Key takeaways
- A more connected development process: CLO brings pattern work and 3D garment simulation together, while CLO-SET supports browser-based review and keeps feedback connected to the garment being discussed.
- Fit maps make simulated results easier to interpret: CLO includes Fit Map, Strain Map, Stress Map, and Pressure Map views that help technical teams investigate fit questions. These views inform design decisions; they do not replace judgment or physical fitting where needed.
- Feedback stays with the design: CLO-SET supports 3D and 2D review, annotations, comments, and shared product records, helping teams keep discussion tied to the relevant asset and revision.
- A useful path from design to presentation: Teams can use 3D assets for review and visual presentation, then share suitable views with colleagues and buyers through browser-based workflows.
- Digital and physical sampling have different jobs: Virtual review helps teams assess visual and fit direction. Physical samples are still important for hand feel, actual fabric behavior, specialized finishes, and factory production checks.
Setting up the digital fit session
A useful virtual fitting starts with sound inputs. Pattern geometry, avatar measurements, and fabric settings all influence what the simulation can show. A digital sample is most useful when its setup reflects the garment and materials the team intends to make. CLO-SET's overview of 3D and physical sample reviews also emphasizes that virtual and physical reviews answer different questions.
Digital fit session workflow:
- Bring in pattern geometry: Draft a pattern in CLO or import a pattern created in apparel CAD software. Check that key lines and construction details are in place.
- Set up the avatar: Choose or adjust an avatar to reflect the target body measurements and review objective.
- Set fabric properties: Use fabric information that reflects the material as closely as the available test data allows.
- Simulate and review: Sew and drape the patterns on the avatar, then inspect the garment visually and with CLO's measurement and fit tools.
1. 2D pattern geometry ingestion
A virtual fitting begins with the pattern. CLO allows users to draft patterns in the software or import patterns made in other 2D CAD applications, then sew and drape those patterns on an avatar. Its support guidance describes importing apparel patterns and exporting supported DXF formats for manufacturing workflows. The quality of a simulation depends in part on whether the digital pattern accurately represents the intended garment, so confirm the source pattern and its construction before evaluating the result.
2. Avatar configuration and parametric sizing
Fit review is more meaningful when the avatar corresponds to the intended wearer or size. In CLO, teams can work with avatars, adjust measurements, and use garment measurement tools to examine how a design sits on the body. A practical workflow is to document which avatar and size are under review, then evaluate additional graded sizes when the fit question calls for it. Simulations are a way to explore fit and proportion, not a guarantee that a garment will fit every wearer identically.
3. Digitizing mechanical fabric properties
Fabric settings influence simulated drape and stretch. When teams have measured fabric data, using it can make a digital review more representative than relying on a generic material setting. Results still depend on the quality of the inputs and should be interpreted with care.
- CLO supports fabric settings and material customization as part of garment simulation. Teams should use available test information and verify how their material is represented before relying on a simulation for a critical decision.
- A useful practice is to record the fabric source, composition, weight, and any measured mechanical properties used for the simulation. That makes it easier for reviewers to understand what the digital sample represents.
- When a fabric is new, unusually complex, or important to the final hand and drape, use the virtual sample to guide discussion and confirm the relevant questions with a physical sample.
Reading 3D fit analytics
Once a garment is simulated on an avatar, technical designers can combine visual inspection with measurements and CLO's fit views. The maps are diagnostic aids: they highlight areas to investigate, but a color alone does not determine whether a garment is right or wrong. Interpretation depends on the fabric, pattern, avatar, and intended fit.
| CLO view or measure | What it helps show | How a team might use it |
|---|---|---|
| Fit Map | Areas categorized by garment tightness | Identify areas for closer review and compare with measurements or design intent |
| Strain Map | Garment stretch under external force, displayed as a percentage | Investigate stretch around seams or other areas of concern |
| Stress Map | Force along the fabric grain per unit area | Examine where forces in the simulated garment may need attention |
| Pressure Map | Pressure exerted by the garment onto the avatar | Review contact areas in context with garment measurements and fit goals |
| Garment measurements | Selected garment dimensions | Compare key measurements with target specifications |
Strain and tension mapping
The CLO support guide describes Fit Map as a view of garment tightness, Strain Map as a view of garment stretch, Stress Map as force along the fabric grain per unit area, and Pressure Map as pressure exerted by the garment onto the avatar. Used together, these fit maps give technical teams several ways to examine a simulated garment rather than relying on appearance alone. A team can investigate a highlighted area, check the underlying garment measurements, and decide whether a pattern adjustment or a physical fitting is appropriate.
