COM keeps the designer in control of material selection while the workroom focuses on turning that material into the finished treatment.
Identify Every Shipment Clearly
When fabric is shipped separately from the order, the workroom needs enough information to connect the material to the correct client, project and treatment. Include the Workroom Center order or project reference whenever one has been assigned.
If a fabric supplier is shipping on your behalf, give the supplier the same identification information rather than relying only on your company name.
Send Complete Fabric Information
Provide the manufacturer or supplier name, pattern name or number, colorway, fabric width and known repeat information. If a particular side is the face or the direction is not obvious, identify it.
For trims, banding and contrast materials, identify exactly where each material is intended to be used.
What Workroom Receiving Should Check
Receiving is an opportunity to catch obvious issues before production. Typical checks include quantity received, visible damage, pattern information and whether the shipment appears to match the project documentation.
A receiving inspection is not the same as guaranteeing that every hidden flaw in an entire roll can be discovered before cutting, so irreplaceable or highly valuable fabrics deserve extra planning.
Do Not Ship the Exact Mathematical Minimum
Custom fabrication needs allowances for hems, headings, pattern matching and construction. Patterned fabrics can require additional material simply to align repeats across cuts.
When material is limited or expensive, have the required yardage reviewed before ordering rather than trying to resolve a shortage after the fabric reaches the workroom.
Plan for Remnants and Returns
Decide in advance whether usable remnants should be returned, held with the project, or disposed of according to your normal workroom instructions. That is particularly important when the remaining material belongs to your client or may be useful for future repairs and accessories.