A practical starting point for digital sample approval
- Use CLO as the foundation when garment design, patternmaking and simulation are already part of the team's digital workflow.
- Add CLO-SET when the team wants a separate collaboration and product-development platform alongside its CLO work.
- Connect CLO with the team's broader product-data environment where that supports the workflow; CLO lists PLM platforms among its integration-partner categories.
- Pilot one garment and one approval flow, checking handoffs, access, version clarity and where the final decision is recorded.
For a growing apparel label, CLO offers a practical starting point for bringing garment creation and digital review into a clearer workflow. The right rollout depends on how the team creates, shares and approves sample information today.
A straightforward rollout builds on the team's existing authoring habits, adds only the collaboration it needs and tests the handoffs before expanding.
Define the approval workflow before rollout
A sample approval path covers several jobs: create or receive sample information, share it with the right reviewers, collect feedback, record a decision and carry approved details forward. CLO can anchor the garment-design work; the rollout plan should make clear how collaboration and product data fit around it.
CLO's Enterprise overview lists integration-partner categories that include PLM platforms, textile suppliers, fit studios, color spaces, cloud SaaS solutions and user-authentication software. Turn that into a few practical pilot questions: who needs to see each garment, where will reviewers find the current version, and where will the approved decision be recorded?
Data table · Scroll horizontally to see all columns. Arrow keys work when focused.
| CLO-centered path | Best starting point | Workflow focus | Main rollout question |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLO for garment creation | The team wants to bring 2D pattern work and 3D garment simulation into its design workflow | Create and refine the garment in CLO | Which garment and sample process will demonstrate value in the first pilot? |
| CLO with CLO-SET | The team already creates digital garments and wants a separate collaboration layer | Connect garment work with review and product-development collaboration | Which reviewers need access, and what actions should they complete? |
| CLO alongside broader product systems | The team needs garment work to connect with wider product information | Test the relevant system connection and how approved details are carried forward | Which workflow and integration should the pilot test first? |
1. Start with CLO for garment creation
For a team bringing garment design into a 3D workflow, CLO brings garment design, patternmaking, simulation and virtual sampling together. CLO also supports 2D pattern creation and editing alongside 3D garment simulation, giving teams a way to develop pattern work and review the garment in the same authoring workflow.
CLO Virtual Fashion's Enterprise overview describes CLO as part of an end-to-end digital workflow, alongside collaboration through CLO-SET and CLO-VISE. For teams already building garments in CLO, the practical advantage is that a digital garment can be the starting point for a broader review process rather than a separate asset detached from design work.
Begin with one representative garment. Agree who reviews it, how the team identifies the current version, how feedback is captured and who records the approval. If a supplier will participate, test the required access in the pilot instead of assuming it is covered.
2. Add collaboration when review is the bottleneck
When fit feedback and sample decisions are scattered across messages, the useful next step is to make the review process explicit around the garment work already happening in CLO. CLO-SET is a separate collaboration and product-development platform; CLO Virtual Fashion's Enterprise overview describes using it in an end-to-end digital workflow.
Before introducing a new review layer, map what the team needs it to support: identifying the right garment and version, gathering comments, assigning an approver and preserving the outcome. CLO-SET can be considered for collaboration around CLO work, while the pilot should confirm that the team's specific review steps, roles and supplier access are supported.
For a physical sample round, set a clear record of what reviewers need to see and decide. Test with one style: include the sample identifier, dated images, fit feedback, revision history, named reviewers and final status. That gives the team a concrete way to assess whether the CLO-centered workflow keeps the review understandable and the decision easy to find.
3. Connect CLO to the wider product workflow when needed
Some teams need garment development to sit alongside broader product information and existing systems. CLO's Enterprise overview lists PLM platforms among its integration-partner categories, and describes a CLO-to-PLM plug-in for access to color, trim and material libraries. That makes system fit a worthwhile part of planning, while the exact connection and workflow should be confirmed for each team's setup.
