Reference sample
An existing unbranded product, often in stock, used to discuss fabric, fit, and construction. It is not made to your specification and does not prove the factory can produce your design.
Policy · Samples
The sample is a paid step, not a free preview.
A sample buys information: fabric, fit, measurements, construction, and print quality. This page explains what the fee covers, how a WWTop Yupoo reference becomes an approved sample, and what the sample does not promise.
Sample costs, revision terms, and credit conditions are confirmed in writing for each project.
The fee
What you are paying for.
A free sample is not free. Either the cost is built into a higher bulk price, or the sample is not a real production sample.
A sampling run consumes fabric, trims, pattern-making time, cutting, sewing, finishing, and a slot on a sampling line. For a printed or embroidered sample, it may also consume a screen, plate, or digitising setup. Those costs exist whether or not you place a bulk order.
We separate the sample fee from the bulk deposit so you can see what you are buying at each stage. If a factory offers to credit the sample fee against a bulk order, the quote states the condition: the quantity required, the window in which the order must be placed, and whether the credit applies to the unit price or the deposit.
| Cost line | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Materials | Fabric, trims, labels, packaging used in the sample |
| Pattern and setup | New pattern, grading, artwork separation, screen or plate setup |
| Sampling labour | Cutting, sewing, finishing, and quality check on the sample line |
| Sample freight | Courier from the factory to your address, duty and tax where applicable |
| Revision round | Only if the quote includes one; additional rounds are quoted separately |
Four kinds of sample
Name the sample before you pay for it.
“Sample” can mean four different things. The purpose, the cost, and the approval standard change with the stage.
Development sample
A first attempt at your specification. Expect open questions: fit corrections, fabric substitution, trim availability, and print placement. This is where most learning happens.
Pre-production sample
Made after the specification is frozen and bulk fabric is booked. It should match the production method and is the sample you approve before the bulk run starts.
Production check sample
Pulled from the bulk run. It is compared with the approved pre-production sample during inspection. It is evidence of consistency, not a new design round.
Approval
Approve against a document, not a feeling.
A sample approval should reference the approved specification and measurement sheet. “Looks good” is not an approval standard. Check the fabric weight and hand-feel, the measurements at the points that matter, the construction, the trims, and the decoration.
If you cannot inspect the sample in person, ask for a video call with the sample in hand, a measurement report taken flat, close-ups of seams and trims, and a photo under neutral light. Record what you approved and keep the sample.
Send corrections as one consolidated list within the revision window stated in the quote. A stream of separate changes is difficult to price and easy to lose.
- 01
Fabric and weight
Compare the actual sample with the specified composition and GSM. Ask for a fabric swatch to keep.
- 02
Measurements
Measure flat at the agreed points. A size chart is a claim; the tape measure is the check.
- 03
Construction
Seams, hems, neck rib, armhole, bartacks, zips, and handle attachments. Check the inside as well.
- 04
Decoration
Print size, placement, opacity, stretch, and wash durability. Embroidery density and backing.
Limits
What a sample does not prove.
- It does not prove bulk consistency. A sample can be made by a different line or operator. The production check compares the bulk run with the approved sample.
- It does not prove stock. A sample can be made from a small fabric lot. Bulk fabric may need to be booked or dyed.
- It does not lock the price. Material and freight can move between sampling and bulk. The quote states validity and what triggers a change.
- It does not transfer rights. A sample of your own design does not give you rights to another company’s protected design or mark.
FAQ
Questions buyers ask
If your question is not here, send a brief. We answer in plain language, with conditions.
Why do samples cost money?
A sample consumes fabric, trims, pattern work, machine time, and a sampling slot that the factory could otherwise use for production. The sample fee pays for that work. It is not a deposit on bulk. If a sample fee can be credited against a bulk order, that condition is stated in the written quote before you pay.
How long does a sample take?
A typical sample takes 10–15 business days after the specification and fabric are approved. A new pattern, custom knit, sublimation, or a complex print can take longer. The estimate in your quote is the planning window for your project, not a general promise.
Can I approve a sample from photos?
Photos help, but they are not an approval. Approve against measurements, fabric weight and hand-feel, construction details, and the actual print or embroidery. If you cannot inspect the sample in person, ask for a measurement report, a video call, and close-up photos before you sign off.
What happens if the sample is wrong?
Send one consolidated list of discrepancies with photos and measurements against the approved specification. The factory can correct issues that fall within the agreed brief. A change to the brief, a new colour, or a different fabric is a new sample, not a correction. Revision terms are stated in the quote.
Do I own the sample?
A paid sample is yours to keep, unless the quote says otherwise. It is also your reference for bulk: keep it clean, label it, and store it with the approved measurement sheet so the production run can be checked against the same standard.
Can you sample a branded product?
No. We sample unbranded goods or private-label production for your own brand. A WWTop Yupoo reference can inform fit, fabric, and construction, but we do not sample copies of branded products or reproduce another company’s protected artwork, logo, or design.
Next step
Sample the specification, not a promise.
Send the category, intended fabric, quantity, and destination. We will map the sample stage, the approval points, and the costs before the first sample is cut.