“How many finished vests should we make for testing?” sounds like a simple question. It is not the first question we ask.
Before cutting the test samples, we need to know how many sizes are included, whether the structure changes between sizes, whether new colours are involved and what the laboratory wants to receive as separate material pieces.
The sample plan should be confirmed with the appointed laboratory for the specific project. Making a large pile of finished garments before that confirmation can waste both material and sewing time.
A Practical Sample Plan Starts With the Sizes
In our recent laboratory discussion, the working guidance for a typical EN 13138-1 project was five finished products for one size, plus three foam pieces measuring approximately 10 cm by 10 cm and around 2 cm thick. Each additional size discussed would add another five finished products.
Those figures came from that specific meeting and should not be treated as a universal quotation or permanent rule. The current standard, product construction and laboratory instructions remain the final authority.
The useful lesson is that adding sizes can change the sample quantity quickly. Buyers should decide which sizes are genuinely needed for the first project before the factory makes the formal samples.
The finished products also need to represent the real construction. Foam, stitching, buckles, webbing, zippers, warnings and dimensions should match the version intended for approval. A sample made with temporary hardware may answer a styling question, but it is not automatically a suitable certification sample.
A New Colour May Need Different Samples
If only the colour changes and the structure and size remain the same, the laboratory may not need another full set of finished products for every colour.
During the meeting, one possible route discussed was a complete product in the new colour together with material carrying the actual printed warning or product information. Repeated warning text can be printed across a larger fabric piece, or the laboratory may request several smaller pieces.
This gives the laboratory representative material for colour, printing or durability-related checks without asking the factory to sew unnecessary garments. It is not an automatic shortcut. The exact samples depend on what changed and which test items the certification body requires.
The safest sequence is to send the new colour artwork and material description first, then make the requested samples.
Documents Can Be Reviewed Before Physical Samples Arrive
Packaging bags, instructions, hangtags, wash labels and other artwork can often be sent electronically for an early review. This is one of the easiest ways to reduce back-and-forth during certification.
The review should check that product identification, body-weight range, warnings, symbols and instructions agree across every item. It is much easier to correct a PDF than to remove and replace a printed warning on finished test samples.
The physical print still needs to represent production. The laboratory may need to see how the real ink performs on the actual fabric, especially where rubbing, pool conditions or other exposure could affect legibility.
Confirm Before You Cut
Our internal checklist is straightforward: confirm the included sizes, structural variations, colours, finished-product quantities, foam pieces, printed material pieces and electronic documents before formal sample production begins.
This does not reduce the amount of testing required. It prevents the factory from preparing the wrong evidence for the right test.