Best case is a physical swatch plus end-product notes. Strong second options are a Pantone target with construction notes, or a tech pack with motif scale. A phone photo alone can start a conversation, but shade and hand usually need a better standard before we lock a development sample.

Yes for an early feasibility reply. Photos are weak for exact shade and hand, so we will usually move you into sampling or ask for a couriered swatch before any production lock. Name the end product and fibre path in the same message so we do not guess.

Not always, but motif scale, repeat, and colour placement are much faster with a tech pack or clear artwork. Without it we can still develop from a selected design direction, then lock scale on the development sample before bulk.

Share only what you need for the brief. We use references to develop your programme and do not publish client artwork on marketing pages. If you need an NDA path, say so in the RFQ before you attach files.

Yes. Label each reference (A/B/C) with silk type or construction, colour count, and metres. Multi-reference briefs often need staged sampling so colourways and constructions do not mix in one sample bag.

A physical swatch on the same fibre family is often strongest for silk hand and lustre. Pantone is excellent when you already run a digital colour system. Many programmes use both: Pantone as the target, swatch as the hand check. Tell us which one is the commercial lock.

Shade can shift between mill light and your store or studio light. We ask you to check samples in the light you sell under. If you need a specific illuminant note on the quote, add it to the RFQ so sampling instructions stay aligned.

Yes when you reorder the same locked construction and shade standard. We keep programme notes from the approved sample. Yarn dye lots and loom conditions are re-checked at reorder time so continuity stays honest.

Each colourway is sampled and approved before that colour enters bulk. You can prioritise hero colours first and add secondary colourways later. Colour count changes MOQ and timeline - we state that on the quote instead of hiding it.

Some references on a different fibre or finish cannot be cloned 1:1 on silk. We say so early, offer the closest feasible lab dips, and only lock when you accept the commercial shade. No silent “close enough” into bulk.

Sample ID / programme reference, locked shade, construction, GSM / hand, usable width, motif notes if any, buyer name, and date. Attach photos of the retained sample if your team is distributed across offices.

Post-approval changes can move cost and timeline. We pause bulk, open a new sample step when needed, and only restart metres after a fresh written lock. Treat the first approval as the production truth until you replace it.

Partial locks are possible when you say so clearly. Bulk for a colour-only solid can proceed on a colour lock, while a jacquard motif stays in development. Mixed signals without a written split are how programmes slip - we will ask you to separate the locks.

Whoever owns commercial risk for shade and hand - usually product development or the sourcing lead named on the PO. Multiple conflicting emails are not an approval. One clear written lock is.

After written approval and PO terms are in place. Loom booking follows the lock, which is why early fake “bulk dates” without approval are not useful. Your quote states the post-approval production window.

Bulk is checked against the approved sample for shade and construction character, and screened for obvious weaving or dyeing defects. The approved sample is the standard - not a new interpretation on the packing day.

Yes. Tell us in the RFQ so inspection sits inside the production and ship calendar. Late inspection requests are a common cause of missed sailings.

Outer labels carry fibre, colour, metres, and your PO reference so lots can be sorted without opening every carton. Inner roll or fold method is confirmed with the programme.

Document lot / carton IDs, photos against your retained sample, and metre counts quickly. Claims are assessed against the written lock and the shipped lot records. Clear receiving notes help both sides move fast.

Incoterms define risk and cost points for freight - they do not replace the sample lock. QC against the approved sample still happens before pack on manufacturer programmes; freight terms are confirmed on the quote for your destination.