Key takeaways
- State the commercial target before discussing factories.
- Separate confirmed requirements from preferences and open questions.
- Give quantity by style, colour and size—not only the collection total.
- Name who can approve design, fit, cost and delivery.
The minimum viable brief
A factory can assess a project when it understands what the product is, how many are needed, what quality level is expected, when it must be delivered and what information is still missing.
| Brief block | What to include | Common failure |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Category, sketches/references, construction, use case | A moodboard with no product definition |
| Quantity | Units by style, colour and size; repeat potential | One total number for the whole collection |
| Material | Composition, weight, hand feel, colour, certification | “Premium fabric” without measurable criteria |
| Fit | Base size, body or garment measurements, fit reference | No approved block or measurement method |
| Cost | Target ex-factory or landed cost and target retail | Asking for “best price” without a business model |
| Timing | Sample deadline, approval dates, ex-factory and launch | Only the launch date |
| Branding / packaging | Labels, artwork, folding, carton and kitting | Packaging introduced after bulk starts |
| Compliance | Sales markets, fibre label, testing and restricted substances | Testing discussed after production |
| Governance | Decision maker, comment format, payment entity | Several people approving independently |
Describe the product in layers
Begin with the customer-facing result, then describe construction. A reference garment is useful, but it does not transfer measurements, grade rules, seam type or acceptable tolerance.
- Silhouette and fit intention.
- Material performance and visual standard.
- Construction details that cannot change.
- Details open to factory recommendation.
- Target quality and acceptable tolerance.
- Packaging and final presentation.
Make quantity and price comparable
Ask suppliers to quote the same scenario. Example: 3 styles, 2 colours each, 100 units per style, shared fabric, XS–XL, FOB packaging included. Then request alternatives at 50 and 200 units.
Specify whether the target is ex-factory, FOB or landed. A €20 factory price and a €24 landed cost are not competing numbers.
What to attach
A strong brief can start before a complete tech pack, but attachments must be named and versioned.
- Sketches or clear reference images.
- Measurement chart or approved sample measurements.
- Material reference and acceptable alternatives.
- Colour standards or Pantone references.
- Logo and artwork files at production resolution.
- Construction photos and detail callouts.
- Proposed size ratio and order matrix.
- Testing, labelling and target-market requirements.
A brief is a decision log
Update the brief after each approval. The final production brief should agree with the purchase order, approved sample, bill of materials and packaging specification.
When those documents conflict, the factory follows the document that is easiest to execute—not necessarily the latest intention.