Do professional Fashion Designers use Adobe Illustrator?

In order to be considered a professional in some occupations, you must demonstrate mastery of certain tools. A good example would be a doctor's stethoscope which demonstrates experience and knowledge in their profession. In the fashion business you will see many job postings requiring experience with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop among other requirements. Does knowing these two software programs really demonstrate the knowledge and experience of a fashion designer (or any type of designer really), and thus their professionalism?

Design School

Design school usually includes training for Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. This is because many designers of all types use these two software programs. It is expected that a fashion designer will need to know how to use graphic design tools in our current tech savvy world. Designing is a visual medium and being able to communicate through media is an important skill. This is especially true when working with overseas factories. Being able to demonstrate an idea with a drawing or photograph is sometimes the best and only way to communicate. A design student should definitely take advantage of this training. Designers who did not go to design school can find opportunities for learning from several platforms including Skillshare or Udemy.

Software Cost

Not long ago Adobe switched from outright license purchase to a subscription based model. There are different price tiers depending on which software and features needed. The monthly subscription fees are not entirely unreasonable, but it creates an ongoing financial commitment to using the software. This can present a financial barrier to a needed tool for some. There are advantages and disadvantages to this system, but keep in mind there are options out there. Illustrator and Photoshop also need computers with a certain level of memory and processing power to work well. That may be an additional cost.

Is it necessary?

Yes and no. Your job and responsibilities may not actually require use of Illustrator or Photoshop. Fashion designers are idea creators and often entrepreneurs. They may have some experience in a lot of areas but at the end of the day, some tasks are assigned to employees or outsourced to people with more focused skills. I have worked with a variety of designers over the years. You may be surprised to know that few fashion designers can draw or use Illustrator and Photoshop. I have seen some pretty poorly drawn ideas that later were translated into some very nice final products. Technical designers, artists, graphic designers or illustrators can create any artwork that might be needed. So while it may be nice to have access to Illustrator and Photoshop, it isn't absolutely necessary for fashion designers who are starting their own lines.

Options

While Illustrator and Photoshop are the two software applications mentioned most often, there are other options. The truth is there are other drawing and photo editing applications that can accomplish the same task at varying costs. The tool that you need is the tool that will do the job.

Procreate - an Adobe drawing program available for tablets
CorelDraw
Inkscape
Gimp

Among so many others.

Inkscape and Gimp

I have been in the fashion industry for a long time now and I only used Illustrator for a short time. I didn't like it at the time because the software was bloated with a lot of features I never used. It took a long time for the software to load and the extra tools and palettes got in the way. The current versions are much more streamlined and efficient. I also used CorelDraw, which worked well enough. In any event, as soon as I found Inkscape, I switched and haven't looked back. The same with Gimp over Photoshop. I have used Inkscape as a professional designer for at least 10 years and no one has been the wiser.

Illustrator will open and use Inkscape file formats (SVG) and vice versa for Illustrator (AI) files. Photoshop will open common image file formats like PNG and JPG. Gimp will open PSD files. Compatibility between different programs is so much better than it used to be. There are ways to provide Illustrator or Photoshop file formats if using Inkscape or Gimp. There are some workarounds including online file conversion sites that do a pretty good job.

Professionalism?

At the end of the day you can choose your tool of choice. If you prefer Illustrator, then that is your choice. Definitely take advantage of any training you can and test out all the different options. If your goal is to be an employee, then training on Illustrator and Photoshop may advantageous. If you are a freelancer or starting your own business, you can choose what works for you.

Professionalism is another matter. In my mind knowing specific software packages shows experience or knowledge, but it doesn't imply professionalism. Professionalism is to complete a task well, on time, and on budget. It includes good communication. The tool of choice is less relevant. What do you think? Please leave comments below.

Bullet Journaling in the New Year for Fashion Designers

Like many, I have had my ups and downs with keeping a journal or planner. The New Year starts off with a lot of motivation which runs out in a few months. I have purchased or been given planners with pretty pre-printed calendars and spreads and I have gone months without using it. Sometimes those journals are hard to use because the pre-printed spreads do not fit my productivity style or they are to rigid in their approach. Other times the planners are too big and bulky to carry with me despite how beautiful they are designed. The Bullet Journal has been the method or style I have stuck with the longest. I have been bullet journaling for four years, which is a record. There are several things I like about this method.

Customization

You can do whatever you want with your bullet journal. If you browse Youtube, there are a lot of artists and people in the planner community who like to make pretty planners. They spend a lot of time illustrating and drawing out their planners. They love certain pens, pens with special ink and, of course, stickers. You can do this if you want but it does take a lot of time.

I am a bullet journal purist. I create lists and check things off. There is absolutely no need to decorate or illustrate your pages unless you want to do it. You can use any type of journal -- lined, dot, or grid. Discount stores, including Walmart, carry these types of journals and you can get started at a very low cost.

A catch-all place

I really like the idea of my bullet journal being a catch-all. I really dislike posting sticky notes on my desk and around my computer monitor. It's messy and cluttered. I also get sticky note blindness. I just don't see them because I focus on the task that is top of mind. So notes, reminders, phone numbers to add to my contacts list, all get added to the journal to deal with later.

I use my bullet journal for project planning. I create an outline of the idea with individual tasks for each step. As a task is completed, I flip back to the project page and check off each task. Sometimes the project idea tasks migrate across my daily to-do's, but I always have that original reference. This type of project planning is perfect for designers as they start a new season.

I use my bullet journal for note taking during meetings and conferences. No need to bring a separate notebook, it all goes in one place. Later, as I review my notes I can create new tasks based on areas of inspiration or goal setting. I attended a conference back in October and several work-related tasks evolved from my notes. It also helped reinforce ideas that I thought were important.

Bullet journaling as a Fashion Designer

You can use one bullet journal for both personal and work related tasks. It is easier to keep track of one journal versus two, but it would be easy to overwhelm your personal tasks with design work tasks. Designing a collection comes with making hundreds of decisions with dozens of things to keep track of at the same time.

If you are a freelancer or employee, I do recommend keeping a work journal. It's important to keep track of client work and what is accomplished so you can determine your billable hours. It also adds a layer of protection so you can prove what you did. You can keep this journal in the style of a bullet journal or however you choose.

If you own a fashion business, a bullet journal can absolutely help keep you on track to meet deadlines. A work journal that is separate from a personal journal will help keep the two things separate so that neither space is overwhelmed. I keep my work journal at work so I am unable to look at it home. This sets a healthy boundary so that I truly get a break. I do carry my personal bullet journal with me most places so that anything truly important can be recorded. For truly in the middle of the night work or design ideas, I send a simple email to myself that I will read in the morning.

Either way, you can figure out a method that works best for you. One or two journals, personal and/or work related. The system is flexible enough to experiment until you find the method that is the most useful.

