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This is another Dobizo Question and Answer session from a readers question posted on the Dobizo Answer aka FAQ page. This question also sparked an idea in my mind for a good series of articles explaining the role of each position within the apparel industry. If you work in the apparel industry in a specific role I would love to interview you and have you write a guest post email fred@dobizo.com with your position in the apparel industry and contact information.
JOSE ESTELA Asks:

“HELLO I HAVE QUESTION I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THE ANSWER HERE BUT CANNOT FIND IT. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A PATTERN MAKER AND WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM AND A SAMPLE MAKER I?M ALITTLE CONFUSED WONDER IF I NEED BOTH OR JUST ONE THANKS HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU”

Great question Jose and I did a quick check with the search tool and found a couple of articles with pattern and sample makers within the context, but none exclusively on the subject of either/or.

Here are a few post you might want to have a look at:

Money Making Potential in the Fashion Industry (Speaks on pattern maker and its salary)

Pre-production Samples: (Always a GREAT thing) not doing this can be a COSTLY MISTAKE! (Very good article to read)

Daily Definition of Sew By

When speaking on samples and patterns many get the two terms confused and end up thinking they have the same meaning, but they’re two totally different jobs, but in some ways one couldn’t work without the other.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A PATTERN MAKER?

The role of a pattern maker is to provide a guide for a particular garment to be constructed by. Without a pattern maker a designers original sketch and design couldn’t come to life, because a sample maker has no way to figure out how it needs to be sewn together into a finished product. That is why they create patterns and when I was in college we worked with semi-transparent paper patterns where we would trace and cut-out the fabric pieces from basic patterns, but if you’re design is custom or original than you need a custom fitted pattern. Many different custom fitted basic patterns can be created from what is called a sloper or block. Nowadays they have CAD (Computer Aided Design) systems that help with the creation of patterns, but many still choose to do it the old fashion way and CAD is used mostly on a more industrial or commercial scale where fast turnarounds are needed.

If you’re using blank garments and just adding printing, embroidery or other embellishments to it than all you need is a sample maker for one-off production samples. Now you could have a company that does the pattern, sample making, and production for you than they would be a full-service manufacturer, which is most likely vertically integrated catering to all steps of the process. If all you need is a sample maker than you already have patterns or you’re just using blanks and need pre-production samples to run your production order from.

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