Trusted fit is the magic ingredient to minimizing returns and delivering fashion ROI, and as such, a key driver for speed, sustainability, and margin expansion. But deep under the surface is a much-underappreciated performance indicator that quietly defines success: First Time Right.
First Time Right (or FTR) measures the percentage of styles approved for production after the very first physical sample, prior to subsequent rounds of revisions. For global high-profile brands, achieving 95% First Time Right results in quicker approvals, fewer physical prototypes, and end products that constantly meet customer expectations. At the heart of this achievement is trusted fit.
In traditional workflows, apparel teams are dependent on several rounds of prototypes to perfect fit and build. It takes longer because it is slow, expensive, and resource-heavy. Each iteration consumes weeks, shipping costs, and raw materials, delaying market launches and squeezing margins.
First Time Right is the change. By digitally validating garments before physical samples are made, brands can spot fit or design errors early and try to fix them earlier in the product lifecycle. This reduces the reliance on trial-and-error prototyping and speeds up the entire product lifecycle.
The price of “getting it wrong” is much more than a delayed season.
Financial cost: Multiple prototypes and revisions inflate development budgets.
Time cost: More iterations put launch dates on hold, and brands remain behind rapid-fire trends.
Sustainability cost: Every failed sample means wasted fabric, labor and shipping — and, thus, directly undermines ESG goals.
Customer cost: Bad fit results in increased product returns, frustrating their shoppers and ruining their trust in brand.
For brands competing in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, reducing returns and alterations is also operationally efficient — as well as a direct driver of long-term profitability.
So what exactly is trusted fit?
Trusted fit is the ability to replicate a garment’s fabric, drape, stitching, and performance in digital form so that design and fit decisions can be made confidently before production. With Browzwear, teams can:
Create accurate virtual twins of garments with true-to-life fabric physics.
Employ enhanced fit validation tools to diagnose problems in advance.
Collaborate seamlessly across global teams as well as suppliers through integrated workflows.
When brands obtain trusted digital fit, they unlock accuracy, speed and cost savings that cannot be delivered by traditional sampling.
Industry leaders that achieve 95% First Time Right make concrete, measurable business impact:
Up to 100% reduction in sample rounds → bonprix reduced samples by 50%-100%.
Cost reduction → Odlo experienced an impressive 70% reduction in its initial investment.
20–30% faster time to market → Oasis shortened the development process by nearly a month, resulting in savings of 20% or more.
As well as real advantages, trust in the fit eliminates the need for returns by providing the product with the fit it aims for while minimizing expensive reverse logistics. Brands on the other hand see substantial margin lift as rework is a thing of the past and the supply chain runs more efficiently.
Together these results are not just positive, but they represent a paradigm shift in how apparel companies do business, curbing expenditures while boosting trust and satisfaction with consumers. Curious to see how your team can achieve up to 95% First Time Right results? Book a Demo with Browzwear.
With increasing costs, sustainability regulations, and demand for shorter product cycles pushing up fashion’s performance, trusted fit is no longer optional; it’s the foundation of a digital-first strategy.
For CFOs, it provides demonstrable margin gains. Designers can now have creative freedom without the drag of endless prototypes. For sustainability teams, it cuts waste and cuts down the carbon footprint. And for customers, it removes sizing headaches and makes sure they make more reliable purchases.
Put simply, trusted fit helps to link creative vision and business success.
The fashion future, within the next decade, requires that the leaders must focus on accuracy at scale. Focusing on trusted fit and pursuing First Time Right results, brands can deliver lower upfront costs, minimizing returns and accelerating market speed, as well as aligning their sustainability ambitions.
The brands that lead tomorrow will be those that scale trusted fit today.