Translating Design Into Product

6/9/2017

It's been said, "Teamwork makes the dream work." It's true, It takes a team to translate a design, a creative idea, into a product. The vision begins with design and is carried forth with merchandising and sales to be completed with product development and production. This is why a technical understanding is a critical part of making the dream work. Everyone has to both understand the individual pieces as well as how the whole will work. We all don't have to be able to execute each of these individual pieces (otherwise what's the point in a team?), but we do each have to be able to support the next stage in product development.

I love being able to support the team's creative vision with tools such as bill of materials and/or tech packs. I know once I've finished outlining the technical details of the design, we have a tool we can now use as a reference point for costing and negotiation; developing sales and creative samples; for fitting and checking specs; as well as cataloging approvals (color, fabric, trim, and specs). I know that once we move into this stage, we are that much closer to being able to build and ship product to our customers...and that's really what the dream is all about.

Below are examples of a bill of materials created for Carter's exclusive brand with Walmart, Child of Mine as well as a technical package created for sampling and development for JCPenney's private label outerwear brand (Arizona).