What to send with the pack
- The quantity per colourway and the size break, even as estimates.
- The delivery date, and where the goods are delivered.
- The certifications the factory or the materials must hold, such as GOTS or OEKO-TEX.
- A target price, if you have one.
- The colour standards: TCX codes, physical swatches, or lab dips to match.
- Packing: how each piece is folded and bagged, and how the cartons are marked.
What the factory sends back
A quote with the unit price, the minimum order, the lead time and its notes. A careful factory also sends questions. A pack that lists its own open items answers most of them before they are asked.
The samples, in order
| Sample | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Proto | The first make: does the design work, and does the factory read the pack the way you meant |
| Fit | Tried on a body in the sample size; the comments go back into the measurements |
| Size set | One piece in each size, or at least the smallest and largest, to check the grading |
| Salesman | For selling the range before bulk, in final or near-final fabric |
| Pre-production | In bulk fabric and trims, approved before cutting starts |
| Top of production | Taken from the line, to check bulk matches the pre-production sample |
The glossary has an entry for each: the proto, fit, size set, pre-production and top of production samples.
Comments a factory can act on
- Refer to codes: "CHE-01 measures 21 in against 21 1/4 in, within tolerance", or "BOM line B: the rib is too loose".
- Measure the sample against the spec and record every point, in or out of tolerance.
- Send photos with the comments marked on them.
- Put the changes into the pack and date the new version, so the next sample is made from one document.
How Texhub sends it
On Texhub, the pack goes out as a request for quotation (RFQ) with the quantity, the sizes and the deadline, and a target price and certifications when you set them. From the Studio, Send to factory puts the pack on Texhub and opens the RFQ form on it. It is matched to approved factories that make the garment, and a person reviews every factory before it can be matched. Quotes arrive with the unit price, minimum order, lead time and notes, side by side. Change the pack and send it again, and each factory that has quoted is told its quote is out of date, so it can quote again.
Each factory has one conversation, kept with the request. An awarded order follows sampling, bulk production, quality check and shipping. Matched factories see the pack's spec and its files before they quote, and both sides keep their direct contact details private. See Sourcing and For factories.
