Production · · 6 min read
Printed Clothing Sample Checklist: What to Approve
Review garment fit, artwork version, print placement, feel and packing. Use a sample checklist and clear approval scope before repeating a clothing design.
By MadeOnBlank guides · Supplier-published guidance
Short answer
Review the specified garment and artwork together. Record the style, color, size, artwork version, print dimensions and the checks you actually completed. State what is approved, what needs revision and whether production is authorized. Approving a mockup, a sample and an order are different decisions.
On this page
When a sample arrives, compare it with the brief you sent. Keep the product reference, artwork and requested print dimensions beside it. A general comment such as “looks good” is difficult to use later if the garment color or file version changes.
The checklist below helps you prepare feedback for a personal print, a brand sample or a repeat design. It is not an inspection certificate, a universal tolerance standard or an automatic production release.
Separate the three approvals
| Decision | What you can review | What it does not establish by itself |
|---|---|---|
| Digital placement proof | Artwork version, intended position, dimensions and selected garment reference | Actual print feel, exact physical color, fit or wash performance |
| Decorated sample | The actual garment and decoration provided for review | All sizes, colors, substitute garments or later material batches |
| Production order | The agreed products, versions, quantities, charges and delivery scope | Unrecorded changes or a new order under different conditions |
Record which decision you are making. A sample approval should link to the sample and its approved details; a production release also needs the applicable order conditions.
1. Identify the sample before judging it
Write the style code, color, size, date received, artwork filename and version. Record the intended method and every print location, including width, height and units. If a detail is missing, mark it for clarification rather than reconstructing it from memory.
For repeat work, write what stays the same and what changes. “Same as before” is not enough if the new order uses a different garment, label, print area or color.
2. Check the garment and measurements
Compare garment measurements with the supplied chart using the agreed measuring points and method. Keep body measurements separate from garment dimensions. Note whether the garment is measured before or after any agreed care assessment.
Check the intended shape, seams, hood, pockets, closures and label positions where applicable. Describe an issue precisely: identify the location, expected requirement and observed difference. Do not introduce an arbitrary tolerance after the sample has already been made.
For material questions, the French terry and fleece guide separates composition, construction and weight. A fabric name does not settle all three.
3. Check the artwork and each location
| Check | Useful feedback |
|---|---|
| File | Identify the filename and revision that should have been used |
| Position | Give the location and agreed reference point, with units |
| Size | Record artwork width and height rather than saying only “larger” |
| Detail | Photograph the specific edge, lettering or element that needs review |
| Background | Distinguish intended white artwork from an unwanted rectangular background |
| Color | Use the agreed physical reference and viewing conditions; record screen-only review as limited |
| Feel | Describe the actual covered area and intended use; ask for review if the finish differs from the agreed sample |
Use the artwork checklist for file preparation. A browser’s readiness indicator can flag a problem, but it does not certify the finished print.
4. Review care and packing within the agreed scope
Follow the applicable garment and decoration care instructions. If care or wash performance is part of acceptance, agree the sample, procedure and pass criteria with the responsible team. Record the conditions and observations. An informal wash does not justify a universal durability claim.
If labels, inserts or branded bags are included, check their artwork, version, position and physical fit. Review a packed garment where necessary. A packing sample shows that combination; it does not prove delivery performance. The labels and packaging guide explains the separate material and stock questions.
5. Return a clear decision and revision list
Use one of these review outcomes:
- Approved for the stated scope: list the specific sample, version and checks accepted.
- Revision required: list each change and ask which proof or physical sample must be reviewed again.
- More information needed: identify the unresolved specification, cost, test or delivery question.
Keep proposed changes separate from changes the supplier has accepted. If a revision affects price, materials or timing, confirm those effects before authorizing the next work.
A feedback template you can use
Download the blank printed-sample review worksheet. It records garment and artwork identity, inspection comments, unresolved items, approval scope and authorization. It contains no preset tolerance, delivery promise or automatic approval.
For example, “front placement on sample S-01 is accepted; the back print remains for revision; no batch is authorized yet” defines a narrower decision than “approved.” This is a teaching example, not a customer order or a recommended tolerance.
To discuss a batch or ongoing print orders, use the short business request. For your own piece, start with a listed garment. Sample availability, fees and timing require confirmation for the selected work.
Common questions
Is a digital mockup the same as a printed sample?
No. A mockup helps review the design and placement. A physical decorated sample lets you examine the actual garment and print together. Neither approves every size, color or future batch automatically.
Can photos or video replace a physical sample?
They can support review of visible details and recorded measurements. They cannot fully establish hand feel, fit on your body, exact color or care performance. Agree which checks are remote and which remain open.
Does approving a sample authorize a bulk order?
Only if the approval explicitly covers that work and the order's commercial and production conditions are confirmed. A sample comment or a general OK should not silently become approval of a different quantity, price, garment or artwork version.
What should I do if I change the artwork after approval?
Identify the original and revised files, affected locations, dimensions and garments. Ask which proof or sample checks need repeating and whether cost or timing changes. Retain the new written approval.
Sources & scope
Editorial sample-review checklist adapted from internal general workflow guidance, without private customer material. Mockup, physical sample and order authorization are separate decisions; this is not an inspection standard or a recorded approval.
Technical reviewer: pending confirmation. Use the guide to prepare your brief. Product and process approval still requires the actual garment, artwork and order review.
Publishing team, evidence standards & corrections →Put your artwork on a garment.
Start with your own piece, or plan a batch for your brand.