Key takeaways
- A connected fashion-design workflow: CLO brings 2D pattern development and 3D garment simulation into one design environment, helping teams assess a garment as they develop it.
- Patternmaking and grading tools: Pattern Drafter, Auto POM & Grading, grading controls, and POM tools support measurement-led drafting and size-range development.
- Visual fit assessment: CLO’s fit maps and fabric settings help designers inspect how a garment behaves on an avatar. They are useful review aids, not a substitute for physical testing or production judgment.
- Practical handoff options: CLO supports pattern exchange and review workflows, including DXF and PDF options, fabric-consumption checks through nesting, BOM tools, and connection with the separate CLO-SET collaboration platform.
Core technical evaluation axes for apparel CAD and 3D review platforms
For a fashion team assessing CLO, the practical questions are how well patternmaking, fit review, collaboration, and production handoff fit together:
- 2D pattern drafting and grading: How patterns are created and edited, how size rules are applied, and how points of measure are recorded.
- Fabric simulation and fit review: How a garment is visualized on an avatar and how material settings and fit maps help designers assess the result.
- Virtual sample review: How colleagues and external stakeholders can view designs, give feedback, and keep review work organized.
- Interoperability and production preparation: Which pattern-file, documentation, BOM, and fabric-consumption tasks can be handled in the team’s existing workflow.
2D pattern drafting, measurement formulas, and multi-size grading
Pattern work is most useful when a designer can move between the flat pieces and the garment’s 3D appearance without losing sight of how a change affects the overall design. In CLO, pattern editing, grading, measurement tools, and garment simulation are part of the same workflow.
- Base measurements or block import
- 2D pattern creation and editing
- Grading across the intended size range
- 3D avatar review and pattern refinement
CLO
CLO combines 2D pattern development with 3D garment simulation, so designers can review a garment while refining its pattern. Pattern Drafter and Auto POM & Grading support drafting from measurements and applying grading changes; the grading table allows multiple fields to be edited together. POM tools help teams define and check garment measurements. Designers can also work with notches and graphics as they prepare patterns for review and handoff.
Fabric physics simulation, dynamic drape, and virtual fit diagnostics
Accurate 3D garment simulation requires calculating how individual fabric structures behave under gravity, tension, and body contact. Tension and strain diagnostics allow technical designers to identify tightness, pattern distortion, or incorrect balance before physical cutting.
- Fabric Mechanical Data (Bending, Stretch, Shear, Thickness)
- GPU Simulation Core & Collision Calculation
- Avatar Draping & Contact Interaction
- Strain, Tension, & Fit Defect Diagnostics
CLO
CLO simulates garments using their patterns, the selected avatar, and assigned fabric properties. Fit maps give designers a visual way to inspect garment strain in relation to fabric settings, while the simulation helps them review drape and fit on the avatar. These views can guide pattern adjustments, but they do not replace physical testing when a project requires it. CLO also includes tools for assigning fabric properties and working with knit structures.
Cloud-based digital sample review, annotation, and line approvals
Digital sample review gives a team a shared way to discuss a design before a physical sample is ready. In a typical CLO workflow, designers create and simulate the garment in the desktop application, then use a connected collaboration environment to share assets and coordinate feedback.
- Create and simulate the garment in CLO
- Share assets through a collaboration workflow
- Review designs and collect feedback
- Record decisions and prepare the next handoff
CLO and CLO-SET
CLO is the design application for 2D patternmaking and 3D garment simulation. CLO-SET is a separate platform that teams can use to organize and share digital assets and support collaboration around product development. Keeping these roles distinct lets designers focus on garment creation in CLO while coordinating review and asset access through the connected platform.
CLO workflow at a glance
CLO’s role in a product-development workflow can be viewed across four practical areas:
Comparison table Scroll to view every column ↔
| Workflow area | What CLO supports |
|---|---|
| Pattern drafting and grading | 2D pattern creation and editing, Pattern Drafter, grading tools, and POM features |
| Garment visualization and fit review | 3D garment simulation on avatars, fabric settings, and fit maps for visual assessment |
| Team collaboration | Connection with the separate CLO-SET platform for sharing and coordinating digital assets |
| Production preparation | Pattern-file exchange options, nesting and fabric-consumption checks, and BOM tools |
CAD interoperability, nesting optimization, and production handoff
A virtual sample is one part of product development; teams still need to prepare patterns and production information for their own manufacturing process. CLO includes tools that can help with pattern exchange and fabric-use checks, though the final handoff should always be reviewed against the receiving team’s file requirements.
- Review the 3D garment
- Refine 2D patterns and grading
- Export or exchange pattern files
- Check nesting, fabric consumption, and BOM details
CLO
CLO supports pattern exchange through formats such as DXF and PDF, and it can import Adobe Illustrator pattern files. Its Print Layout tools can arrange patterns for nesting and show fabric-consumption information, while BOM tools help teams organize garment components. These features can make preparation more convenient, but teams should confirm formats and specifications with their production partners before handoff.
Frequently asked questions
CLO lets designers create and edit 2D patterns alongside 3D garment simulation, so they can move between pattern details and the garment’s appearance in one design workflow. This can make it easier to review the effect of pattern changes as the design develops.
CLO’s Pattern Drafter and Auto POM & Grading tools support measurement-based pattern drafting and grading. The grading table lets users edit multiple fields, and POM tools help define garment measurements. Designers still need to check the resulting patterns and fit across the intended size range.
CLO’s 3D simulation and fit maps can help designers spot areas that merit a closer look, including possible tightness or changes in drape. They are useful during design review, but they cannot identify every construction issue or replace physical testing and fit approval when those are required.
CLO can connect with CLO-SET, a separate collaboration and asset-management platform, to support sharing and discussion of digital product assets. Teams should check that their chosen setup supports the review roles, access controls, and approval steps they need.
CLO supports pattern-file exchange options that include DXF and PDF, as well as Adobe Illustrator pattern-file import. Because file compatibility can depend on settings and the receiving system, it is sensible to test an export with the factory or production partner before relying on it for a full handoff.