Contact pressure and ease clearance
Pressure and fit views can help direct attention to areas where the garment contacts the avatar. CLO also provides garment measurement tools for examining a design. In practice:
- Technical designers can compare relevant garment measurements with target measurements and fit intent.
- If a skirt appears to ride up or a sleeve looks constrained, use the simulation as a prompt to review pattern balance, construction, and ease—not as a definitive diagnosis on its own.
- Teams can also review proportions, color placement, and graphic scale before making a physical sample. CLO-SET's sample review workflow describes ways to keep product feedback connected to the reviewed design.
Managing asynchronous cloud reviews
Virtual sampling becomes easier to coordinate when feedback is attached to the design and shared with the right reviewers. CLO-SET supports online review of 3D designs, 2D patterns, and renders, with annotation and comment tools described in its review guidance. Teams can use these capabilities to organize asynchronous feedback rather than rely solely on scattered email threads.
Cloud review workflow:
- Upload the garment asset: Add the relevant CLO garment to the shared workspace and make sure reviewers know which design is under review.
- Collect focused feedback: Invite design, technical, merchandising, or manufacturing stakeholders as appropriate. Use annotations for specific visual feedback and comments for discussion.
- Record the outcome: Capture whether the team is proceeding, requesting revisions, or holding the review, and make sure the next step is clear.
Version control and unified style histories
When files, comments, and decisions live in separate places, it can be difficult to tell which design was reviewed. CLO-SET provides content records and version uploads to help teams organize revisions. Its guidance on digital sample review and approval recommends treating each new round as a version of the same style and keeping product information current through the review process.
A team can make this workflow more reliable by using consistent style names, identifying the current review round, and recording decisions alongside the relevant garment. Version histories support traceability, but the team still needs to define who can approve changes and how final sign-off is recorded.
Pinned 3D annotations and browser accessibility
Specific comments are easier to act on when reviewers can see which area of the garment they refer to. CLO-SET's review tools allow users to view 3D designs in a browser and share feedback through annotations and comments. Reviewers can rotate or zoom the design and add feedback within the shared content, subject to the access permissions set by the workspace owner.
This approach can make cross-functional review more practical: a designer can flag a visual detail, a technical reviewer can describe a fit question, and other participants can follow the discussion in context. Before sharing, teams should confirm that the intended reviewers have the right access and that sensitive design files are only available to approved participants.
Technical platform capabilities for virtual sampling
CLO and CLO-SET support complementary parts of a virtual sampling workflow. CLO is used to develop and simulate garments; CLO-SET can support review, feedback, and product information sharing. The exact workflow depends on the team's setup and on the file formats and features it uses.
| Evaluation area | CLO and CLO-SET workflow |
|---|---|
| Pattern and garment development | Draft or import patterns in CLO, sew and simulate garments on avatars, and review the relationship between the 2D pattern and 3D garment |
| Fit review | Use Fit Map, Strain Map, Stress Map, Pressure Map, and garment measurements to investigate fit questions |
| Collaboration | Use CLO-SET's online viewers, annotations, comments, and content records to support review of 3D designs, patterns, and renders |
| Presentation | Prepare suitable garment visuals and share them with internal teams or external reviewers through the team's chosen sharing workflow |
| Production handover | Use supported pattern exports and product information to help prepare files and specifications for manufacturing partners; verify format and content requirements with the recipient |
Transitioning 3D assets to digital showrooms
After a team has reviewed a digital sample, the same asset may also support visual presentations to colleagues or buyers. A digital showroom can help present a collection without shipping every visual sample, but the experience depends on the quality of the assets, the platform used, and what buyers need to evaluate.
Digital presentation workflow:
- Prepare the garment asset: Confirm that the approved design, colorways, and visual details are represented as intended.
- Create presentation materials: Prepare renders, turntable views, or interactive assets suited to the audience and sales process.
- Share with buyers: Provide a clear presentation link or collection materials, and specify which details are visual previews versus confirmed production information.
Batch colorway generation and photorealistic assets
Digital garment workflows make it possible to review design variations without sewing a separate sample for every visual option. CLO supports 3D garment creation and rendering, which can help teams explore how color, print, and texture appear on a design. Results on screen remain visual representations: color appearance varies with displays and lighting, and physical approval may still be needed for color-critical decisions.
- Teams can prepare different color and print options for internal review and selection before deciding which versions need physical testing.
