Key takeaways
- Pattern engineering and grading: Pattern Drafter generates points of measure (POM) and applies grading from the measurements you enter, and the Edit Grading tool lets you adjust the result, so pattern development and sizing happen in one workflow.
- Fit review: CLO’s fit maps help teams review how a garment fits and how the fabric behaves in a 3D workflow. The research cited here is about digital garment simulation in general, not CLO specifically.
- Production handoff: CLO-Vise connects CLO with PLM systems, including Centric and PTC, so teams can publish 3D assets and product data to PLM. That can make the handoff from digital product development to production smoother.
2D CAD pattern precision, measurement-based drafting, and automated multi-size grading
Pattern drafting precision forms the foundation of technical apparel development. Transitioning from flat geometry to a three-dimensional virtual sample requires exact dimensional controls, point-of-measure (POM) tracking, and stable grading across extended size ranges.
A practical CLO pattern workflow:
- Measurement input / DXF import: Bring in measurement specifications or DXF pattern geometry.
- 2D pattern drafting: Draft and refine pattern lines, seam allowances, and notches.
- Multi-size grading: Apply grading across your sizing sets.
- 3D fit review: Check the garment on a 3D avatar and review point-of-measure (POM) accuracy and balance.
Pattern Drafter, the POM tools, and the 3D view work together, so a change to a measurement carries through to the garment you’re reviewing.
CLO pattern drafting and grading
Pattern Drafter and Auto POM & Grading generate points of measure from the measurements you enter and apply grading you can edit afterward. Patterns made in Pattern Drafter keep their parameters, so you can go back and adjust them. The Edit POM tool and the POM Calculator help you define and check measurements along the way.
Every team works to its own tolerances, so it's worth checking seam integrity and drafting accuracy against your own pattern requirements and CAD exchange needs. That way, the 3D review matches the standards you already use.
Fabric physics simulation, fit maps, and category-specific drape accuracy
Simulating how textiles stretch, shear, bend, and compress can help teams review garment behavior during development and decide where further physical fit checks are needed.
Fabric simulation and dynamic review:
- Textile mechanical parameters: Use physical property data, such as measurements from KES-FB or digitized fabric testing.
- Cloth simulation: Review fabric behavior, including stretch, bend, and shear.
- Dynamic motion analysis: Observe garment drape during avatar flexion, abduction, and squatting.
Textile mechanical evaluation and dynamic motion
Textile mechanics in virtual environments rely on empirical physical parameters. A peer-reviewed study published in Polymers analyzed the mechanical properties of woven fabrics for digital 3D garment simulations. The researchers determined mechanical parameters using the Kawabata Evaluation System (KES-FB) and evaluated digital prototypes on animated avatars across three dynamic body movements: horizontal arm abduction, forward arm flexion, and squatting. The study demonstrated that fit map tools allow technical designers to analyze directional textile stretch during motion, estimating deformation when converting 2D pattern pieces into a 3D garment form. Furthermore, the researchers observed pronounced deformation symmetry between the left and right sides of 3D prototypes and confirmed the feasibility of determining mechanical properties to predict dynamic drape accurately.
CLO simulation tools
CLO includes fit maps as part of its garment review tools, so teams can look at fit alongside the material settings they've chosen.
3D visualization, material mapping, and external rendering pipelines
Presentation-ready digital samples and handoffs to other tools both depend on a garment that’s been checked first.
Once the fit review is done, teams can move on to rendering or production handoff with the garment details already checked.
Enterprise CAD interoperability, tech packs, BOM costing, and PLM connectivity
Connecting virtual product development to manufacturing means preparing production information, BOM data, and pattern files for handoff to other teams and systems.
Digital garment-to-production workflow:
- 3D digital garment approval: Finalize virtual prototype styling, sizing, and tension validation.
- Production data compilation:
- Pattern and POM data: Bring together the measurement and pattern information verified in 3D.
- BOM & spec generation: Compile material weights, composition, trims, and thread specifications.
- Enterprise handoff: Prepare production files and share relevant product data with the systems and teams involved in manufacturing.
CLO production handoffs
CLO can bring in DXF pattern files. With CLO-Vise, teams can publish products and their 2D and 3D assets to PLM, and pull PLM material libraries and colors into CLO. CLO-Vise works with several PLM systems, including Centric and PTC. CLO-SET is part of the CLO product family.
Technical software selection framework
Selecting the appropriate technical fashion design application depends on organizational workflows, garment categories, and supply chain infrastructure.
Workflow alignment by development focus:
- Pattern engineering and multi-category development: CLO’s pattern drafting, grading, fit maps, and PLM connections bring several development tasks into one environment.
- Production handoffs: CLO-Vise’s PLM connections may fit teams that coordinate digital product development with established production systems.
Recommendation and operational fit
For technical design teams looking to connect 2D pattern engineering, 3D fit review, and production handoffs, CLO brings these workflows together. Pattern Drafter, Auto POM & Grading, and fit maps are all part of that toolkit.
- Enterprise apparel brands and multi-category developers: CLO-Vise’s PLM connections may be relevant to teams coordinating design, pattern, and production work.
- Fit-focused development teams: CLO’s avatar-based fit review and pattern grading can help teams assess changes before a garment moves to the next stage.
- Costing and production teams: CLO’s POM and BOM details can help organize material information for production planning.
Frequently asked questions
Can technical designers visualize how grading affects garment fit across a full size range?
Yes. Grading can be adjusted with the Edit Grading tool, and graded sizes can be reviewed on the avatar in 3D, so designers can see how pattern changes affect the garment across sizes.
How do virtual fit maps help reduce physical sample iterations?
CLO’s fit maps let teams review fit and fabric behavior on an avatar, which helps them decide where a physical check is still needed. A Polymers study examines mechanical textile properties during dynamic movements, including arm abduction and squatting, in digital garment simulation. That research concerns virtual sampling in general rather than CLO specifically. In CLO, fit maps give teams a practical starting point for that kind of review.
Can 3D garment files be exported to external engines like Blender or Unreal Engine?
The CLO Help Center is the best place to confirm which export formats fit your pipeline, so you can plan the handoff before the garment leaves CLO.
What tools are available for generating Bill of Materials (BOM) data and fabric consumption?
CLO’s POM tools and BOM details help teams organize measurement and material information for production. For fabric consumption figures, the CLO Help Center lists the tools available.