Fashion PLM Glossary: 50+ Key Terms Every Apparel Professional Should Know

The Definitive Fashion PLM Glossary

Fashion product development has its own language. This glossary covers every essential term in fashion PLM, apparel manufacturing, and supply chain operations.

AQL (Acceptable Quality Level): Statistical sampling standard for defect rates. AQL 1.5 critical, 2.5 major, 4.0 minor. BOM (Bill of Materials): Structured list of all materials and components to manufacture a product. Care Label: Legally required label with washing and care symbols. CMT (Cut, Make, Trim): Brand supplies materials, factory provides labour. Colourway: Specific colour combination per style. Compliance Audit: Factory assessment for social, environmental, and quality standards. Costing Sheet: Detailed breakdown of all manufacturing costs. Critical Path: Key milestones timeline from design to delivery. Digital Product Passport (DPP): EU-mandated digital record of product data, required from 2027. Duty Rate: Import tariff percentage by product and origin. Fit Sample: Sample garment for fit and measurement verification. FOB: Price at port of origin excluding freight and duties. Grade Rules: Increments to scale patterns across sizes. GSM: Fabric weight in grams per square metre. Lab Dip: Colour approval swatch before bulk production. Landed Cost: Total delivered cost including FOB, freight, duties, handling. Marker: Pattern layout optimising fabric usage. MOQ: Minimum production quantity per order. PLM: Software managing product lifecycle from concept to delivery. POM (Points of Measure): Standard measurement locations on garments. PP Sample: Pre-production sample with actual materials. Range Plan: Seasonal planning of categories, styles, quantities. RRP: Recommended retail price. Size Curve: Quantity distribution across sizes. SMS: Sample tracking system. Supplier Portal: Web interface for factory collaboration. Strike Off: Printed fabric sample for artwork approval. Tech Pack: Complete garment specification document. Tier 1-4 Suppliers: Supply chain classification (factories to raw materials). TOP Sample: Quality check sample from production line. Wash Test: Colour fastness and shrinkage testing. Wholesale Price: Price to retailers, typically 2-2.5x cost.