THE SKI JACKET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IN EIGHT SIMPLE STEPS

The next time you receive a bulk order of our gorgeous, high-quality ski jackets, spare a thought for the long and detailed process that goes into making each one. Many different elements go into the creation of each new garment design, and in this article, we are going to break them down into eight simple steps.

Design Concept

Every new design begins as an idea, and after that, it becomes a physical sketch or digital render, something that our designers draw and redraw until it looks right. It visualises the jacket's style, features, and functionality, and they add elements like pockets, zippers, hoods, cuffs, and so on, drawing on the research and experience to come up with something attractive and practical.

Our design and development team is well-equipped to handle this process, and its members have been coming up with new ideas since we established the team in early 2019. Since then, it’s grown from one to four full-time staff members who begin thinking about each new ski jacket design by carefully analysing trend forecasts in some of the world's main markets.

The team is helped in this regard by our overseas colleagues, a select group of freelance technical designers from the UK and Germany who have a deep understanding of the European market. By leveraging these links, researching styles, considering emerging trends, thinking about required features, and what’s generally popular in the target markets, they gain enough insights to create a fresh range of outdoor clothing designs, and they do this around 150 times a year.

Fabric Selection

With the ski jacket design finalised and approved, we move on to fabric selection. Fabric technology is always progressing, and our research and development team keeps its finger on the pulse by regularly attending trade shows like Intertextile. Here they can learn about the latest fabrics and choose the ones with the most appropriate features for their next ski jacket design.

One of the most important properties of a ski jacket is waterproofness. Ski jackets need to be able to repel the rain, wind, sleet, and snow so the wearer stays dry and warm, but they also need to do this cost-effectively. There are plenty of expensive materials on the market like Gore-Tex, but our designers found that by using certain types of polyester and then adding a durable water-repellent (DWR) finish, they could achieve great water resistance without raising the cost too much.

Another consideration is breathability because ski jackets need to be able to allow moisture from perspiration to escape from the inside of the jacket. Breathable fabrics stop sweat from building up and keep the wearer dry and comfortable during physical activities, and once again, suitably treated polyester of the right density can allow this to happen while still providing rain protection. It also ticks all the boxes for insulation and cold weather, durability against abrasion and friction, flexibility for freedom of movement, and weight.

Pattern Development

With design and fabric selection confirmed, the team needs to create the technical patterns and specifications for the various components of the ski jacket, ensuring a proper fit and silhouette. Designers have long used traditional paper and card pattern creation techniques, taking body measurements (such as chest, waist, hips, and arm length) to create a well-fitting pattern. These measurements serve as the foundation for the jacket's shape and size. Designers use them to draft a paper or cardboard pattern which serves as a template for cutting the fabric, and specific design features like pockets or cuffs are incorporated into the pattern. Our designers use a mixture of this time-honoured approach with modern pattern making tools including Gerber AccuMark, TUKAcad, PAD System, and more.

The pattern is laid out on the chosen fabric, and the pieces are cut according to the design. Precision is essential to ensure all components fit together seamlessly. The cut fabric pieces are assembled according to the pattern. Seams, zippers, and other closures are added, and reinforcements may be used at stress points.

Here’s an example of one of our most recent finished designs:

This women’s ski jacket is sure to be a real head-turner on the slopes thanks to its innovative silvery finish and short-cut puffer-style design. The fabric is windproof and treated with water repellent, and it’s well insulated to keep customers comfortable for extended periods on the piste. A snow lock is built into the hem, and the flexible cuffs and adjustable hem and waist give a perfect fit every time.

This example is a little different from the rest because we achieved that striking shine by using a metallic nylon outer shell rather than polyester, but it’s still a material that’s no less durable. The hood is detachable so the skier can dispense with it when the weather allows, and those elasticated covers make sure that no snow gets up the sleeve.

Prototype Creation

A prototype jacket is created to test the fit, and adjustments are made based on how the jacket looks and feels on a real or digital model. This is an important stage because in creating the prototype we are allowing the customer to approve the design or request changes according to their own needs. Once all the adjustments are complete and the customer has given their approval, the final pattern is created.

Performance Testing

Performance testing can involve putting the ski jacket prototype through rigorous testing, such as in a wind tunnel if aerodynamics is important, or on the slopes to ensure it meets the required standards. At this stage, feedback from the wearer about comfort, fit, padding, practicality, storage, durability, flexibility, and more all help to refine the design further and eliminate any problems.

Then there are standard laboratory tests for waterproofing and breathability.  For waterproofing this involves suspending liquid in a 1-inch square tube over the fabric. A 10,000 mm rating means the fabric withstood that height of water before it started to leak.

The breathability test measures how many grams of water vapour pass through one square metre of the fabric in 24 hours.

Here is an example of where that kind of performance testing leads – one of our latest ski jacket designs:

This striking look is made from 94% Polyester and 6% elastane, which features in the openings to ensure a tight fit that keeps the snow and wind out. It’s breathable, waterproof, well-insulated, and PFC-free. We have taped critical seams to ensure that they are sturdy and robust, and paid great attention to every detail, with stylish accents added for effect:

Manufacturing Planning

When we move into the production phase, we tackle the logistics of ordering materials from one or more of our many long-standing trusted suppliers, briefing our skilled and dedicated workers on how to create the design, and scheduling the production run.

We can use a laser cutting machine, 32 auto templating machines, 3 for auto cutting, 3 for fabric or insulation spreading, and 4 for auto snapping, and with our two factories and large skilled workforce of 700 people, we have enough capacity to produce 3 million items per year.

Our CAD pattern-making team inspects the manufacturing process at every stage, including cutting, sewing, and packing, every day. We also use a team of independent quality assurance staff to check product quality on each production line too, so you can be sure that your order will be free from defects.

Branding and Packaging

With garment manufacturing, the branding can be almost as important as the quality of the product. The brand design tells a story about the values of the company behind the product, and it sends important signals to the customer about whether the ski jacket is aimed at them. As an ODM (aka private label) manufacturer, we frequently design and create ski jackets to the customer’s specifications and then apply their branding to the finished item. This is a cost-effective way for start-up companies to develop their brands and bring them to market without the need to create their own manufacturing infrastructure too, and this can be a real cost saver in the early stages when they are trying to become established and don’t have much spare cash.  

These companies can even rely on us to package their garments to a high standard too, and it’s something else that we can do to their specifications, so whatever your folding, bagging, and boxing requirements might be, we can meet them.

Market Release

This is when the ski jacket is released to the market. Marketing and sales strategies are coordinated to drive consumer demand and launch the product successfully. The brand will employ a multitude of tactics to ensure that consumers know that the product exists and to position it as a desirable item. These could include things like sponsorship deals with snow sports athletes, promotional arrangements with social media influencers, straightforward advertising campaigns on TV, radio, billboards, social media platforms and elsewhere, paid reviews, and more.

Loto Garment is the ideal partner for your next ski jacket order, so please get in touch with us today and we will be happy to help.