Help & Tutorials

Everything you need to get set up and start planning your clothing production.

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Tutorial 1

Initial Setup

In this video we will go through setting up your account, adding your tags, fabric and styles to your library, and adding your tags and fabric to inventory.

Tutorial 2

Creating a Production Order

In this video we will go through creating a project, adding in project details and completing your first Production Order.

Help & Tutorials

Everything you need to get set up and start planning your clothing production.

Start Here

Tutorial 1 Resources

Quick Guides

Need help with one part of the setup process? Open a guide below for clear, step-by-step instructions, or use the timestamp to find that section in the full tutorial.

Set Up Your Business Profile

Your business profile stores the company information that will carry through to your production orders.

How to set it up

  1. Open Settings from your Seam Allowance account.
  2. Find the Business Profile section.
  3. Enter your business information.
  4. Upload your business logo, if you have one.
  5. Review the information, then select Save.

Helpful tip: Check your business name, contact information, and logo before creating your first production order so your documents contain the correct details.

Tutorial timestamp: 00:25

Create Your Tags

Tags help Seam Allowance connect your materials and styles to the correct inventory. Create your tags before adding fabrics and styles so those records can use the information already in your library.

How to add a tag

  1. Open Library, then select Tags.
  2. Choose the tag type you want to create: Brand, Content, or Size.
  3. Enter the name and any other information requested for that tag type.
  4. Add the cost per unit when it applies.
  5. Set a low-stock threshold. Seam Allowance will alert you when the quantity falls below this number.
  6. Add a supplier or note if useful. These fields are optional.
  7. Select Add Tag.

Choosing a tag type

Tag typeUse it forExample
BrandThe brand label used on a finished garmentYour main company label
ContentThe fibre-content label connected to a fabric55% linen / 45% cotton
SizeThe sizes available for your stylesXS, S, M, L

Helpful tip: Choose a low-stock threshold that gives you enough time to reorder tags before production is affected.

Tutorial timestamp: 00:44

Add a Fabric

Add each fabric to your library so Seam Allowance can use its details when you plan production and estimate material requirements.

Before you begin

Have the fabric name, supplier, fibre content, colourway, width, unit of measure, cutting direction, and cost ready if possible.

How to add a fabric

  1. Open Library, then select Fabrics.
  2. Enter a clear name for the fabric.
  3. Add the supplier, if known.
  4. Select the correct content tag. This connects the fabric to its fibre-content label.
  5. Enter the colourway.
  6. Enter the fabric width as accurately as possible.
  7. Select the unit used to purchase and track the fabric, such as metres.
  8. Choose one-way or two-way cutting.
  9. Enter the fabric cost per unit.
  10. Add the roll size if you track it. This field is optional.
  11. Select Add Fabric.

Why accuracy matters: Fabric width and cutting direction affect the amount Seam Allowance estimates you will need. Incorrect values can produce an inaccurate production estimate.

Tutorial timestamp: 03:19

Understand Fabric Width & Cutting Direction

Seam Allowance uses fabric width and cutting direction to create a more realistic estimate of how much fabric a style may require.

Fabric width

The style’s fabric yield is based on a standard fabric width. In the tutorial, the standard range is approximately 50 to 60 inches. When a selected fabric is narrower, Seam Allowance increases the estimated requirement to account for the reduced cutting area.

For example, if a style uses 1 metre per piece at the standard width, choosing a much narrower fabric will increase the estimated amount per piece.

Cutting direction

OptionChoose it whenEffect on the estimate
Two-way cuttingPattern pieces can be placed in either direction, as with many solid fabrics.No directional-cutting allowance is added.
One-way cuttingPattern pieces must face the same direction because of a stripe, print, nap, or other directional feature.An additional fabric allowance is added.

One-way cutting allowance: In the tutorial, one-way cutting adds 25% to the fabric requirement. A base yield of 1 metre therefore becomes an estimated 1.25 metres per piece.

Tutorial timestamp: 04:23

Add a Style

Your style library contains the products you plan to manufacture. Each style stores the information Seam Allowance needs when you add that product to a project or production order.

Before you begin

Have the style number, product type, style name, cut-and-sew price, fabric yield per piece, available sizes, and brand tag ready.

How to add a style

  1. Open Library, then select Styles.
  2. Enter the style number or code.
  3. Enter the product type and style name.
  4. Add the cut-and-sew price provided by your factory.
  5. Enter the fabric yield per piece for a standard-width fabric.
  6. Select the sizes available for this style. These options come from the size tags you created earlier.
  7. Select the appropriate brand tag.
  8. Select Add Style.

Helpful tip: A style does not need to use every size in your size library. Select only the sizes offered for that product. You do not need to select a content tag here when it is already connected to the fabric.

Tutorial timestamp: 07:21

Enter Your Starting Inventory

Adding tags and fabrics to your library creates the records Seam Allowance will use, but it does not tell the system how much stock you have. Enter your current quantities in Inventory before planning production.

Enter your tag stock

  1. Open Inventory, then go to Tag Stock.
  2. Review the tags created in your library. New tags will initially show a quantity of zero.
  3. Enter the quantity currently available for each tag.
  4. Review any low-stock alerts. An alert appears when a quantity is below its threshold.
  5. Save your changes.

Enter your fabric orders

  1. Open the fabric-order area in Inventory.
  2. Select the fabric you want to update.
  3. Enter the quantity ordered or currently available using the correct unit of measure.
  4. Add the total fabric cost, shipping, and taxes if available.
  5. If final costs are not yet known, enter the quantity first and return later to update the costs from the invoice.
  6. Save your changes, then repeat for the remaining fabrics.

Important: A library record and an inventory quantity are not the same thing. Your tags and fabrics must exist in the library, and their quantities must also be entered in Inventory for availability checks during production planning.

Tutorial timestamp: 09:17

Ready for the next step?

Continue to Tutorial 2 to create your first project and production order.