buyers who treat sampling as one gate — approve it, move on — consistently pay for it later, because each stage exists to catch a different class of expensive mistake.
Here is the full sampling ladder, what each stage is for, what it costs, how long it takes, and where you can safely compress it — plus the approval habits that keep a programme on schedule.
The stages, in order
Proto sample
The first physical version — it proves the design and construction work. Often made in available fabric and whatever colour is on the shelf, it is about the idea, not the final materials. Judge silhouette, proportions and construction logic. Do not judge colour, hand-feel or exact fit; that is not what this sample is for.
Fit sample
Made to your measurement spec and reviewed on a body or fit model. Corrections here — sleeve length, ease, rise, armhole depth — are cheap; the same fix after bulk is not. Expect one to three rounds, and give comments in numbers against the POM ('shorten body 2 cm') rather than adjectives ('feels long'). Numbers translate into pattern changes; adjectives translate into another round.
Size-set sample
One garment per size, checking that the grading rules produce a consistent fit across the range — a spec can grade correctly on paper and still fit badly at the extremes. Essential for ranges wider than three sizes; often skipped, and most regretted by exactly the brands that skipped it.
Salesman samples (SMS)
A short duplicate run in correct fabric and colours, made for showrooms, photography and wholesale selling before bulk exists. Not every programme needs them, but wholesale-led brands plan entire calendars around their delivery.
Pre-production (PP) sample
The contract sample: actual bulk fabric, actual trims, actual colour, actual labels, made — ideally — on the line that will run bulk. Approving the PP sample locks the standard the whole order is inspected against. It is the single most consequential signature in the process, and it should never be rushed or approved 'with comments' that nobody writes down.
Top-of-production (TOP) sample
Pulled from the first bulk output and checked against the approved PP. This is not a new approval — it is verification that bulk equals promise while there is still time to correct the line. Shipment samples pulled at packing close the loop.
| Stage | Rounds | Time per round | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proto | 1–2 | 5–10 days | $30 – $80 per sample |
| Fit | 1–3 | 5–10 days | $30 – $80 per sample |
| Size set | 1 | 7–12 days | Cost × number of sizes |
| SMS | 1 | 2–3 weeks | Near-bulk unit price × quantity |
| PP | 1–2 | 7–14 days (needs bulk fabric) | $40 – $150 per sample |
| TOP / shipment | 1 | From line output | Usually free |
Sampling charges are commonly credited back against the bulk order — ask, because policies differ. End to end, a disciplined programme spends four to eight weeks in sampling; the number one variable is not factory speed but how fast comments come back from the buyer's side.
Where you can compress — and where you cannot
- Safe: combining proto and first fit when working from a strong existing block or a reference garment close to your target.
- Safe: skipping SMS if you sell direct-to-consumer and photograph from the PP sample.
- Risky but survivable: skipping size-set on a three-size range with proven grading.
- Never: skipping the PP sample, or approving it before bulk fabric and real trims exist. A PP made in substitute fabric is a proto wearing a badge.
“Every day a sample sits unreviewed is a day added to your delivery date — and often more, because factory line slots do not wait. The fastest sampling programmes are run by the fastest commenters, not the fastest factories.”
How to give comments that shorten the process
Measure the sample against the POM before wearing it; separate fit comments (pattern changes, in centimetres) from make comments (stitching, pressing, trims); photograph issues with a ruler in frame; and consolidate all comments into one document per round — factories act on the last complete instruction they receive, and drip-fed comments across emails are how contradictions enter a spec.
Frequently asked questions
- How many sampling stages are there?
- Up to six: proto, fit, size-set, salesman samples, pre-production (PP) and top-of-production (TOP). Not every programme needs all of them, but every programme needs a genuine PP approval.
- How long does sampling take?
- Four to eight weeks for a disciplined programme, at five to ten working days per round plus shipping. Buyer response time is usually the biggest variable.
- How much do samples cost?
- Typically $30–$150 per sample depending on complexity, often credited back against the bulk order. Salesman samples price near the bulk unit rate.
- What is a PP sample and why does it matter most?
- The pre-production sample is made in actual bulk fabric and trims and, once approved, becomes the standard bulk is inspected against. It is effectively the quality contract for the order.
- Can I skip sampling to save time?
- You can combine early stages when working from a proven block, but skipping PP approval to save two weeks is how fit and colour problems reach 2,000 pieces instead of one.
- What is a TOP sample?
- A garment pulled from the first bulk production output and compared against the approved PP sample — verification that the line is producing what was promised, while there is still time to correct it.
Our sampling runs on a shared tracker — you always know which stage, which round, and what we need from you. Send a design and we will map the exact sampling plan and calendar for it, same day.