Productivity hacks

A bullet journal is definitely an analog approach to planning and organizing. This method helps me to mentally retain my tasks and ideas for far longer by physically writing them down. It gives me mental space and breathing room by brain dumping tasks and ideas onto paper so that the stress of having to remember it is removed

A bullet journal can be combined with digital calendaring, reminders, and contact lists. The method is flexible enough that you do not have to feel like you are doing double work. If you like to setup a calendar with reminders, then you can certainly do it. Planning out on paper first can help with laying things out digitally. You can use productivity tools like Asana or Monday.com and still use a bullet journal. As project tasks were assigned to me in Asana, they were transferred to my bullet journal. A journal seemed easier to refer back to whereas the digital tools were helpful for future reminders. Either way, you can incorporate both ideas or methods.

The productivity hack that I have recently implemented is to create your to-do lists at the end of the day in preparation for the next day. I always had this vision that I would wake up early and have time to myself to plan my day and do a bit of reading. With my chronic fatigue and busy days, it never happened. I could never remember from one day to the next what tasks needed to be done. So now I spend maybe 15 minutes in the evening reviewing my tasks and creating tomorrow's to-do list. The next morning a simple review of my to-do list gets me started in the right direction.


If you are interested in learning more about bullet journaling, you can read about the Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll. There are also lots of journals available on Amazon including fineliner pens.

Transitioning your focus as a fashion designer

The fashion industry is full of possible design opportunities and career tracks. If you are dealing with burnout as a fashion designer, there are alternatives. December is a great time to reflect back on the past year and evaluate successes and failures. It is also a time to evaluate if you are happy in your current position. Does your work energize you and make it easy to get up in the morning or do you have to drag yourself to work? If you dread going to work, then it may be time to plan a transition. As a new year approaches, looking forward to something new can help bring new energy and hope for a bright future.

As a fashion designer there is a way to transition your focus on the things you really want to accomplish. But changing your focus as a fashion designer can be challenging. Designers are attached to their brands and it can become a part of their identity. Letting things go so you can try something new is a bit scary. Though once the decision is made, you can take one step at a time to reach a happier place.

 

 Evaluate your goals

If you have made the decision to transition, it is time to evaluate your goals. Goals can be super specific or more general. Do you want to own and produce your own brand? Do you have financial goals? Do you want to change product categories? It helps to write your goals and vision down. If you start more generally, you can drill down to specific steps. Smaller specific steps leading to your goal are more actionable.

Goals can change over time so it is perfectly fine to cross off or toss goals that are no longer a part of your vision. Goals do not have to be a rigid framework that do not allow for deviation. Life is not like that and changes in life require changes in your goals. As a designer, I have had to make changes in my professional goals as life has happened. This is normal, so allow flexibility in your decision making and goal setting.

 

Choosing a new focus area

Fashion designers can design many product categories from shoes and accessories to all types of clothing. Usually a designer specializes in one product category and becomes known for one type of work. This can make a designer feel trapped because they feel like they can only design one thing. Large design houses will design and produce an entire look from head to toe. Smaller design entrepreneurs are not financially able to do the same thing and so they produce they same type of product from one season to the next.

If you own your own business, look at adding a new, but related, product category. For example, a children's clothing designer that creates sleepwear could explore playwear or bedding. Adding that new product category can reinvigorate your motivation and provide a challenge that holds your attention.

As an employee, you could begin working on your own design ideas on the side. Begin to turn your ideas and dreams into an actual product. Draft the patterns and sew up a sample. Work on it until you are satisfied.

Evaluate and sharpen your skills

Regardless of your current position, you can begin to explore related career tracks in the fashion industry. Begin by listing all of your skills. Today's fashion designer has skills in many areas. Here are just a few ideas:

• Graphic design
• Artist drawing or painting
• Social media marketing
• Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
• Sewing
• Patternmaking
• Spreadsheets
• Training/Coaching
• Sourcing/Outsourcing
• Product development

Each of the above skills can be used in other employment or freelance. Perhaps you no longer want to create and sell a product or run a business. You could start a consulting business for other designers helping them develop their product. Perhaps you love sourcing materials. You could help other designers find the right fabrics and trims. Or perhaps you love to draw. You could provide freelance drawing services to other designers who can not draw (you would be surprised at how many can't draw). I have a friend that creates drawings of client's wedding dresses as a keepsake.

Perhaps there is an area that you want to improve. Now is the time to sharpen those skills. Take an online class in search engine optimization or social media marketing. Improve your drawing skills by starting a daily drawing practice. Create a portfolio of your work. Create an outline for a training class.

 

Hire Help

Many fashion designers also run their own companies, bootstrapping as they go. Eventually you reach a point where you need help. The stresses of running a business while also being the creative leader can be overwhelming. At the same time, hiring an employee costs money. If you can't hire an employee to work with you at your office or design studio, look at hiring a virtual assistant. Either way you can outsource or delegate the tasks that you dread doing. If you need or want time to focus on the more creative aspects of your business, then get someone else to handle the more mundane tasks. There are plenty of people that can make phone calls and research sourcing options. A virtual assistant can lessen the financial impact of a regular assistant and still accomplish the small tasks you may not want to deal with on a daily basis.

If you are an employee looking to transition, and have the means to do so, you can still hire an assistant. A virtual assistant can take care of the tasks you can't accomplish during the day when you are at work and help you move things along.

Transitioning your focus to something new

Sometimes it is necessary to make drastic changes. This may mean shutting down a business, switching career tracks, finding new employment, or maybe even starting a new business. If you are in this situation, there are things you can do to help ease the transition.

Before making the leap to something else, have an emergency fund. Prepare financially by building your cash reserves so you can still eat and pay rent. Having to worry about daily living essentials can cause you to abandon your dream and force you to take the next available opportunity even if it does not match your goals. If you are transitioning to freelance work, a fund will greatly improve your chances of success.


Try to have a plan in place with actionable steps. If you quit what you are doing now with no plan, it will take you even longer to transition. Let's say you want to become a coach to other designers. Here is what your plan may look like:

1. Start an educational blog
2. Collect email addresses of possible clients
3. Email potential clients introducing yourself
4. Create a proposal and determine rates

I've spent the last year or so on my own transition. I've worked as a patternmaker, technical designer and designer for over 20 years specializing in children's special occasion clothing. There are many things I enjoyed about my work. I loved working with expensive fabrics and trims to create something beautiful for a special event that would be kept as an heirloom or memory. Still, I made basically the same product over and over again with minor variation. Creatively, I became bored. At the same time I was battling chronic fatigue and I was being forced to evaluate my current work load. Since then I have evaluated my skills and found a new related focus that has me energized and is bringing me back to the business one step at a time.

