Design Brief Template for a Private Label Medium Impact Sports Bra
When three factories quote three very different prices for what sounds like the same sports bra, the cause is almost never margin. It is usually that each supplier made different assumptions to fill gaps in the brief. A structured design brief does not slow development down; it removes the interpretation step that produces unusable quotations and three rounds of re-sampling.
Section One: Channel and Use
State the distribution channel, the end activities, and the target retail price. Activities matter because they determine support level: cycling, rowing machines, elliptical trainers and aerobic dance are all moderate, largely non-repetitive loading, and therefore sit in the medium impact band. If you also intend to claim running or HIIT suitability, say so explicitly, because it changes the support target and the test evidence you will need.
State expected annual volume and initial order quantity. Both directly influence achievable pricing.
Section Two: Sizing
Specify the cup range, normally B and C for this category, and the size run. Include your measurement chart with every measurement point and its tolerance, plus the base size for development. If the run extends beyond C cup, flag it: support demand does not scale linearly with band size, so a separate higher support pattern is generally required.
Request grade rules in writing and ask that smaller and larger ends of the run be included in the size set rather than only the base and adjacent sizes.
Section Three: Fabric and Components
Specify shell fabric construction, fibre composition, GSM and tolerance, then four-way stretch requirements as elongation, recovery and permanent growth figures with the test standard named for each. Reference AATCC 135 for dimensional change after laundering and ask that all stretch figures be post-laundering rather than initial.
List every component: underband elastic with width, modulus and recovery targets; strap elastic with the same detail; hook-and-eye closure with row count, pitch, plating and compliance reports; pads with density, thickness profile and colour.
Section Four: Construction
Describe the silhouette accurately. For the medium support construction referenced here: straps that converge at the centre back into a vertical bar forming a racerback; a large rear opening positioned to avoid the shoulder blade region; a secondary keyhole for airflow; a wide elastic underband with a 3-row adjustable closure; removable pads; flat seams throughout.
For each of these give a measurable value. A sentence describing a wide band is not a specification; a stated finished width with tolerance is.
Section Five: Compliance and Labelling
Name destination markets and list required documentation: OEKO-TEX Standard 100 for fabric and components, GRS transaction certificates where recycled content is claimed, REACH evidence for European hardware and trims, CPSIA documentation for childrens sizes in the US. State care label requirements, nation of origin labelling, and any retailer-specific packaging rules.
Specify inspection expectations now, including AQL levels, typically 2.5 for major defects and 4.0 for minor, rather than negotiating them after sampling.
Section Six: Timeline and Samples
Give your target dates for proto, fit samples, size set, pre-production sample and bulk. Ask the factory to state sample costs, bulk lead time from approval, payment terms and whether prices hold across repeat orders. Then compare the responses section by section. Suppliers who fill every field are generally the ones worth shortlisting, regardless of which one came in cheapest.
