Key takeaways
- A connected 2D-to-3D workflow: CLO brings pattern creation, grading, garment assembly, and 3D simulation into one design environment, helping patternmakers assess how a garment comes together before cutting a physical sample.
- Useful digital fit feedback: CLO’s simulation and fit maps help designers review how fabric behaves on an avatar. Results depend on the quality of the pattern and material settings, and virtual review complements rather than replaces physical testing.
- A companion for team review: CLO supports garment creation, while CLO-SET provides a cloud-based space for organizing digital assets and sharing product reviews with colleagues and partners.
- A learning path for individual users: Active individual subscribers, including eligible students, can access CLO Academy at no additional charge. CLO Academy currently does not offer quizzes or certificates of completion; CLO’s separate paid certification exam is the route to an official proficiency certificate.
Evaluating 2D pattern drafting and grading in CLO
A useful apparel design workflow keeps 2D pattern work connected to the 3D garment. Patternmakers can draft and refine pattern pieces, apply grading, assemble the garment, and inspect how it drapes on an avatar without treating each step as a separate handoff.
A typical workflow moves through three stages:
- Create the 2D pattern: Draft pattern pieces and establish the base block.
- Set measurements and grading: Define points of measure and apply grading rules across the intended size range.
- Assemble and review in 3D: Sew the pattern pieces together virtually, then review the garment’s silhouette and fit on an avatar.
CLO combines 2D pattern editing with 3D garment simulation. Its patternmaking tools include Pattern Drafter and Auto POM & Grading, alongside editable grading, measurement, nesting, and bill-of-materials workflows. Patternmakers can use these tools to move from a starting pattern to a simulated garment while keeping the underlying pattern available for adjustment.
CLO is especially useful when teams want visual feedback early in development, but automated drafting is a starting point rather than a substitute for technical judgment. Designers still need to review construction details, measurements, sizing intent, and production requirements before approving a pattern.
3D fabric physics, mechanical simulation, and fit maps
Fabric behavior depends on properties such as stretch, shear, and bending. Digital simulation gives designers a way to explore how those properties affect a garment’s appearance and movement on an avatar. Research published in PMC examined digital prototypes through movements including arm abduction, forward arm flexion, and squatting, highlighting how material properties can influence predicted garment behavior.
CLO simulates the interaction between pattern shapes, avatar geometry, and fabric settings. Its fit maps and pressure visualization help designers spot areas that may need attention, while material data and surface appearance can be incorporated into the virtual garment. The usefulness of that review depends on the quality of the pattern and the fabric inputs: simulation can inform a fit decision, but it cannot guarantee how every physical fabric will behave.
For a practical review, it helps to consider three questions:
| What to review | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Drape and silhouette | Shows how the assembled garment hangs on the selected avatar. |
| Fit maps and pressure visualization | Helps identify areas of strain or pressure that may warrant a closer look. |
| Material settings | Makes the simulation more representative when the fabric properties are entered accurately. |
Virtual fit review can reduce the need to make every early design decision with a physical sample. It should still be paired with material testing and physical validation where the garment, fabric, or intended use requires it.
Virtual sample approval and cloud collaboration
Virtual sampling is most useful when the people who create a garment and the people who review it can work from the same digital information. A team can develop a garment in CLO, then share its digital assets for review without requiring every stakeholder to work in the desktop design application.
Digital review can also reduce some sample shipments, although the environmental effect depends on how a team uses the workflow. Research published in the Journal of Textile Engineering & Fashion Technology discusses the potential role of virtual design and digital approvals in reducing transport associated with physical sampling.
A straightforward approval workflow has three steps:
- Create in CLO: Build and simulate a garment in the desktop design environment.
- Share through CLO-SET: Organize and upload digital assets to a cloud workspace for collaboration.
- Review and respond: Invite relevant colleagues or partners to view the garment, share feedback, and track revisions.
CLO and CLO-SET serve complementary roles. CLO is the design environment for patternmaking, simulation, and virtual sampling. CLO-SET is a separate platform for digital asset management, collaboration, and product review. Keeping the tools’ roles clear helps a team build a workflow that suits both hands-on design work and broader review needs.
AI-assisted concept generation and rapid pattern prototyping
AI-assisted features can help designers explore early ideas and get to an editable starting point more quickly. CLO brings generative tools into a wider garment-development workflow, where designers can move between visual exploration, pattern work, and 3D review.
CLO AI Studio provides access to generative graphic and texture tools. Sketch on Avatar supports drawing styling lines over a 3D avatar and turning those marks into 2D pattern shapes. Pattern Drafter can generate parametric trouser and skirt patterns from reference images or text descriptions.