Battling Burnout in the Fashion Industry

There has been a lot of discussion among fashion industry types of burnout. With many years in the fashion industry, I can confirm burnout is a real experience. I designed or worked on the same basic product for nearly 20 years. I reached a point in which there was not much left in the well to draw from creatively. It was at my least creative moments that I did some of my best work because my employer threw me some projects that kept me motivated. After that opportunity closed, I just did not have it in me to go after freelancing jobs in the same market segment. I was burned out.

Designers new to the business quickly burn out for various reasons. Fashion production has a much smaller time scale than in years past. Producing three to four new lines a year is extremely difficult. There are fast turn times on samples and sourcing. The sales cycles are short. Designers are under constant pressure to produce something new, fresh, exciting and on budget. This means long hours for days and weeks on end.

Some trade groups have taken notice and start to advocate for better pay and hours. I don't know if anything will change, but these are some of the things I did to help battle burnout.

Schedule time off

This may be difficult depending on your job situation. But we all need time away from the grind. I had at least one day off a week to focus on other things. Attending church and focusing on family provided a weekly boost that kept me going. Plan vacations. The point is to be intentional with your time off and do something else other than work.

Turn off social media

It is tempting to troll Pinterest or Instagram for new ideas all the time. Facebook, Twitter, and any other social media platform can bombard you and your mental health with unrealistic expectations. It is as true in the fashion industry as anywhere, but there is an expectation to stay on top of trends by following trendsetters. Designers not only have to create a new look, they are expected to also live it. Save your mental health by not looking at social media outside of work time or responsibilities so you can be yourself.

Explore new hobbies or interests

As a designer, many of my hobbies and interests were related to my occupation. This meant I was surrounded by work related supplies and tools at work and at home. Try to find a hobby that is different to help re-energize you mentally and physically.

Take care of yourself

One of the primary causes of burnout is a lack of rest, either mentally or physically. There are only so many 12 hour days you can do before you just don't perform well on the job or at home. Prioritize sleep, healthy eating, and exercise. If there are health issues, then address them. If these things are allowed to persist, your job performance and over-all well-being will suffer. This can be difficult in certain job situations, but do the best you can.

Learn to say no

If you are a freelancer there are some things you can do to improve high pressure situations. The first is to have clear policies about job completion and deadlines. This means you can add a few extra days for job completion even if you don't necessarily need it. The client may pressure you for fast deadlines, but if you can't meet the deadline or don't want to, you can decline the job. It's better to be honest up front about the work you can and cannot do so that the pressure to complete is balanced with reality.

This is more difficult as an employee but sometimes employers have unrealistic expectations. If it is impossible to complete a project on time, do your best to communicate with your employer. Try to have a plan or new timeline for project completion. This may mean asking for help from other employees. I once had an impossible deadline and after I explained the situation to my employer, he generously gave me more time. He just didn't know the work involved.

Start a side hustle, plan a transition or exit

We can put a lot of pressure on ourselves to perform when we feel like we don't have a choice. This is why I always suggest having a side hustle or plan in place in case of a layoff or exit. A choice frees us to make a job transition if the current situation becomes intolerable. Knowing we can do something else without meeting financial ruin can relieve a lot of stress. A side hustle does not have to take much of our time as long as you have a smart plan in place. It could be something as small as monetizing a blog or creating some small gigs on Fiverr.

Job transitions and layoffs happen frequently in the fashion industry. Have a plan in place with where you might go or do next if this happens. This may include having an emergency fund to pay rent while you sort things out and paying off debt.

Frequently Asked Questions about Tech Packs

With the release of my Tech Pack, there are a lot of questions on how to use it.

Q: Is there an industry standard for Tech Packs?

No, but there is industry expected information. There are several tech pack templates and forms available for purchase on the Internet, and they are all a bit different in presentation. Generally, those tech packs seek the same information. A Tech Pack contains any and all information needed to manufacture your product. This information includes a cover page, technical drawings, cutting specs, labels, etc. The forms included in my Tech Pack allow for a lot of flexibility so it doesn't matter if you are manufacturing clothing, bags or tents.

Q: Does a Tech Pack include a cutting spec?

I have seen some statements that imply a cutting spec is usually not included in a tech pack. That has not been my experience. If a cutting spec is needed to make your product, then it should be included in a tech pack.

Q: What forms do I send to a contractor?

Only the forms that are needed for the work contracted. It is possible to hire a contractor that can do everything from product development to cutting, sewing, finishing and shipping. Usually, a sewing contractor is hired to do cutting and sewing. In that case they only need a cover sheet, style sheet/cutting spec, bill of materials, colorways (if needed), labels, swatches, and anything else needed to complete the work. Forms that contain proprietary info are for your own in-house use, such as a cost analysis.

Q: What is the difference between a Cost Analysis and a Bill of Materials?

A Bill of Materials contains a list of every input (fabric, trim, supplies) needed to manufacture your product. It does not contain pricing. This form can be used for ordering and inventory.

A Cost Analysis also contains a list of every input but also includes pricing and quantity. This form is used to figure the cost of manufacturing, sale price, and gross profit. This information is kept confidential.

Q: What else should my Tech Pack include?

A tech pack is usually just the paper work involved in product development. But if you are sending a tech pack to a sewing contractor, you should include a perfectly sewn sample and fabric and trim swatches. This is especially important if you are manufacturing overseas where there may be a language barrier. The sample will help clarify what you want when the contractor may not understand or read the tech pack. Swatches are also helpful if the contractor is also buying materials overseas.

Q: I don't draw well, do I have to include technical drawings?

Any drawing is better than no drawing. It is the primary way you will communicate with a technical designer and/or pattern maker. You can also hire people to create the drawings for you at reasonable cost.

Q: Can I customize The Simple Tech Pack?

Yes. Included in your purchase is a spreadsheet workbook version (Excel and LibreOffice Calc). You can add your company info and logo. You can also rearrange, rename information if you choose. The only caveat is that the forms are copyrighted and cannot be resold.

Q: I'm an indie pattern designer. Will this tech pack help me?

Yes. An indie pattern designer is very similar to a fashion designer. You will still need to develop a style, cutting spec, measurements, sewing instructions and grade rules. The cost analysis will help you price your product. The Simple Tech Pack can help you organize the information needed for your final product.

Q: Why does your Tech Pack have a Style Sheet instead of a simple cutting spec?

I created a combination form called a Style Sheet. This form contains both a technical drawing and a cutting spec. I have found it very useful in product development to include a technical drawing with the cutting spec as it travels through sampling. That way every person along the way has the same point of reference. It reduces both paperwork and questions.


Do you have any other questions? Please leave a comment and I'll answer your question in an upcoming blog post.

Question on fabric copyrights.

I've received some questions and thought I would take some time to answer them in a series of short blog entries.

Lara asked a question on fabric copyrights.

