Do I need to a CAD technical drawing for my lingerie design?
You’re expecting me to say yes, right? Yet it’s not so clear cut as that. It all depends on what you are using it for. If you are wishing to source a factory overseas and get your lingerie made there, then I would officially state that yes get a CAD drawing of your technical drawing, as it will be used in your tech pack; and you don’t want any error, you don’t want anything that can be taken in context as something else. Any mistakes can be costly and a big waste of time.
*Let me just go back one step in case you don’t know what a technical drawing is. It’s a black and white drawing of your design, with every style line, and every stitch type you are using including bar-tacks.
If you are passing your design onto a pattern maker then again a CAD technical drawing will be easier to follow. If you are getting your samples and production made up in a factory near you, depending on the size of your order, you may not have to get a CAD drawing done. The factory may well accept a hand drawing of your designs with it all labeled up. If you are unsure of shapes the example I used was from the “how to sketch a bra and brief” which has different examples of outlines and templates of lingeire shapes.
My first job, we hand drew everything, but then we also hand graded and hand wrote the specs for the factory that was on site. For Vanjo, I used a computerised spec, but then hand drew in my lingerie design for my files, and when I outsourced the manufacturing, the picture was still hand-drawn but I also sent a sample with it as well as, so no mistakes could be made. Remember when you make contact with a factory they have no pre-conception of your design, and it’s so easy for mistakes to be made.
Some factories won’t look at your designs without a technical drawing and tech pack, and others are quite happy to take a look at the information you have even if it;s all hand drawn and hand written.
What a technical drawing also does is that it gives you the chance to sell the garment before it’s made, so if you are looking for crowd funding, or approaching shops it’s good to look professional and have a clear idea of your design rather than a quick sketch.
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