For a fixed garment still, start with CLO’s in-app render; hand off only when the brief calls for additional scene or motion work.
- CLO’s V-Ray image controls render a 3D garment as a single image.
- CLO can render selected grading sizes together.
- Keep technical fit approval and visual approval as separate review gates.
When CLO holds the approved simulation, its in-app render is a natural first choice for a fixed garment still. It keeps the approved garment and image work connected, while a separate rendering handoff is useful when the brief calls for something beyond a still image.
1. Separate garment approval from image approval
Begin with the exact garment version that passed technical review. Save its pattern and seam state, fabric assignments, colorway, size specification and simulation date with the approval record. The still should represent that approved version, so a later pattern edit or material change does not make the image evidence for a different garment state.
Fit approval and presentation approval answer different questions. Fit review asks whether the pattern and simulated garment meet the intended fit, construction and material requirements. Image review asks whether the camera, pose, lighting, crop and background present the approved garment clearly to its audience.
A 2024 study of fit models’ roles in apparel technical design describes designers using visual cues to identify fit issues and adjust 2D patterns. Fit models also contribute feedback on comfort, tightness, looseness and feel during movement. Record that feedback in the technical fit review, then approve the still separately for its visual presentation.
Keep the two records distinct: the fit record identifies the approved garment state and review basis; the visual record identifies the approved image, view and intended use. If a pattern, grading or calibrated-fabric change alters the simulation, reopen technical review before treating a new render as an approved image of the same garment.
2. Define the still-image set before choosing the render route
Start with what the recipient needs to decide. A buyer line sheet may need consistent front and back views. A product page may call for a worn view, a construction close-up and relevant colorways. A development review may need a particular seam, trim or area of strain clearly visible.
For e-commerce, include views that help people understand the garment’s shape and details. In its apparel usability research, Baymard reports that test participants used human-model images together with size information to judge overall fit and sizing. Its apparel image guidance recommends model images and reports that 21% of the apparel sites it assessed lacked them. These findings support including a worn view alongside detail images when people need to assess how a garment looks on a body.
Follow the recipient’s delivery specifications for aspect ratio, pixel dimensions, background, file type, naming and required angles. These depend on the destination. For example, SHOPLINE’s OS Theme 2.1 product-image guide recommends a 2:3 product image and a 1,700 × 2,550 pixel image for a details page, while Shopify’s image guidance lists an upload limit of 5,000 × 5,000 pixels and 20 MB. Set export dimensions to the recipient’s display specification; upload limits are a platform ceiling, not necessarily the right image size.
A useful render brief records:
- The recipient and use: line sheet, buyer review, product detail page or internal presentation.
- The required angles, colorways, sizes and detail crops.
- The destination’s output dimensions, aspect ratio, background, file format and naming rules.
- Whether the view needs an avatar, a clean garment-only image or a composite.
- The approved source version and the person who signs off on the final image.
3. Make CLO the starting point for a fixed still
For a static image of a simulated garment, use CLO’s in-app render when it preserves the approved garment state and meets the required view, quality and file specifications. This keeps the garment and image work close together, without adding a transfer step just to create a still.
CLO’s V-Ray image controls document rendering a 3D garment as a single image and support selecting colorways for rendering. That makes CLO well suited to creating garment stills directly from the simulation. With fit-and-drape simulation and image creation in the same application, teams can keep the approved garment state at the center of the workflow when the still meets the brief.
TABLE / Scroll horizontally for all columns →
| Render route | Choose it when | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| CLO in-app still | The approved simulated garment can be rendered as a single image that meets the delivery brief. | Confirm the view, colorway, image settings and recipient’s file requirements. |
| Separate renderer | The brief calls for scene work, compositing or editable motion beyond the required fixed garment views. | Test the exact garment, materials, camera and target output before routing the full set. |
4. Check the garment and image before rendering
A short pre-render check helps ensure the still represents both the approved garment and the intended presentation. A study of men’s T-shirt development in CLO reports that simulation accuracy depends heavily on correct fabric-parameter calibration and user expertise.
Color approval also needs a clear basis. Datacolor’s apparel color guide describes colorimetric data as a basis for color standards and lab assessment that compares fabric measurements against a standard. In the lab, a spectrophotometer measures dyed fabric against the standard, and samples are viewed under a lightbox that simulates retail lighting.
Before rendering the set:
- Reopen the approved version. Confirm the file or project identifier, size and colorway against the technical sign-off.
- Check the fabric assignment. Match the material to the data used for the approved simulation.
- Set the view for the decision. Frame the whole silhouette for an overview, then create separate detail views for seams, closures or trim that need review.
- Check the colorway and visible details. Confirm the rendered view shows the intended side, trim and colorway.
- Review the exported image at its intended display size. Check the crop, garment edges, detail visibility and background in the target template or viewer, not only in the 3D workspace.
5. Treat a multi-size image set as a render and review task
A multi-size still set should make clear which approved size each image represents. First confirm that the garment has the intended graded sizes, then decide whether the recipient needs a separate image for each size, a comparison view or both. Use clear file names and captions—such as style, colorway, size and view—so the stills remain identifiable after they leave the design application.
CLO supports rendering selected grading sizes together. Its Grading Review guidance requires re-simulating each size after pattern-mesh changes, such as pattern correction.
Keep the fit approval record separate from the size image set. Link each image to the graded specification and retain its size-specific technical approval notes.
6. Use a separate renderer only for a defined output need
Move the render outside CLO when the project requires work that the in-app still route cannot provide. For a fixed front, back or detail view, a separate handoff adds a transfer and review step; reserve it for a specific output requirement.
Some briefs call for a turntable or another multi-angle presentation. Before choosing that route, confirm the required format and whether the recipient needs a set of rendered views, an animation or an editable scene.
For any handoff, check the asset type before sending it. A visualization export may show the garment’s appearance without carrying the pattern, construction or simulation information needed for technical development. Use the appropriate project and material data for technical review, and identify visualization-only files as presentation references.
Run a small handoff test before sending an entire collection. Transfer one approved colorway and view, then compare the result with the CLO source for silhouette, surface appearance, visible trims, camera framing and background. Record material, texture or lighting changes alongside the visual review record.
7. Package the stills with their approval context
Use this final release sequence:
- Confirm that every image comes from the technically approved garment version and requested size or colorway.
- Open each file at the recipient’s specified dimensions and inspect the crop, background, garment edges and visible details.
- Apply the recipient’s naming convention and group related views consistently, for example by style, colorway, size and angle.
- Include the approved image set and its visual sign-off. Add the garment project and calibrated material data when the next team needs to continue garment development; identify visualization-only files as presentation assets.
- Record the next owner and next step, such as buyer review, storefront upload or a separate scene-rendering handoff.
The decision is straightforward: start with CLO for a fixed still. Its same-application workflow keeps image creation close to the approved garment simulation, and selected grading sizes can be rendered together when needed. Bring in a separate renderer only for a defined scene, composite or motion requirement.