I wonder if you can help!?  I came across your blog and a similar thing happened to me - I make bags and was sold fabric for the bags that infringe on a large company's design rights.  I have now found some different fabric and am wondering how I can double check that it is not copyrighted to anyone - do you know how I can check this?

In the US, fabric that is sold is subject to the First Sale Doctrine, meaning you can use it as you choose. The exception to this is if the image contains licensed images or trademarks. An example of this would be a team logo or recognized cartoon character. Though even the use of fabric with licensed images is up for debate.* This right is currently being challenged as we speak at the US Supreme Court, which if the judges rule a certain way threatens this right. It would probably upend business as we know it.

Anyway, the current trend among textile surface designers is to license their designs to fabric converters (such as Michael Miller, as an example) while retaining all their copyrights. They seem to be ok with personal, home use of the fabric printed with their designs, but they don't like their designs being used on commercially made products without their permission. The idea is certainly in conflict with the First Sale Doctrine.

There have been instances of copyright and trademark infringement on fabric in the US. In those cases, the design on the fabric was copied and printed outside the distribution and control of the original designer and/or fabric manufacturer.

I think the situation presented in this question is a bit complex and I don't know enough of the details to offer much help. I think Lara may be from the UK? In which case there are different issues at play. The UK and European Union have seized on the idea of design rights and patents. In that case, a fabric print in combination with a specific product can be protected. I don't know how you can check on the copyright status or design rights of a particular print. You would probably have to rely on the integrity of the fabric supplier. In any event I think it would be difficult to ever know for sure if something was ok to use.

In the US, the answer is similar. Fabric prints have traditionally not been registered with the US copyright office. Designs, as in completed items like a dress, are not protected. So, you must rely on the integrity of the fabric supplier to supply fabric that is available for the use you intend. Intellectual property lawyers may be able to help, but I don't how many are versed on the complexities of the textile and fashion industries. Unfortunately, if the above trends continue (and if certain legislation is passed) the need for an IP lawyer will become a requirement for designers.

*If you can look past the hyperbole of the Tabberone site, they do make some interesting points.

Do professional pattern makers work with seams on or off the pattern?

Professional apparel pattern makers work with seam allowances on their patterns nearly all the time. It's faster. I would argue it's more precise. This practice goes counter to what most pattern making classes teach. They teach that you must remove the seam allowances and add them back later. I don't know anyone in the industry that works this way. I think the idea is that working with seam allowances one can create variations that lead to fitting problems later. That's simply not true if you check your new pattern against the original block later. (This is assuming you make a copy or rubbing of your original before you start on a new style. But I'm sure you knew that).

If you are drafting by hand, it is time consuming to remove the seam allowances. Pattern blocks are made with seam allowances on. You would have to keep a set of blocks without seam allowances. It would be so easy to mix up seamed and unseamed pattern blocks. Apparel pattern makers leave their blocks seamed and theatre pattern makers or cutters leave their blocks (or rather slopers) unseamed. In fact a block is a finished pattern piece that includes all pattern markings and is seamed.

If you are drafting in CAD, you can turn the seam allowances on and off. You can work on the cutting line or the stitching line. It's a simple matter of hitting a few buttons. BUT, I have found that CAD programs have difficulty in calculating between seamed and unseamed because it involves a complex series of mathematics. So constantly switching between cutting and stitching lines can produce some weird anomalies. (As an aside, weird things can happen with notches on stitching versus cutting lines too). I have found this is true no matter which CAD system you use. So I work with seam allowances on and directly on the cutting line nearly 99% of the time. This means that I keep the seam allowances in mind while I work.

One Exception

In CAD, it is important to turn the seam allowances off and walk the pattern pieces along the stitching line in a few areas. Collars and necklines is one area that I nearly always check for matching on the stitching line. There are other situations that come up where this important. I learned this the hard way recently.

In this situation, I split a jacket back pattern piece and added corresponding seam allowances along the split line.

Next, I aligned the pattern pieces to make sure they match. At this point they did and I assumed all was right. Until I got complaints from the sewing machine operators that things weren't matching up. I had to go back and double check.

I took the seam allowances off the pattern pieces and realigned them. They didn't match, so I redrew the stitching line of the side piece to make sure it matched the center. I added back the seam allowances and realigned the edges.

 

The pieces didn't match again. Sewing machine operators also do not like this because they do not know how to align the pieces. In this particular case, the seam allowances are small, so I left the little "dog-ear". It can be difficult to cut those "dog-ears" off by hand when they are really small. It is easier to machine cut. In any event, there are different ways of dealing with this. I show one method below.

Your pattern pieces will then look like this and match up in every way possible.

What is a fabric converter?

Fabric or textile converters may not be a term some are familiar with. Fabric or textile converters are factories that embroidery, dye, print, flock, bead, pleat, etc. fabric. They may specialize in one area and simply call themselves embroiderers or printers, or they may provide multiple types of conversions. A fabric converter takes specially prepared or greige (pronounced grey) fabric and converts it into finished goods.

There are various forms of greige goods. Generally greige goods are fabrics that come right off the loom. Some have been minimally processed, not processed at all, or the yarns have been processed prior to weaving or knitting. There are various types of finishes that depend on the desired outcome. There are finishes that prepare the fabric for printing or dying. Other finishes enhance the fabric's qualities, such as singeing, desizing, scouring, bleaching, calendaring, and many more. These are finishes done to the fabric prior to printing, dying, or embroidering and so they are still called greige goods by some. Since these finishes do finish the fabric to some degree, they are technically called by other names. There are various acronyms and labels for the different types of "greige" goods and it all becomes kind of fuzzy (or grey, heh) for me. In any event, greige goods are warehoused until an order comes in to print (or whatever) the fabric. Printing and embroidering are some of the fabric conversions done at the very last stage of fabric manufacturing.

Printing your own fabric pt. 1

This may be a future series. I recently talked with someone who has been custom printing his own fabric for a few years now. There are several steps involved with printing your own fabric but it isn't as hard you might think. I am talking about having your designs professionally printed by a fabric converter. There are options that have become available to home hobbyists to print their own fabric, but it is extremely expensive. If you were to take this up as a business, you would need a printer who can print hundreds of yards at an affordable price or you would never make any money.

I have to say I admire some of the up and coming print designers. I admire their skill and ability to create a cohesive collection 1-2x/year. Many of these designers have training in the arts, either the fine arts or graphic design. On top of that, they have some experience working with cloth as seamstresses and pattern makers. I wish I was more skilled at designing prints. I think I could do it but I would need to dedicate a great deal more time to it. Maybe someday I will get up enough gumption to try it and print my own designs.

Traditionally, a textile designer creates their artwork using traditional media - paint and a brush, markers, pastels. At the very least then and now, an artist carries a sketchbook around with them everywhere. They are able to capture patterns and designs in the world around them and translate them into a fabric. They can pick colors suitable for apparel or interior fabrics.

