How a knitwear project moves forward
Start with a reference image, sketch, physical sample or tech pack. Before a full garment sample, we confirm the yarn, gauge, construction, colour and handfeel through swatches.
Share your product idea, reference, target market, expected quantity and timing. We identify what is fixed, what is flexible and which decisions must be made before development begins.
We develop yarn, gauge, stitch and colour swatches so the material direction can be reviewed before a full garment is made.
After the swatches and first measurement specification are approved, we make the full garment for fit, proportion and construction review.
Finalise the approved sample, colour, size range, labels, packing and quality requirements. This becomes the reference standard for bulk production.
We arrange material preparation, production, in-process QC, final inspection, packing and the agreed shipment documents.
Clear approvals protect both sides
A swatch confirms material direction. A full sample confirms fit. The production approval confirms the standard for bulk. Each stage has a clear record, so a chat message or a reference image does not become an unclear production instruction.
Confirm the development direction and sample scope.
Confirm swatches and the first measurement specification.
Confirm the final sample or PPS, production specification and bulk deposit.
Confirm packing, shipment documents and the agreed inspection communication.
What happens when
Actual dates depend on yarn availability, construction complexity and the season. The ranges below describe a typical first programme for a mid-gauge women's style; your project review ends with a written schedule for your specific development.
| Stage | Typical timing | What is decided |
|---|---|---|
| 01 · Project review | Day 0–2 | Product direction, quantity range, timing and the scope of the first development round. |
| 02 · Swatch development | About 1 week after yarn selection | Yarn, gauge, stitch, colour and handfeel, confirmed on physical swatches. |
| 03 · Full sample & fit | About 1–2 weeks per sample round | Fit, measurements, proportion and make-up details; each revision round adds several days. |
| 04 · Production approval | Decision checkpoint | Approved sample or PPS, production specification, labels, packing — the bulk standard. |
| 05 · Bulk & shipment | Commonly 4–6 weeks after approval | Material preparation, knitting and linking, in-process QC, final inspection, packing and documents. |
Ranges are typical, not guaranteed. Peak season for fall/winter programmes (roughly July–September) and complex structures such as heavy cables or intarsia can extend them. Your written schedule from the project review is the reference that counts.
Common questions
A reference image, a sketch, a physical sample or a full tech pack — any of these is enough to open a project review. What matters at the start is the product direction, an approximate quantity and your timing, not complete documentation.
Yes. Most projects here start from a reference image or a sample. We draft the first measurement specification from your reference and confirm it with you before a full garment is made, so the sample is reviewed against a written standard rather than a conversation.
For a typical style: about one week for swatches after yarn selection, one to two weeks for the first full sample, plus one revision round, then bulk production commonly four to six weeks after production approval. Complex structures and peak season extend these ranges.
MOQ depends on yarn, gauge, construction and the number of colourways — minimums usually apply per colour rather than per style. Small runs in the 30–100 piece range are workable, but unit prices are higher because set-up cost is spread over fewer garments. The feasibility review will confirm the practical minimum for your style.
You approve material direction from physical swatches before a full garment is made; fit and measurements from the full sample; and the production standard — approved sample or PPS, specification, labels and packing — before bulk production starts. Each approval is a written record, so instructions never live only in chat messages.
Related guides: developing knitwear without a tech pack · how the development timeline really works · small-run cost at 30–100 pieces