How to approve a garment size set before cutting
Approve the size set against agreed grading rules, measured garments and fit sessions across the range. Check movement as well as appearance, approve pattern and measurement changes separately, and release bulk cutting only against the final recorded versions. Ask Cambridge China Bridge to coordinate the factory submissions.
Define what the size set must prove
A size set is a group of samples in different sizes used to check how the approved base garment translates across your range. Start with an agreed base fit, target customer body measurements and intended silhouette. Keep body measurements separate from finished garment measurements, including the intended room for movement or stretch.
Give each sample a style, size and revision reference. Request the intended bulk fabric, trims, construction and finishing process; record any substitutes and what remains untested. Use our product specification guide for the wider specification, then add a garment-specific measurement diagram showing measurement points, units, flat widths or circumferences, and whether stretch is applied.
Review grading before fitting
Ask for the graded measurement chart and pattern grading rules together. The chart shows target garment dimensions by size; the rules show how pattern points move between sizes. Check chest, waist, hip, shoulder, armhole, sleeve, rise and length as relevant. Agree which dimensions stay constant and where increments change across the range rather than accepting automatic enlargement everywhere.
Measure the submitted samples against the chart using the agreed method. Compare changes between sizes, not just whether each garment falls within tolerance. Check matching seam lengths, sleeve and armhole relationships, pocket placement and fastening positions. Tolerance is an allowance for manufacturing variation; do not use it to disguise an incorrect grade or change the intended fit.
Fit the range and check movement
Agree which sizes need physical fitting before requesting samples. Include the base size, the ends of the range and sizes where the grading approach changes; extend fitting wherever problems appear. Use wearers whose recorded body measurements match the intended customer profiles. Record the sample reference, wearer measurements, undergarments or layers, and views from the front, side and back.
Check shoulder position, garment balance, neckline, waist placement, sleeve hang and coverage while standing. Then ask wearers to sit, walk, reach, bend and squat where relevant to the garment. Record pulling, gaping, restricted movement, waistband rolling and hems riding up, alongside wearer comments. Where care could affect fit, repeat the agreed checks after the intended washing and drying process.
Approve pattern and measurement changes separately
For each fit issue, identify whether the proposed correction changes pattern shape, the grading rule, construction or a target measurement. A shoulder slope or sleeve shape can change while headline measurements remain unchanged. Conversely, changing a chart does not demonstrate that the factory has altered the pattern. Request an annotated correction, affected sizes and a clear explanation of the expected result.
Record a separate decision for the pattern revision and the measurement chart revision, with the approver and date. Keep unchanged dimensions explicit and record any tolerance changes separately. Request corrected samples for affected sizes and repeat the relevant measurement, fit and movement checks before closing comments. Our sample revision guide helps organise unresolved comments and resubmissions.
Release bulk cutting against a complete record
Issue a written cutting release naming the approved style, size range, pattern files, grading rules, measurement chart and retained sample references. Attach the closed fit comments and identify the fabric and finishing process covered by approval. Keep cutting on hold while corrections remain open; approving a proposed change is not the same as accepting its sample result.
Ask the factory to confirm that its cutting team holds the approved files and has withdrawn superseded versions. Require further pattern, measurement or material changes to return for buyer approval. Retain matching references with the brand and factory, and carry the size-specific measurement points into the production inspection brief. Our bulk production guide covers maintaining the approved result during manufacture.
Frequently asked questions
Can I approve bulk cutting from a base-size sample?
A base-size sample does not demonstrate fit across the range. Review grading and fit samples at the range ends and wherever grading changes before releasing cutting.
What is the difference between grading and tolerance?
Grading defines the intended change between sizes. Tolerance defines acceptable manufacturing variation around a target measurement. Keep them separate in the approval record.
What movements should fit models check?
Choose movements that reflect use: sitting, walking, reaching, bending and squatting where relevant. Record restriction, gaping, pulling and changes in coverage for each fitted size.
Do pattern changes need approval if measurements stay the same?
Yes. Pattern shape can alter balance and movement without changing listed measurements. Approve the revised pattern separately and check the corrected sample before releasing cutting.