I think most modern textile designers today create their artwork using computer aided design (CAD). Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop are the primary tools. (Free versions include Paint or Gimp, Inkscape). Artwork created in Illustrator or Photoshop is not immediately ready for printing. The artwork must be made into a repeat, created by a special filter or plug-in. The idea is to offset the image 50% horizontally and vertically and fill in with the offset parts. Look for a tiling filter or tool in your program to do it automatically. Once this step is taken, the artwork is ready to be printed by some methods (Spoonflower, for example).

For mass production, the artwork goes through some additional steps though I am sure the technology has changed since I was last exposed to it. There are specialized CAD packages in the industry that some artists use directly or through a trained technician. Artwork is brought into the software and the design is fine tuned through color reduction, recoloring, etc. The design is made into a repeat. The process is rather involved because digital artwork has to be translated into the chosen printing method. And there are several methods out there - heat transfer, roller printing, block, screen printing and digital. The method chosen depends on the converter's ability and/or appropriateness for the print.

If you want to be a textile designer, there are two main approaches. You can create artwork and shop it around to existing fabric manufacturers/printers/converters. Michael Miller, Westminster, and others buy the rights or license artwork from designers. Other designers print and sell their own fabrics. In either case you don't necessarily have to understand all the ins and outs of textile manufacturing and printing. Fabric converters/printers can take your artwork and prepare it for printing (their may be an up-charge or setup fee).

Anyway, more to come as I find this to be an interesting topic....

Deciding on whether to file a patent on a new child's product design or not

2019 Note - The amazon affiliate link to the nursing cover above is from a different manufacturer then the one described below. I do not know the current status of the Bebe Aulait patent or protection efforts. Regardless there are dozens of similar ideas on Amazon and other places.

I don't know why, but some baby clothing and accessory designers are under the impression they need to go to extremes to protect their product. This includes patent, trademark, and copyright protection. Maybe it is the inner paranoia of being copied. I don't know. It seems that there are A LOT of baby/child related products that have been patented. Why? Some products are truly patent worthy but most are not. Regardless, patents are only worth as much as the effort used to protect the patent. In other words, it may cost you more to protect your patent than the money you make off it. That isn't true for all products, but for many. For many design entrepreneurs it will be a waste of time and money. There are few processes or ideas that are unique in this industry. Most designs are just reinterpretations or a new combination of existing ideas.

There are three types of patents:
1) Utility patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof;
2) Design patents may be granted to anyone who invents a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture; and
3) Plant patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant.

In addition:

Even if the subject matter sought to be patented is not exactly shown by the prior art, and involves one or more differences over the most nearly similar thing already known, a patent may still be refused if the differences would be obvious. The subject matter sought to be patented must be sufficiently different from what has been used or described before that it may be said to be nonobvious to a person having ordinary skill in the area of technology related to the invention. For example, the substitution of one color for another, or changes in size, are ordinarily not patentable

I don't know under which of the three types of patents that Bebe Aulait has filed their patent for their Nursing Cover and I am not sure their claim is truly new or novel. (Bebe Aulait purchased the invention from the inventors and have become the new patent asignees). The idea has been around for a long time (one friend claimed she used one 20+ years ago). I think their claim as an invention centers around the addition of boning (stiffener) in the neckline of the apron that helps hold the apron away from the body. One interesting part of the patent is end caps on the boning. I haven't seen end caps for boning before and I could get behind that one small aspect of the patent. Have any of you seen endcaps for boning before?

In any event, there are some problems with the patent and I think it could be challenged. But who has the time and money. The nursing cover is a glorified apron.

Rumor on the street is that Bebe Aulait is enforcing their patent pending product in the same vein as Taggies, which I have blogged about before. It calls into question the value of their patent since it is so easy to copy. Not that I am encouraging copying. If you do, you will receive a threatening "cease and desist" letter from a lawyer.

I don't know what it takes to challenge a patent. I am sure at some point an IP lawyer will have to be employed and they are very expensive.

Trademarks are issued to brand names. Like patents, it creates a property right over a brand name. I will write about a trademark problem with onesies (owned by Gerber) at a later date. The next problem is copyrights. Taggies claims copyright protection on their products. Such a claim is not valid because there is currently no copyright protection on clothing or textile items. Copyright protection can apply to textile designs such as fabric prints. A measure has been in the works to extend copyright to apparel but is apparently stuck in committee. Such an extension of copyright would have a devastating affect on the apparel industry in the US.

What do you think?

Thanks to MyPreciousKid and Trinlayk for bringing this to my attention.

Does your fashion clothing line tell a story?

In a previous blog entry I answered, "What is a line?". That recent blog and other things I have been reading have led me to the next logical question. Does your line tell a story? I partially addressed it in the previous blog.

Some say a line tells a story. That is the more difficult thing to interpret or even observe. Not too many customers care about your source of inspiration unless it is an integral value that they share.

There is a line story and a company story/history/values and some people confuse the two. Does the line story have to reflect the company story? Does each piece have to reflect the company values? How much do the two overlap? Or should they?

A story or narrative describes a sequence of events or parts through the written word or visual depiction. The story contains clues, pieces, or parts that the reader or observer can put together to make a whole picture or concept. At least this is the dictionary definition.

How does this apply to a line of clothes or even a clothing business? You will hear on tv shows like Project Runway that a line should tell a "story". Each piece should be part of a whole. There should be a beginning, middle, and end. If you watch a runway show, the storytelling becomes even more important because a runway show is part entertainment. The runway show of a high-end designer is an easy, not necessarily the best, example. They may start with a strong day piece, maybe some office wear, and usually end on an evening gown. It's as though their customer will be able to visualize wearing each piece as they go through their day.

In the regular old fashion business, the concept becomes more abstract. Still, each piece of your line should look like it belongs to the whole. A sales rep will merchandise your line as though it has a story. They will start with a beginning piece and end with the logical ending piece. They may start with the strongest piece, weakest, or maybe the middle and put it all together so it is most appealing to the buyer. Each buyer may get a different story. A skilled sales rep will know what will appeal best to get the buyer to buy. The entertainment value is overshadowed by the business side of buying and selling.

This why I stated above that the buyer, and even the end consumer, doesn't really care about your source of inspiration or all the blood, sweat, and tears that were shed to complete the line. You shouldn't have to tell them any of that. It isn't relevant. A customer should look at your line and pick out the pieces they like well enough to buy. The story should be subconscious.

A line sometimes has a theme, inspiration, color, style, mood that ties each piece together. If you look at Tea Collection again, you can see an apparent theme. I see beach, sand, and casual. There is a beginning, middle, and end. Do you see it too?

