How to create a line sheet that sells

Harriet Goodings
Sep 9, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Dec 26, 2022

So you’ve worked tirelessly to create a clothing line that’s just like you imagined it would be. What happens now? Time to sell the idea and everything your brand represents by creating a line sheet. A clear and concise document that makes ordering collections easy for buyers.

What is a line sheet?

A line sheet is a document used in the fashion industry to present present a collection of products to prospective buyers and retailers. Line sheets tend to include photographs, descriptions and pricing information for each product. It helps buyers to make informed choices about which products to purchase and forms an essential part of the sales funnel.

In a nutshell:

Gather all the necessary information
Create a professional looking layout
Build trustworthiness
Proofread
Create a distribution plan

How to create your line sheet

Step 1. Gather all the necessary information

Photos of your products: Include good-quality imagery - we want to create a good first impression.

Keep it simple
Keep a neutral background
Keep lighting consistent
Keep dimension and orientation consistent

Product descriptions: Include a brief description of each product, including it's material, sizing, and any other relevant details.

Pricing information: Include the wholesale price for each product, as well as any applicable discounts or minimum order quantities.

Contact information: Include your company's name address, phone number, and email address so buyers can get in touch with you.

Design tip

Complete breakdown of information

Basic information

Brand/logo
Your name
Contact details (put on every page).

Wholesale information

Recommended retail price (RRP)
Minimum order quantity (MOQ)
Deposit required
Payment terms
Payment types
Returns policy
Shipping policy (responsibility)
Lead times
Order by
Cancel by
Return by.

Product information

Product imagery
Product name
SKU
Pricing
Product descriptions
Available sizes
Available colours.

Step 2. Create a professional looking layout

Now that you have all your information in one place, you're going to want to create a document that includes all of the necessary information in a clean, organised and professional looking format.

When organising the layout of your line sheet, you’re going to want to focus on the needs of the end user. It’s unlikely that you’re going to be the only brand on a buyers radar. As a result, you have a limited amount of time to persuade them to place an order - make your layout easy to scan.

Design tips and key concepts

F-shaped scanning pattern

There’s a vast body of usability research using eye tracking technology that show online users scan pages particular pattern. For example, the F-shaped scanning pattern. In a nutshell:

Users first read in a horizontal movement (top of the F)
Then, move down the page and read across in a second horizontal movement
Lastly, they scan the content’s left side in a vertical movement.

You’ll also want to consider the following:

Include your strongest looks in the first two rows
Visually group related information together
Use headings and subheadings
Bold important words and information
Cut unnecessary content.

2 x 3 grid

We recommend 2 x 3 (six clothing item cards per page). This will give you enough real estate for each item to make sure the quality imagery you use carries maximum impact, and the product details remain visible. Notice that our grid approach compliments user scanning behaviour.

Clothing item cards

Each page will have six clothing item cards. At the bare minimum, each card should feature a quality image, product name and code, available sizes, RRP and wholesale price. However, too much information and important details will become illegible. I’ve provided two example item cards for you, both championing user experience:

Images large enough to identify a known item and show differences between items
Consistent and comparable product details
Promotes scanability.

First impressions and grouping

Once again, we need to put ourselves in the shoes of the end user, the buyer. As such, we need to group our clothing item cards in away that is useful. I’d personally recommend grouping them by styles, such as, tops, bottoms etc.

You’re going to want to create a good first impression. Therefore, you’ll want to put your strongest category first - place these in the first row.

Step 3. Build trustworthiness

Retail buyers are taking a risk by buying from a new brand. As a result, you’re going to want to make sure that your line sheet indicates trustworthiness. Here are some simple ways to signal that your brand is trustworthy.

Tell retailers who you are - provide an about us section
Include information about your returns policy
No spelling mistakes - get somebody else to proofread
Use a professional email address (@yourbrand.com NOT @outlook.com)
Provide up-to-date and complete information.

Step 4. Proofread

Check for spelling and grammar errors, and make sure all the information on your line sheet is accurate and up-to-date.

Step 5. Create a distribution plan

Once you have put together your killer line sheet, you’ll want to come up with a distribution strategy. Here are a few channels that you can use to distribute your line sheet.

Email
Tradeshows
Meeting with buyers
Your website
Social media.

In conclusion

Covering all these areas creates a lasting impression about the longevity of your brand and reassures them that you're worth their time and investment.

Download our free line sheet template

Mac users

FAQs

Are line sheets worthwhile?

Yes, you should.

Easy to distribute
Increase sales
Increase brand awareness.

When do I need a line sheet?

Line sheets make it easy for buyers to get all the information needed quickly without having to spend time asking questions back and forth with brands. Here are 4 common scenarios where a line sheet is required to help boost your sales efforts:

You're ready to begin selling
You have new products being launched
You're updating product pricing
You need to make changes.

What other content should i include?

Here’s a breakdown of the core components needed to create the perfect line sheet experience.

Cover
About the brand
Product listing
Wholesale information
Order form.