Approval in email — production without a clear go
In apparel each sample round has a different purpose, and the approve / revise / reject decision should close the round before the next one starts. In most small brands, feedback and photos scatter across email, WhatsApp and PDFs. When production starts, it is hard to say which version was approved, by whom and when — and a PPS mistake carries into the whole run.
- feedback and photos in email and chats
- unclear approve / revise / reject decision
- production starts without an approved sample
Each sample type answers a different question
Proto sample — the first physical check of construction and silhouette, often in substitute fabric.
Fit sample — validation of measurements and proportions on the base size; most revision rounds land here.
Salesman / sales sample — presentation for buyers and order taking.
PPS (pre-production sample) — the last sample before bulk: final materials, trims and construction; it becomes the reference for the workshop and QC.
A typical sequence: tech pack → proto → fit (further rounds) → PPS → approval → release to production. Sound practice needs an explicit decision before the next round opens. When approval remains only in an email thread, the workshop can receive an outdated BOM or an unapproved fit, and the cost of another round and wrong sewing rises quickly.
Samples on the product card and a release to the workshop
We solve scattered sample approvals by linking sample types to the product card and by releasing a card version before work starts at the workshop.
- on the product card we keep proto / fit / salesman / pps samples with an explicit decision on each round
- the Release panel requires an approved PPS sample before a card version is saved for the workshop
We assume the sample decision belongs to the brand; we keep it on the product and on Release so the release does not go by email alone.
Steps
- 1On the product card, each sample round is recorded (proto, fit, salesman, pps) with an explicit decision.
- 2After PPS is approved and the card data is closed, a version is released to the workshop (Release).
- 3The order to the workshop uses the same card that holds the approvals and the data after revisions.
Example: Kraków Bomber jacket, three rounds.
| Round | Type | Decision | Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | proto | Revision needed (collar) | — |
| 2 | fit | Approved | — |
| 3 | pps | Approved | PPS approved → version can be released |
On your side
- Close each round with an explicit decision (approve / revise / reject) before you open the next one or send an order.
- Approve PPS and close gaps in Release before production starts.
- You approve the sample; Go4 keeps the type and decision on the product card.