This is not to be confused with your company values, history or story. Now there are some design companies out there that mix their company values and history into each piece. Their story lies on the surface. It is apparent what their clothing stands for, how it was made, and why. There is nothing wrong with doing that, if you choose. But ask yourself, "How long will my story be relevant? How long will the customers care? Will they care?"

What if you create an organic cotton line of screen printed t-shirts for baby with rock star sayings made in a sweatshop free factory? Perhaps those things are part of your core company values or history. How long will this story last before it becomes stale or passe. By mixing your brand, line, and company philosophy too closely, you will limit your company's growth and creativity. If you wear your story on your shirt sleeves, people will eventually tire of you. Such a story can and should be an integral part of you as a designer, not something blasted in their face.

What do you think? How much should your line story and company values overlap?

What is a clothing line?

In terms of fashion, a line is a group or collection of 5-7 related pieces. Sometimes it is more. Sometimes the pieces are actually sets because children's lines tend to be sold as sets (bringing the total pieces to around 10-20). The point is that the pieces are related. The pieces have similar colors, tones, mood, feel. From a manufacturing end, the pieces repeat fabrics to minimize and utilize fabric purchases. The clothes have a consistent fit.

Some say a line tells a story. That is the more difficult thing to interpret or even observe. Not too many customers care about your source of inspiration unless it is an integral value that they share. Usually customers care about price, fit, comfort, and finally, "Does it look good?".

To muddy the waters, newer children's designers on Ebay and Etsy do collections based around a fabric grouping. They offer up one of a kind outfits that utilize a particular theme or fabric print. They will call that one outfit or piece a collection. Some of these designers evolve and manage to present a true line. In any event, they are inspiring some RTW collections.

A good example of a well merchandised line can be found at Tea Collection. They do some things really well. They have repeated fabrics. The pieces can be mixed and matched. It has a consistent feel, colors, and look. Each piece looks like it belongs. You could even say it tells a story. Can anyone else see it?

What lines are out there that you like? Post links in comments.

Make a Design Storyboard

As I was designing Prairie Roses for Fall 2007, I created a digital design board. In school it was all about literally cutting and pasting paper onto illustration board. I like the digital version because it is much faster and more professional looking.


I had a hard time identifying and explaining the look I wanted. When I started it was simply a feeling. I decided a story board was the best way for me to explain my line to myself. I have rarely done this in the past - it always seemed like busy work. This time, I have convinced myself of it's necessity. As I struggled to find pictures that explained the mood, everything else seemed to fall into place. The words A Country Sensibility came to me and it was perfect for so many reasons. It made me think of Sense and Sensibility and Jane Austen - how can I translate Jane Austen's "look" into little girl's dresses. It made me think about sensible country living. Being grateful for what you have. Not living too extravagantly - but comfortably.

Anyway, I headed out with my camera and took pictures of the flowers growing in my flower beds and nearby scenery. There was my mood. I already had purchased the fabrics and they meshed perfectly. The red ombre ribbon roses were the highlight and the key to the brand name.

Prairie Roses was a difficult brand name to nail down. Do you know how hard it is to find a brand name that is not already in use? One that fits the mood and explains the look without the customer ever seeing the clothing? This is complicated by trying to find an internet domain name that is available. It took weeks of research.

The work required to pull all of this together had other benefits. I emailed a graphic designer a copy of my design board and she was able to design my logo (which is shown on the right). I am fairly pleased with the results of the line, the logo, the brand. It all meshed together so perfectly. It feels good to be focused and I am excited about designing more for this line.

Next week is even better. I have been working on toddler patterns and I have a fitting/photo shoot scheduled. I am excited!

The State of the Childrenswear Industry in 2007

The information for this blog entry comes from one of those fantastic business databases available from my local library. One of the biggest hurdles in my business plan was trying to describe the current state of the industry. From experience, I could say things were in decline. And really, if I included that in my business plan, it wouldn't give a financial institution much incentive to loan me money. Who would invest in a business where the entire industry is in decline? Now I can write something with a bit more substance and support that things aren't so bad (not great, but not dismal either). I am not looking to secure financing through the SBA, but some of you might and this resource is something that could help.

The database where this information is found is called the Business & Company Resource Center powered by InfoTrac (owned by Thomson-Gale). Be sure to do an industry search. In the description area enter the word children. Several descriptions should pull up for children's and women's clothing industries. I selected #2361 - Girls', Children's and Infants' Dresses, Blouses and Shirts description.

The article has too much info to repeat here. Here are some tidbits that may interest you:

As was true for much of the U.S. apparel industry, these establishments tended to be small, family-run businesses, and they faced stiff competition from low-cost imports.
As of 2005, Wal-Mart carried a 12 percent share of the apparel industry, though it aimed for 30 percent. With more than 4,000 stores offering a wide variety of apparel falling within this industry, Wal-Mart's annual clothing and footwear budget alone was $35 billion.
Also contributing to the industry's decline in the United States was the reliance of manufacturers on offshore assembly of pieces cut in the United States, which actually increased during the mid-2000s.
By using computers to track inventory and sales, as well as consumers' responses to particular items, manufacturers gained the ability to respond quickly to market demand. This allowed them to get a jump on foreign producers who were often half a world away, and minimize their vulnerability to imports.

One interesting observation comes from the first paragraph. Most apparel businesses are small, family-run businesses. This is exactly how most childrenswear companies start! It is a good place to be. Later, I may pull up information on the industry leaders: OshKosh, Carter's, and Gerber. Very interesting.

When you read things like this, it makes you wonder why anyone would enter the childrenswear business in the first place. And yet, I discover new businesses starting up all of the time (they must not have read these reports). The truth is, there is room and growth in this business, and you can do it! These types of reports look at the big guys with the big numbers. The biggest thing to remember is that you should not compete with Wal-Mart or the industry leaders on price or even look. The specialty market is always looking for something new and exciting.

Other tidbits included in the article: News (from the last few years), company profiles and industry rankings.

Source Citation: "Girls', Children's, and Infants' Dresses, Blouses, and Shirts." Encyclopedia of American Industries. Online Edition. Thomson Gale, 2006. Reproduced in Business and Company Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.:Gale Group. 2007. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BCRC

Children's Fashion Magazines

One way to keep up with the latest fashion trends is to read fashion magazines. Over time a designer can get a feel for what is coming next even though fashion magazines focus on the now. It will at least help you keep up with your competitors.

And yet, there are few US children's fashion magazines. Occasionally, I will flip through the latest Child magazine. Child Magazine has less to do with children and more to do with parents. Their children's fashion section has always been disappointing. The latest issue especially (I am sorry I can't provide a link, so check out the newsstand). The pictures of the fashion section were ALL softened and obscured. Sure, you could get an idea of the feel or mood, but no clue what the actual clothes look like. Their fashion section is usually about 3-5 pages, featuring as many items. The photographs are very well done, but they don't help promote any fashion. Their website is even more annoying with pop-ups, flash, and survey requests.