These tools are most useful as ways to explore and develop an initial direction. Their output still needs a designer’s review and refinement: the pattern must be checked for construction, fit, grading, and the requirements of the intended garment. Used that way, AI assistance can support creative exploration without suggesting that a generated draft is automatically ready for production.
CLO workflow at a glance
This overview focuses on how CLO and CLO-SET support common stages of digital apparel development:
| Workflow stage | CLO or CLO-SET capability | Practical value |
|---|---|---|
| 2D drafting and editing | Pattern drafting and editing tools | Develop and refine pattern pieces in the design environment. |
| Measurements and grading | Points of measure and editable grading workflows | Apply measurement and grading rules across sizes. |
| 3D garment development | Garment assembly and fabric simulation | Review construction, drape, and silhouette on an avatar. |
| Fit review | Fit maps and pressure visualization | Identify areas that may merit further adjustment or testing. |
| AI-assisted development | CLO AI Studio, Sketch on Avatar, Pattern Drafter | Explore concepts and create editable starting points. |
| Team collaboration | CLO-SET cloud asset management and review | Share digital assets and coordinate feedback with collaborators. |
| File exchange | Support for formats including DXF, vector PDF, and Adobe Illustrator imports | Move relevant pattern and design information through established workflows. |
The right workflow depends on a team’s pattern standards, materials, review process, and production needs. CLO’s strength is the ability to keep 2D pattern development and 3D visualization closely connected, with CLO-SET extending the process into collaborative review.
Implementation guide: Moving from 2D workflows to 3D virtual sampling
A gradual introduction makes it easier for a technical design team to bring virtual sampling into an established process. These four steps provide a practical starting point.
1. Standardize 2D block geometry
Review the team’s base blocks before beginning 3D work. Check seam lengths, notches, and other construction details so that the pattern pieces fit together as intended. Clean geometry makes garment assembly and later revisions easier to manage.
2. Establish fabric parameter profiles
Simulation is more informative when the material settings reflect real fabric properties. Where reliable data is available, use it to set tensile, shear, and bending values. For high-stretch or treated materials, compare the digital result with physical material tests rather than assuming the simulation alone can capture every behavior.
3. Use virtual review early, then validate physically
Assemble a digital garment on an appropriate avatar, review its silhouette and fit maps, and make pattern adjustments in the connected 2D/3D workflow. Virtual sampling can support earlier decisions, but physical samples remain important when validating fabric behavior, construction, and final fit. As one company-specific example, protective apparel brand Dainese reported reaching the final product with one physical prototype in 90% of cases, compared with three or four in its earlier process; this is a reported customer experience, not a guaranteed result for every team (CLO customer stories).
4. Include partners in digital sign-off
Use CLO-SET to share digital assets and gather feedback from relevant colleagues and supply-chain partners. Agree in advance on who can review, comment, and approve each stage, so online feedback is clear and revisions are easy to track.
Frequently asked questions
Can CLO automate pattern drafting from body measurements?
CLO includes patternmaking and measurement tools that can support drafting and grading workflows. Auto POM & Grading can help set points of measure and apply grading based on entered dimensions. As with any automated workflow, patternmakers should review the result against their construction standards, fit intent, and target size range.
How do fit maps help identify garment fit issues before cutting sample yardage?
Fit maps visualize areas of strain on a simulated garment, helping designers notice where a pattern or material setup may need review. Their interpretation depends on accurate pattern and fabric inputs, and they should be treated as a design aid rather than a definitive physical fit test.
What is the difference between CLO and CLO-SET?
CLO and CLO-SET are separate products that work together. CLO is the desktop design environment for 2D pattern creation, grading, fabric simulation, and 3D garment development. CLO-SET is a cloud-based platform for collaboration, digital asset management, line reviews, and communication around product development.
Does CLO Academy offer quizzes or a certificate of completion?
CLO Academy is free for all individual CLO subscribers, including active students, and currently does not offer quizzes or certificates of completion. CLO offers a separate paid certification exam. Candidates who pass receive an official certificate verifying their proficiency in the specific software version used during the test.
Can active university students get an individual CLO license and a discount?
Active students enrolled at an accredited university can qualify for a CLO individual subscription license. They may also be eligible for a student discount by submitting appropriate enrollment documentation to CLO’s user support team for verification. Eligibility and verification requirements may apply.
What file formats can CLO use for pattern exchange?
CLO supports pattern workflows using formats such as DXF and vector PDF, and can import Adobe Illustrator (AI) vectors. Teams should confirm that the receiving system supports the chosen format and check the transferred pattern geometry before relying on it for production.