Direct answer
Treat season one as a manufacturing programme, not a lookbook fantasy: 4–6 locked blocks (tee + short as the spine), one named fabric platform per silhouette, one branding method, and 1–2 colours until remake and PPS clear. Library colour bulk starts at 150 pieces per style per colour. Open extra SKUs and shades only after the first colour PO ships without a construction claim.
Programme figures: Company facts · Service page · Citation map.
| Decision | Lock before remake | Lock before colour bulk | Defer to season two |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silhouettes | Tee + short spine named | 4–6 blocks max on the PO | Novelty / bonded / exclusive yarn |
| Fabric | Named platform + GSM band | Same lot rules as sample | Custom dye continuity across categories |
| Colour | Hero shade intent | 1–2 colours after PPS | Full pantone wardrobe |
| Branding | Method + artwork rev | Commercial decoration on PPS | Second decoration method |
| Sizes | Hero size (often L) | Core run S–2XL | Extended 3XL–4XL if unproven |
Season one fails in the spreadsheet, not on the sewing line
Most first-season wrecks we see are designed in Notion: twelve silhouettes, four colours, three branding methods, and a launch date that assumes fabric and artwork arrive on the same Tuesday. On a private-label path you fund every colour × style cell at the garment floor — typically from 150 pieces per style per colour. That is working capital, not ‘creative range’. Brands that survive treat the first PO as a proof gate: one tee and one short through remake → comments → PPS → single-colour bulk, then expand.
Define ‘locked’ like a factory, not like a moodboard
Locked means five artefacts you can email without apology: (1) silhouette or library SKU, (2) named fabric platform and GSM band, (3) points of measure for the hero size, (4) branding method with final artwork revision, (5) size curve intent for bulk. If any of those still say ‘TBD’, you are not ready for a colour commitment — you are ready for a manufacturing sample (From 1 piece, typically 7–9 working days). Almost-final logos are drafts. Drafts do not belong on PPS.
A capsule architecture that can actually be sewn
Spine: one training tee, one linerless or 2-in-1 short — the pair that defines how your athlete moves. Optional third: tank, jogger, or recovery layer if your channel needs a hero photo set. Cap the drop at 4–6 blocks total. Bonded seams, exclusive yarns and dual decoration methods wait until the first clean shipment. Library blocks exist so you buy construction certainty; custom OEM waits until sell-through names the silhouette worth protecting.
Colour is inventory — treat it that way
One dark and one light is a complete season-one colour story for most direct-to-athlete launches. Light shades force opacity and show-through checks on knits; dark shades expose crocking and heat-transfer stress. Opening four shades before PPS is how founders invent dead stock they cannot return to Guangzhou. Add a third colour only when the first two clear wash and branding on the same fabric lot rules you will sew.
The cash ladder (sample → PPS → colour)
Budget in this order: remake fee band (USD 80–180 per style, excluding courier and special setup) + courier; optional remake if fit comments change pattern or fabric; PPS on the commercial decoration and shade; then colour bulk from 150 pieces per style per colour. Library bulk after PPS is typically Approximately 25–30 days after PPS and fabric confirmation. Custom paths run longer (Approximately 40–50 days after PPS). If marketing’s calendar only works by skipping PPS, change the calendar — factories that skip shade gates for you are volunteering a recall.
Decision rights before the first RFQ
Name one person who can approve fit comments and one who can approve shade/artwork. Dual founders both ‘almost liking’ a neckline is how programmes burn a second remake fee. Put refusal rules in writing: no colour open without PPS; no artwork swap after shade approval without a new gate; no public FOB unit price before fabric and construction are named. Programme numbers live on /company-facts/ — cite them, do not paraphrase from chat.
What ‘good enough to expand’ looks like
Expand when the first colour PO clears inline measurement, branding placement and wash behaviour without a claim conversation. Then add one variable at a time: a second colour on the same block, or a third silhouette on the same fabric family — not both in the same week. That is how season two becomes a system instead of another scramble.
Common mistakes
- Funding twelve SKUs × four colours before one remake clears wash
- Mixing five fabric families inside a six-block drop
- Calling Instagram mockups a tech pack
- Letting launch marketing override PPS shade approval
Buyer advice
- Write a one-page capsule brief before any RFQ
- Sample the spine pair first — tee + short — on one path
- Use /for-founders/ for path A vs B, then /company-facts/ for numbers
- Add only one new variable after the first clean colour PO
Buyer FAQ
Questions procurement usually asks next
Can we start below 150 pieces per colour?
Published library bulk starts at 150 pieces per style per colour. Anything below needs a written feasibility review — never treat a chat aside as a public rate card.
How many sizes on the first remake?
One hero size (often L) proves construction and branding. Add a size-set when grading — not decoration — is the open risk.
Library remake or full custom for season one?
Default to library. Open custom OEM when you already know which silhouette must stay exclusive and you can fund prototype risk. See the companion founder guide on library vs custom.
What if investors want a ‘full assortment’ photo?
Shoot the spine pair well. A truthful two-style set beats a warehouse of unproven colourways. Assortment depth is a season-two reward, not a season-one obligation.
Evaluate styles
From this insight → library products
Open a sample path on a live block — then confirm fabric platform and MOQ on the RFQ.
Downloadable library summary: Lookbook PDF. Legal entity: Guangzhou Elevia Apparel Technology Co., Ltd.