One the best children's fashion magazines is Bambini. It is an Italian glossy magazine that comes out only twice a year and is fairly pricey. The issues and pictures correspond with Italian fashion runway shows. Most of the fashion shows are sportswear related and are very forward for the American market. Still, it is worth picking up one every now and then.

My personal favorite, and affordable, childrenswear fashion magazine is Burda Kids Fashion from Germany. The magazine comes with patterns, a definite bonus. I use the patterns for reference and ideas of how to create innovative fashion. They have lots of details that are forward for the American market, but still practical. Unfortunately, it only comes out two times a year. Ottobre is a similar magazine out of Finland that comes out four times a year

There are various other childrenswear and fashion/style magazines, but most of them come out of Europe. Some include Enfants (France), Baby & Junior (Germany), Childrenswear Buyer (UK), Divos Moda (Spain), Sasame (Japan), Studio Bambini (Australia), Vogue Bambini (France). There are two main US magazines, but they are definitely trade magazines focusing on business - Childrens Business (which was merged with WWD and is essentially defunct) and Earnshaws. I would really like to see an American version of Bambini. A magazine that has pictures from American childrenswear shows. This is a definite niche that could be filled.

To be fair, there are a few American-based online children's fashion blogs. Many of them focus on celebrity's babies and gossip. Not really that useful for following trends.

What do you read to keep up with fashion trends?

A CEO's experience is important - the Difficulty at The Gap in 2007

I love BabyGap. I think the designers do an incredible job. The product looks fresh and cute, and it is priced reasonably. I read a very interesting article in February's 26th Business Week, Paul Pressler's Fall From The Gap. My first reaction was here is someone who didn't read Kathleen's book. Reading through the article (and if you can believe everything in it), one can see he clearly didn't understand the fashion business. It would be easy to put all of the blame on him because he was the new guy. The truth is that GAP has corporate culture issues not unlike any large company.

I met an assistant designer for GAP years ago. The impression she left was not very favorable. At least I decided I would not work there, if given the choice. It was a pretty cut throat environment with people climbing the corporate ladder rather quickly because of constant turn over. She left the impression that she could be become one of the head designers within a few years. Success like that does not happen without a lot of back-stabbing.

So I don't blame him entirely for his failure to turn things around at GAP. It would not have been an easy task to walk into a difficult corporate culture, with little fashion experience. Some of his decisions illustrated in the article were indeed poor, others just missed the mark. I think design entrepeneurs can learn from him. Here are my thoughts on some of his decisions:

1. Combining fabric purchases. He made the mistake of combining denim sales for all four divisions of GAP, including Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Forthe and Towne. The result was that all divisions ended up with exactly the same denim to use in all of their denim styles. There is no point in having four divisions if there is not some kind of difference in the clothing. Why buy denim jeans at Banana Republic when you can get the same thing at Old Navy for less money?

The idea is not without merit. I have had corporate execs suggest the same in the past. The goal is to negotiate a lower price for the raw materials by buying in bulk. A small company can combine fabric purchases to also negotiate a lower price. The point is that you shouldn't buy only one fabric, or one style of fabric. Large fabric mills will push you in that direction because it is less expensive for them to run 10,000 yards of the same denim fabric. But what are you going to do with 10,000 yards of denim?

A small business is more likely going to need, say, 300 yards of denim, which will cost more than what GAP will pay. But you can still negotiate a lower price. Sometimes, your order can be combined with an order from another company. Both companies could benefit with a lower price. Perhaps, you could up your order to 500 yards and you can use the extra fabric the next season or in another style. If the fabric company has more than one type of fabric, perhaps you could combine your fabric needs with one company. A long term relationship between supplier and buyer can lead to lower prices.

A small business should never buy ALL of their fabric from one source. You never know what could happen, so make sure to have back-up choices.

2. Outsourcing development. Pressler required his designers to create their patterns in the states and then have the samples made in Asia. Sample making in Asia is cheaper. The problem is time. It takes time to mail samples and patterns back and forth. Even with internet technology, there are many barriers to the ease of communication. Language differences is the biggest. This kind of product development can take as long as 3-4 months for final product approval, especially on a new style. Pressler would not give approval for expedited shipping.

You can outsource product development. It should be something to consider, especially for childrenswear designers. A lot of children's clothing is made overseas - just shop the competition and you will see very few USA labels. Because competition is so stiff, you can save a lot in labor by moving overseas.

If you decide to take this road, give yourself plenty of time. Time to find a reputable manufacturer. Time to find a manufacturer that will run smaller lots (small is a relative term, but expect 500-1000 pc runs to be termed "small"). Time to teach the manufacturer and their technical people your product and quality standards. You can do a lot of things long distance. One Chinese manufacturer preferred that designers actually come and spend a few weeks in China working directly with a patternmaker to develop samples. Not only was it faster, but it ensured the designer got what they wanted.

3. Market Research. Pressler tried to use traditional market research tactics to predict the next big trend. The problem is that customers look to their favorite brands to lead on the next trend. This means that designers predict or envision what should happen next. Fashion companies rely on their designers for this.

Market research is important for building a better brand and better product. Designers do need to listen to their customers. I have seen a few online fashion companies add product reviews and customer comments on their sites. This type of system can help a company improve problems faster. Inspect returns for product defects. Learning from the past can help you move forward.


What will happen at the GAP next? They are now on the hunt for a CEO with apparel experience. I don't see the death of GAP, but I do see some serious growing problems.

CAD 101 published at Fashion Incubator

I am being a lazy cross-poster today. Part One of my co-written articles on CAD can be found at Fashion-Incubator (part two should be published January 19th). My co-writer is Angela from Eve and Ellie. Check out Angela's website - it is beautiful! Kathleen did a great job pairing us up. Not only was Angela great to work with, but we both work with girl's special occasion clothing. My current special occasion work can be seen at One Small Child. Most of my work is technical design, but you can see some of my designs in the mix.

If there is interest, I can expand on some of my CAD drafting, grading techniques, pattern naming, organization, etc. In the mean time I am working on the back-end of my store, which is taking a lot of my time. I have been reading up on CSS, PHP web design and database management (for coding geeks only!). I decided that to truly get the website I want, I need to switch my store manager to something new. This is all behind the scenes and is in the building and testing stages. My current store continues to work and is secure. The new store will be 100% more powerful!

So my grading projects and boys' shirt pattern revision is still in the works, just slowed down. I have my base pattern graded up to my needed size 24M. And guess what! The neck measures a little over 12"! Now it is only a matter of applying that neck to the shirt pattern.

In other news, the consumer product safety commission has issued recalls on more children's jewelry, rattles, teethers, and magnetic toys. Be sure to read this page!