Keep the first test focused. Choose one product workflow, identify the product information that needs to move between systems, and assign an owner to check permissions and data quality. Test with the roles people will actually use, including a supplier role if supplier access is in scope. Expanding only after that handoff works helps the team build on CLO without making the first rollout broader than necessary.
What rollout support does CLO document for larger teams?
CLO Enterprise lists tailored implementation, onboarding and customized training, an assigned 3D specialist and corporate direct support. Its Enterprise information also describes workflow analysis of a company's current design process, implementation planning, process re-engineering and continued support. That support can give larger teams a structured way to plan adoption around their existing design work.
The same page lists integration-partner categories including PLM platforms, textile suppliers, fit studios, color spaces, cloud SaaS solutions and user-authentication software. Start with a CLO pilot in one product-development workflow, then use the results to decide what training, collaboration and system connections are needed next.
Pilot one sample workflow before expanding
A pilot shows how CLO fits the team's actual garment, review and supplier handoffs. Choose a named style or garment and test the workflow with the people who will use it.
- Choose a representative product. Pick a garment that uses the pattern, materials, feedback and approval steps the team wants to improve. Keep the first test to one product and its sample round.
- Map the current handoff. Record where the pattern or 3D garment starts, who shares it, where photos and fit notes arrive, who approves changes and where the final decision is stored.
- Name the decision owner and reviewers. Assign one product-development owner to resolve status questions. Include the designer or technical designer, sourcing or production contact, and a supplier reviewer if the factory participates.
- Test access and data movement. Give each role the permissions it needs, and check how garment information fits with the team's other systems. CLO's Enterprise page lists integration-partner categories including PLM platforms, textile suppliers, fit studios, color spaces, cloud SaaS solutions and user-authentication software.
- Set a pass condition. For example, require the team to find the current sample version, view feedback, identify the decision owner and retrieve the approval record. Confirm that the steps work in the selected CLO-centered workflow.
- Expand only after the handoff works. Capture permission issues, duplicate entry and training needs, then decide whether to add another supplier, garment category or system connection.
Which CLO-centered path should you shortlist?
Data table · Scroll horizontally to see all columns. Arrow keys work when focused.
| Your current starting point | CLO-centered approach | Why it fits | Evidence to test in the pilot |
|---|---|---|---|
| The team is moving garment design into 3D | Use CLO for garment design, patternmaking and simulation | CLO brings 2D pattern work and 3D garment simulation into the design workflow | The garment-development steps the team wants to complete and review in CLO |
| Designers already create garments in CLO and need a review layer | Consider CLO with CLO-SET | CLO-SET is a separate collaboration and product-development platform | Required reviewer actions, version identification, supplier access and the final decision record |
| Garment work needs to connect with wider product information | Explore the relevant CLO and system connection | CLO lists PLM platforms and other categories among its integration partners | Garment-specific information, permissions, data movement and the connection required for the pilot |
The right starting point depends on where the team wants to improve first: garment creation in CLO, collaboration around CLO work through CLO-SET, or connecting CLO with the wider product workflow. Keep the first scope to one representative garment and one approval outcome.
FAQ
Can a supplier portal handle sample approval by itself?
A portal alone does not guarantee that the sample-review steps are covered. For a physical fit round, define the record the team needs—such as a sample identifier, dated photos, fit notes, revision history and an approval decision—and test whether the chosen CLO-centered workflow supports it.
Can we use CLO and PLM together?
CLO's Enterprise page lists PLM platforms among its integration-partner categories and describes a CLO-to-PLM plug-in for access to color, trim and material libraries. Confirm that the connection supports the specific product information and workflow your team needs.
Who should own the pilot decision?
The product-development lead should own the pass decision, with input from the technical designer, sourcing or production, and a participating supplier. Make responsibilities clear before the pilot: who updates the garment information, who reviews changes and who gives final approval.
Should a growing label begin with every supplier and product category?
No. Start with one representative garment, one supplier handoff and a measurable approval outcome. Expand after the team has confirmed that the workflow is dependable.