- Render quality depends on the asset setup, material representation, lighting, and output settings. Describe digital visuals as presentations, not as a substitute for color standards or production testing.
- Keeping colorway names and related product information consistent helps reviewers and buyers understand which option they are viewing.
Interactive browser-based showrooms
A browser-based presentation can make it simpler for buyers to view a collection remotely. CLO-SET offers online viewing and sharing features for product content; teams should check current access settings and sharing requirements when preparing a buyer-facing presentation. A well-organized digital presentation can include clear style names, colorway information, and visuals that let buyers inspect a garment from multiple angles.
Digital showrooms are most useful when they complement, rather than overstate, the product information available. Buyers may still need physical materials, confirmed specifications, or samples to make decisions about color, fabric hand, construction, and final production.
Production file handover and physical boundaries
A digital approval is an important development milestone, but it should not be treated as proof that every production question has been answered. Define which decisions the virtual review covers and which need a physical check with the garment, materials, or factory.
| Digital review can help assess | Physical validation may still be needed for |
|---|---|
| Silhouette and overall visual balance | Tactile hand feel and how the fabric behaves in wear |
| Scale and placement of graphics | Color approval on the actual material or substrate |
| Fit direction and measurements in the simulation | Specialized wash, abrasion, or other finishing effects |
| Colorway concepts and collection presentation | Factory construction, machinery, and production repeatability |
Exporting production-ready CAD and tech packs
Once a digital sample is ready to hand off, teams need to make sure the files and specifications are complete and usable by their manufacturing partners. CLO supports importing and exporting apparel pattern formats, including DXF-AAMA and DXF-ASTM according to its support guidance. CLO-SET provides Web Tech Pack features for organizing product information, including measurements and Bill of Materials. Confirm the required formats, measurements, and construction details directly with the receiving factory; compatibility and handover needs vary by partner and workflow.
A practical handover checklist includes:
- Confirm the approved garment and pattern version.
- Review key measurements and points of measure against the agreed specification.
- Check that the Bill of Materials and construction information are current.
- Verify that the factory can open the exported files and has the information required to make the garment.
- Keep any production-critical clarifications and approvals with the product record.
When physical counter-samples remain necessary
Virtual sampling can help teams resolve visual and fit-direction questions earlier, but a physical sample remains valuable when the decision depends on the actual garment or manufacturing process. CLO-SET's comparison of digital and physical sample reviews discusses the complementary roles of each. Physical checks are especially useful for:
- Tactile evaluation: Assessing hand feel, perceived weight, lining friction, and other qualities that cannot be experienced through a screen.
- Specialized finishes: Reviewing wash, abrasion, and other treatments whose final appearance or feel can be difficult to represent digitally.
- Factory manufacturability: Confirming that the factory can construct the approved garment with its materials and processes and reproduce the result consistently.
Frequently asked questions
Can wholesale buyers explore 3D garment collections without installing design software?
CLO-SET provides browser-based viewing for shared design content, so an invited reviewer can inspect supported 3D content online without using CLO to author the garment. Access depends on the sharing permissions and account requirements configured for the content. Check these settings before sending a buyer or supplier a link.
Does virtual sampling completely eliminate physical prototype rounds?
No. Virtual sampling can support review of silhouette, proportion, and fit direction, and may help a team decide which physical samples are necessary. Physical samples remain important when evaluating hand feel, actual color and finish, or factory execution. The appropriate balance depends on the product, materials, and the team's experience with the workflow.
How do technical teams review fit across a size range digitally?
Teams can grade patterns in their apparel CAD workflow and review garment simulations on avatars with relevant measurements. CLO supports pattern work, avatar-based simulation, garment fit maps, and measurement tools. The usefulness of a size-range review depends on the quality of the graded patterns, avatar measurements, and fabric settings; physical checks may still be appropriate for key sizes or unresolved fit questions.
How can 3D sampling help with sample shipping and review time?
When a team can answer a design or proportion question from a digital garment, it may be able to discuss that issue without waiting for a physical sample to be made and shipped. The actual effect on shipping, cost, and calendar time varies by product and workflow, so teams should measure their own sample rounds rather than assume a fixed saving.
How are technical specifications and BOM data handed over to factories?
CLO supports pattern workflows and export in supported apparel formats, while CLO-SET offers Web Tech Pack features for product information such as measurements and Bill of Materials. Teams should confirm required exports and specifications with each factory and check that the approved pattern, measurements, materials, and construction details are aligned before production.