Many overseas buyers source clothing from China. Based on our 10+ years of experience working with garment factories of all sizes, this blog walks you through a typical garment factory process.
Garment manufacturing process overview
In general, turning fabric into a finished garment goes through these key steps:
- Step 1: Design
- Step 2: Sample Making (Pattern Making + Sample)
- Step 3: Bulk Production (Cutting + Sewing)
- Step 4: Quality Control
- Step 5: Packing and Shipping
Pattern making and sample garment
Buyers usually provide a design sketch or a reference style. Once a factory in China receives this, it will start clothes pattern making and sample makingāa critical bridge between design and mass production.
- First pattern: Drafting garment structure on pattern paper to create the initial pattern.
- Proto sample: Cutting fabric according to the pattern and sewing it into a sample piece to test the fit and construction.
- Revised pattern: Adjusting the pattern based on fitting results and buyer feedback.
- Revisions: For complex designs or first-time cooperation, three to five revisions are common.
- Production pattern: Once the garment sample is approved, the pattern is finalized and used as the standard for bulk cutting and sewing.
- Grading: Creating multiple size patterns (XS, S, L, etc.) by scaling the production pattern.
Experienced brands and designer buyers are usually familiar with pattern-making in clothing. Many first-time or less experienced buyers, however, tend to focus only on the garment sample.
The next step is the pre-production sample (PP sample). This is made using the production pattern along with your final confirmed fabrics and trims. A PP sample helps you confirm whether the factory can reproduce your desired garment at scale, and it often serves as the reference standard for finished product inspections.
Bulk production in garment factories
After the sample is approved, factories begin bulk production. This usually includes:
- Material sourcing: Fabrics, linings, zippers, buttons, hangtags, etc.
- Fabric cutting: Cutting bulk fabric pieces according to the production pattern.
- Assembly line sewing: Each workstation handles different components such as sleeves, collars, or pant legs.
- Final pressing: Ensuring garments hold their correct shape and finish.
Most factories provide basic packaging such as OPP bags and hangtags. However, when it comes to custom packaging, many factories are not willing to accept small-volume orders (e.g., 500 units) because coordinating with printing suppliers is extra work. Some may accept the request but often charge high prices.
This is where a reliable partner can save you time and money. With our printing factory network, we can:
- Find trusted printing suppliers to customize packaging at affordable prices, located close to your garment factory to avoid high logistics fees.
- Follow up on packaging production to ensure timely delivery to your garment supplier for product packing.
Garment QC before shipping from China
Large fashion brands (like Forever 21) often have their own internal quality inspection teams. Most small to medium-sized businesses, however, rely on 3rd-party inspection firms in China.
How third-party QC works?
These inspectors usually follow a process-driven approach:
- Just follow a fixed checklist, such as measuring dimensions, checking color consistency, loose threads, stains, and so on.Ā
- Once the inspection is completed, they issue you a report, and their work ends there.
The main issue is that third-party inspectors often lack knowledge of fabric properties, workmanship details, and production flow. As a result, they struggle to spot product-level problemsāa common pain point in garment QC.
When defects are found, working with suppliers on solutions is outside the role of third-party inspectors. Some may be willing to help you report issues to the supplier, but they rarely monitor whether the factory actually fixes the issue.
Why work with JingSourcing?
If you donāt have your own QC team, you can turn to JingSourcingĀ for efficient QC services. Our in-house inspectors know fabrics and garment-making techniques inside out, which enables them to identify problems before they become costly.
For example, with complex products like wedding dresses, our QC process covers:
- Checking every dimension against client specifications.
- Verifying that size breakdowns match the order.
- Inspecting fabrics, stitching smoothness, pattern alignment, and more details.
- Ensuring packaging is intact and defect-free.
Throughout the inspection, we communicate findings with you in real time, often by video. If defects are discovered, we represent you in negotiations with the supplier and ensure issues are fixed.
Afterwards, the garments are ready for international shipping.
Final thoughts
Hope this blog has helped you better understand the garment factory process in China. If youāre planning to source clothing from China, feel free to contact us.
We are the only China sourcing company offering both sourcing and quality inspection services under one roof. Since 2015, we’ve been committed to helping garment buyers manage the entire processāfrom supplier sourcing and factory coordination to custom packaging, QC, and shipping.
