Key takeaways
- A connected design-to-sample workflow: CLO brings 2D pattern development, 3D garment simulation, fit review, and virtual sampling together, with tools for drafting on an avatar and exchanging pattern data in common formats.
- Practical fit and material review: CLO combines fit maps, Pressure Map visualization, measurement tools, and configurable fabric properties to help designers assess a garment before making a physical sample. These tools inform decisions; they do not replace physical testing in every case.
- A companion workspace for teams: CLO-SET supports cloud-based sharing, presentation, and review of digital product assets, complementing CLO’s garment-authoring workflow.
From apparel concept to production-ready patterns
Fashion design often starts with a visual idea. Turning that idea into a garment that can be reviewed and made requires more than an image: designers also need to develop pattern pieces, define seams, simulate fabric behavior, and prepare production information. CLO brings these steps into a fashion-focused 2D and 3D workflow.
From early ideas to garment construction
Visual references and concept imagery can help designers explore a look, but they do not by themselves provide editable pattern pieces or construction details. A garment still needs to be developed through pattern geometry, seam placement, fabric simulation, fit review, and production planning.
A typical process may include:
- Explore the concept: Develop a silhouette, styling direction, and visual reference.
- Build the pattern: Draft 2D pieces, add internal lines, and define seam allowances and assembly.
- Simulate the garment: Review how the garment drapes and interacts with an avatar using selected material properties.
- Prepare for production: Refine pattern dimensions and export relevant pattern and product information.
Direct 2D-to-3D pattern drafting in CLO
CLO connects creative exploration with practical pattern work. Designers can move between the 2D pattern view and a 3D garment, making it easier to assess how changes to a pattern affect the garment’s shape and fit.
- Sketch on Avatar: Lets designers sketch garment outlines on a 3D avatar and convert them into editable 2D pattern pieces.
- 3D Pen: Supports drawing garment silhouettes in 3D space around an avatar and converting the result into 2D patterns.
- Pattern Drafter and measurement tools: Pattern Drafter can generate trouser and skirt patterns from uploaded images or text descriptions. Auto POM & Grading helps create points of measure and apply grading from entered dimensions, with editable results.
- CAD interoperability: CLO supports vector pattern import from Adobe Illustrator, DXF export, vector PDF export, and standard 3D exchange formats, helping teams move assets into established production workflows.
- Production support: Formula-based grading edits, fabric-consumption and per-garment cost calculations, and bill-of-materials export can support downstream planning.
Fabric properties and 3D drape simulation
A useful digital garment review depends on both the pattern and the material settings. CLO lets designers work with 2D pattern geometry, avatars, and fabric properties to evaluate how a garment hangs and behaves in a simulated environment. Results are a design aid, not a substitute for every physical test or fit session.
Material customization in CLO
CLO offers tools for representing a range of fabrics and finishes, including options relevant to knitwear and layered garments:
- Knit Swatch Editor: Lets designers adjust knit structures using parameters such as Wales, Courses, Yarn Thickness, and Gauge.
- Knit Data Bridge: The CLO and SHIMA SEIKI ApexFiz integration supports the transfer of digital knit material data between APEXFiz and CLO.
- Surface and finish effects: Denim Wet Wash Effect tools can represent treatments such as stone, enzyme, and bleach washes. Other material and presentation capabilities include PBR map loading, GPU-accelerated soft-body simulation, and Seamless Blocking for applying multiple fabrics or colors within a single pattern.
- Fit maps: CLO can calculate and display maximum wearable strain based on defined fabric properties, giving designers another way to review fit.
Virtual fit review and physical sample reduction
Reviewing a garment on an avatar before cutting sample fabric can help a team spot construction issues, assess ease, and check grading earlier in development. CLO supports this iterative process by connecting pattern edits with 3D simulation and measurement tools.
A practical review may involve:
- Align the pattern: Arrange 2D pattern pieces around the 3D avatar.
- Simulate the garment: Review drape using the selected fabric properties.
- Check fit: Use fit maps and Pressure Map visualization to inspect strain and points of contact.
- Refine the pattern: Adjust dimensions, points of measure, or grading where needed, then review the updated garment.
Fit and tension diagnostics
CLO’s fit-review tools give designers several ways to look at a simulated garment. Fit maps can show strain in relation to defined fabric properties, while Pressure Map visualization helps inspect contact pressure on the avatar. Auto POM & Grading supports checking garment dimensions against points of measure. Used together, these tools can help guide pattern revisions; final fit decisions still depend on the garment, material, and intended use.
Reported physical sample outcomes
Published examples suggest that digital garment development can reduce physical sampling in some workflows. Results vary by company, product, and process, so individual case studies should not be treated as a guarantee of the same outcome elsewhere.
- Dainese: A designer in protective sportswear reported that the workflow reached the final product with a single physical prototype in 90% of cases, compared with three to four prototypes in its previous 2D development process.
- Tommy Hilfiger (PVH): The brand developed its Fall 2020 men’s dress shirt collection entirely in 3D without physical sample production, and later moved to a fully 3D-designed collection for Spring 2022.