Care/Content Label Example in Two Languages

Writing a care/content label can be difficult. There are government regulations, department store requirements, company budgets, and a lot of info to fit in a small space. Every company comes up with creative solutions. If I get stuck on how to write a care label, I go shopping (or at least my closet)! I have seen a lot of good examples and poor examples of how to write a care/content label. I may blog about care/content labels in the real world on a semi-regular basis. New designers need a better understanding of labeling requirements. Since my blog focuses on children's clothing, I will try to pull labels from children's clothing. Children's clothing presents some difficulty when creating a care/content label.

In my first example, I pulled a label from a cotton t-shirt with a screen print, sized 6-9M. I smudged out the RN# because I want to keep the manufacturer anonymous. I apologize for the pictures being a bit fuzzy - labels are harder to scan than I thought. I will do better on my next blog. The front of the label is on the left, the back is on the right.

The first thing that caught my eye about this label is the colors. The label is a folded woven, satin label with orange lettering. This kind of label is a bit more expensive than a regular printed label. I wouldn't have expected this style in an ordinary t-shirt, especially one that came from a major discounter. The label is in English and Spanish. This is a typical requirement for department and chain stores.

I had previously blogged about keeping track of production by recording some kind of information on the label. This label has a SKU # on the bottom of the reverse side of the label. It is a little unusual to see a SKU number, but it does occur. 

The only thing I would change is the repetition of the size information. The English/Spanish could be combined on one line: "Size/Talla 6/9M. It is also preferred to keep the font size for all of the characters and numbers on the tag the same size.

Hidden traps in manufacturing childrens clothing in China

Except for specialty boutique items, most children's clothing sold in the US is manufactured in either China, Vietnam or some other Asian country. If you are a children's clothing designer, you may be faced with competing product from these countries. Competition has become increasingly fierce as labor and raw material prices are rock bottom in China. You may be tempted to send your manufacturing to China in order to compete.

I am not against manufacturing in China. In fact, depending on your product, it may be the best option. The Chinese have become more skilled over time and can produce superior product. They can incorporate embroidery very cheaply, or produce complex pieces that many US factories balk at. If you are considering a move to China, you may want to read an article from Business Week (Nov 27, 2006), titled, Secrets, Lies, And Sweatshops and a book titled China, Inc.: How the Rise of the Next Superpower Challenges America and the World, by Ted Fishman.

Both this article and book detail the complexities of manufacturing in China. Clothing manufacturers will take advantage of you if you do not have enough money to protect your interests. They will bend over backwards to land the large volume accounts, like Wal-Mart, but not necessarily a small company. In other words, a small company can manufacture in China, but it must be done with a great deal of care and oversight. A small company can find factories willing to work with them, the difficulty is in finding an honest one. The same can be said about some of the remaining US and Mexico factories.

The greatest difficulty about manufacturing in China is quality control and worker efficiency. A Chinese factory would rather hire 5 employees for one job instead of buying a piece of equipment to perform that one operation. The owners are thinking only of short term solutions to get them through their current contract. Eventually those 5 workers will have to be replaced with a more efficient piece of equipment in order to compete effectively. I can see a time when Chinese workers will start to demand better working conditions and pay - it is only a matter of time.

Quality control is a huge issue. As I stated above, Chinese factories can produce superior product. Time constraints, the value of the contract, and the motivation of the factory all play a part. As the Business Week article suggests, inspecting the factories is the only current solution. And yet, parts of your product may be manufactured somewhere else and you will only see a part of it. If you do not have a person inspecting the product during manufacturing or prior to shipping, you may be stuck with sub-standard merchandise. Most, if not all, Chinese manufacturers require payment in full before shipping product. At least in this respect, the Chinese are different from their American counterparts.

I am not an expert in manufacturing in China. I have only experienced a small portion - creating technical specs to send to Chinese factories. And yet, this is an important trend for children's clothing designers to know about. I have seen some very good product come out of China. It can be done. Just be very careful and keep a close eye on your factory, sourcing agents, and product quality.

Product Development Manager, hmmm....

Every now and then, I will peruse help wanted ads that may be of interest to me. I will look in places that I may be interested in living someday - say tropical islands. When I read this ad, I am sorry, but I had to laugh. I know what kind of salary I would ask for this particular position. I would consider this position a Technical Design position, which should be connected to the Design department. This would be a senior level position. Instead, look at the department it is assigned and to whom you would report.

After you read the job requirements, next look at the required qualifications. Wow, is all I can say. They are willing to consider someone with 3-5 years of merchandising experience (something unrelated to most of the job functions described)! I have shopped in the retail store this company owns and I know how many styles they produce each season. They have a men's, women's, and children's clothing line, in various sizes and fabrications that changes seasonally. What they really need is someone with 10-20 years of senior level Technical Design experience. The patternmaking and grading functions would be a full-time job all by itself. If you are truly interested in this job, you can read the entire job description at Expo, but be prepared to say goodbye to your life.

I really don't blame the company for this ad. I am sure this was written by a human resource person who doesn't really have a clue what is involved here.

Position: Product Development Manager
Department: Merchandising
Reports To: Senior Product Development Manager

SUMMARY
Responsible for style development and all components of spec packet, which include style, fit, trim, labels, hangtags, care instructions, care label, packing, wash test, and buyer samples. Works directly with production factories and vendors to assure all information is complete and consistent.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES include the following, other duties may be assigned.

COMPANY PRINCIPLES

As an employee of Company X, promotes the Vision and Mission of the Company. Performs the position duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Company’s Statement of Values.

1. Works with Art Team & Buyers to develop and design seasonal style line.
2. Analyzes samples and prototypes.
3. Sources fabrics and trims.
4. Works with factories to cost garments and arrive at best possible value through garment construction and fabric utilization.
5. Responsible for all style specification packages for internal & vendor use. Assures information is complete and consistent.
6. Works directly with factory on all components of spec packet. I.e. style, fit, and trim, labels, hangtags, care instructions, care label, packing, and buyer samples.
7. Finalize fit corrections on design fit model.
8. Grade garments on computer to be produced according to seasonal style line.
9. Responsible for all pattern making & revisions.
10. Responsible for the creation of all line sketches.
11. Responsible for numbering/tracking system for styles, fabrications and prints.
12. Responsible for all components of PDM computer software.
13. Assists in presentations of assortment plans.
14. All other related duties assigned by manager.

Requirements:
QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
§ Bachelor’s degree (BA) or equivalent.
§ 3-5 years of apparel product development or merchandising experience preferred
§ Textile Art, fashion design or merchandising education preferred
§ Knowledge and understanding of the relation between fabric, art, print, fabrication and style
§ Detail oriented
§ Strong analytical and problem solving skills
§ Experience with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Adobe Photo Shop.