Sampling and Approval: Prototype to Pre-Production
A sample exists to catch a problem while it's still one garment, not a full production run. Two different sample types serve two different purposes in that process, and treating them as interchangeable is where most sampling confusion starts.
Proto sample vs. pre-production sample
A proto sample comes early, often before fabric and color are fully locked. It tests fit and construction, does the pattern work, does the silhouette match what you described, and can be built in placeholder fabric if the final material isn't confirmed yet. It's a checkpoint on the design itself, not a preview of the finished product.
A pre-production sample (PPS) comes later, built in the actual approved fabric, color, and trims, using the construction method that will run in bulk. This is the sample that gets checked against the full tech pack line by line, and it's the last checkpoint before the factory commits to cutting fabric for the full order. TB Uniform's verified sampling timeline is 5 to 7 business days from an approved specification.
What to check at each round
For a proto sample: silhouette, fit at key points of measure, and whether the construction approach matches what the tech pack describes.
For a PPS: everything in the tech pack, checked individually, fabric against the specified GSM and composition, color against the Pantone reference (not a general impression of "looks right"), every point of measure against its stated tolerance, trims and labels against the bill of materials, and decoration placement against the specified measurement.
What "approved" actually commits you to
Approving a PPS tells the factory to reproduce this exact sample at scale. If something is only "close enough" at approval, that same gap ships across the entire order, sampling doesn't average out, it locks in. This is why checking against the written spec, not general impression, matters more at this stage than at any other point in the process.
How many rounds to expect
One revision round is normal for a new garment, a new fabric, or a first order with a given manufacturer. Treating the first sample as automatically final is one of the more common ways buyers end up with a bulk order that doesn't match what they expected. If a second sample still doesn't match the spec on the same points as the first, that's worth a direct conversation about whether the tech pack itself needs adjustment, sometimes what reads as a manufacturing miss is actually an unclear or contradictory spec.
Giving feedback that actually gets a fast, accurate revision
Point-specific feedback moves faster than general feedback. "The color is slightly off" leaves a factory guessing which direction to correct. "The color reads warmer than the Pantone reference, closer to [specific reference]" gives them something to act on directly. The same applies to fit: a general "it doesn't fit right" note takes longer to resolve than "chest measurement reads 2cm over the specified tolerance."
FAQ
How long does sampling take? 5 to 7 business days is typical once the specification is finalized, for a pre-production sample. A proto sample earlier in the process, working from a partial spec, can sometimes move faster since fewer elements need to be finalized first.
Do I need both a proto sample and a PPS, or can I skip to the final sample? For a new garment or an unfamiliar fit, a proto sample first can save a revision round later, since it catches fit and construction issues before fabric and color are locked in. For a garment close to something already produced and approved, going straight to a PPS is common.
What happens if I approve a sample without checking it against the tech pack? The bulk order gets produced to match whatever was actually approved, not necessarily what was intended. This is the single most common cause of a finished order not matching expectations, approval based on general impression rather than a point-by-point check against the written specification.
Can sample fabric differ slightly from bulk fabric? It shouldn't, for a PPS specifically, that's the sample built in the actual approved fabric. A proto sample, built earlier for fit and construction, can reasonably use placeholder fabric if the final material isn't confirmed yet, but this should be a deliberate, discussed choice, not an unstated substitution.
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