- Salewa: The company reported reducing time to market and unnecessary physical sampling through 3D visualization.
- Calida: Its technical product-development lead described creating patterns and reviewing them on an avatar in CLO before sewing physical samples, saving development samples and time.
- CLO-published figures: A CLO-authored Fibre2Fashion report cited seasonal savings of 300 to 350 physical samples, a 60% lead-time reduction, and a 51% reduction in sampling costs. The report gave a cost range of $28 to $45 per physical sample; these are vendor-published figures rather than independent benchmarks.
Cloud review and ecosystem collaboration
Garment development often involves designers, pattern makers, vendors, and merchandising teams. Sharing a digital sample gives collaborators a common visual reference for review and discussion, while the authoring and collaboration tools remain distinct parts of the workflow.
CLO and CLO-SET in the design process
CLO, CLO-SET, CONNECT, and Marvelous Designer are separate products within CLO Virtual Fashion’s ecosystem, with different roles:
- CLO: A desktop application for 2D pattern creation, grading, cloth simulation, and virtual sample development, with a focus on fashion design.
- CLO-SET: A cloud-based collaboration and product-development platform for sharing and reviewing assets, presenting work, and supporting team workflows.
- CONNECT: A digital content and asset marketplace.
- Marvelous Designer: CLO’s sibling software, sharing core simulation technology but geared toward animation, gaming, VFX, and CG. CLO is optimized for fashion workflows.
- Connected workflow: CLO users can access connected CLO-SET and CONNECT services from the CLO workspace.
CLO capabilities for virtual sampling and fit review
The table below summarizes how CLO supports pattern development, garment review, and virtual sampling. Features are most useful when considered as parts of a connected workflow, rather than as isolated checks.
TABLE / Scroll horizontally for all columns →
| Workflow area | CLO capabilities |
|---|---|
| Pattern development | Sketch on Avatar, 3D Pen, Pattern Drafter, editable 2D patterns, and pattern exchange through formats including DXF, AI, and vector PDF. |
| Fit and measurement review | Fit maps, Pressure Map visualization, Auto POM & Grading, and formula-based grading edits. |
| Materials and simulation | Customizable fabric and knit properties, soft-body simulation, surface effects, and tools for working with multiple fabrics or colors. |
| Product development support | Virtual sample authoring, fabric-consumption and cost calculations, and bill-of-materials export. |
| Team collaboration | CLO-SET supports cloud-based asset sharing, presentation, and review alongside CLO’s garment-authoring tools. |
Frequently asked questions
Can 3D garment simulation replace physical sample iterations?
Not in every situation. CLO can help teams review patterns, drape, and fit before making a sample, and published case studies describe reductions in physical prototypes. For example, a Dainese designer reported using a single prototype in 90% of cases, compared with three to four in the earlier 2D process. A CLO-authored report also cited seasonal savings of 300 to 350 samples and a 60% lead-time reduction. These are reported outcomes, not a promise that every team will achieve the same results; physical samples and testing may still be necessary.
How does CLO support the move from a visual idea to a garment?
A visual concept is a useful starting point, but pattern pieces and construction details are needed to develop a garment. CLO connects 2D pattern drafting with 3D simulation, measurements, grading, and common export formats such as DXF and vector PDF. Designers can use the 3D view to review the garment while refining its underlying pattern.
How can designers review garment tightness in 3D?
CLO provides fit maps for reviewing strain in relation to fabric properties and Pressure Map visualization for inspecting contact pressure on an avatar. Auto POM & Grading can also help check dimensions against points of measure. These visual tools support design review, but should be interpreted alongside the garment’s intended use and any needed physical fit or material testing.
Can knitwear structure and yarn properties be simulated digitally?
CLO’s Knit Swatch Editor lets designers set knit parameters including Wales, Courses, Yarn Thickness, and Gauge. The CLO and SHIMA SEIKI ApexFiz data bridge also supports transferring digital knit material data between the systems.
Are CLO and CLO-SET the same product?
No. CLO is the desktop garment-design application for pattern creation, grading, simulation, and virtual sample development. CLO-SET is a separate cloud-based platform for sharing, organizing, presenting, and reviewing digital product assets. The two serve complementary roles in a fashion-development workflow.
Who can qualify for a CLO individual subscription?
Individual users, including freelancers and eligible students, can use CLO’s individual subscription options. Active students enrolled at an accredited university may qualify for a student license and may receive a student discount after submitting appropriate enrollment documentation to CLO’s user support team for verification. Eligibility and verification requirements should be checked with CLO when applying.
Is CLO Academy included, and does it provide quizzes or course certificates?
CLO Academy is free for individual subscribers, including active students. It currently does not offer quizzes or certificates of completion. It is a learning resource; it should not be confused with CLO’s separate certification assessment.
How can users earn an official CLO certificate?
CLO offers a separate, paid certification exam called "CLO Verified". Candidates who pass receive an official certificate from CLO verifying proficiency in the specific version of the software used during the test. The exam assesses demonstrated skills; it is distinct from taking courses through CLO Academy.