The FittDesign Podcast

In today's FittBite, we break down DTF vs screen printing and which one actually lasts on sportswear. This FittBite covers how each print works, screen printing minimums of around 12 pieces for one color and 24 to 48 for up to four colors, the break-even at roughly 500 and 800 pieces, wash life of 50 to 100 plus washes for DTF, cracking and peeling, stretch inks for leggings and sports bras,...

Your supplier quotes you a white T-shirt in two versions, standard cotton and organic. They look the same and feel the same, but the price per unit is different. So is organic cotton actually worth it? In this episode Shadi Adada, co-founder and creative director of FittDesign, breaks down what organic means under the USDA rules, why the hand feel comes down to staple length rather than the organi...

In today's FittBite, we break down what you actually pay for when an authentic match shirt costs $175 and the replica of the same kit costs $100. This FittBite covers how Nike, Adidas and Puma name their two versions, Aero-FIT versus Dri-FIT, engineered knit ventilation zones, the 155 versus 175 gram weight difference, the slim fit versus the standard cut, heat transfer prints versus embroide...

In today's FittBite, we break down how an oversized T-shirt is actually designed, and why sizing up a regular tee only gives you a bigger regular tee. This FittBite covers starting from a regular block, dropping the shoulder 1.5 to 2 inches, keeping the 27 inch center back length while the chest half width grows to around 25 inches, shortening the sleeve crown, a neckline that barely moves, f...

Lululemon basically invented the $100 legging. In Q2 2026 its legging sales fell roughly 20%, revenue dropped 4% to $2.4 billion, the stock hit an eight-year low and a new CEO, former Nike executive Heidi O'Neill, took over in September. Everyone is talking about the share price. In this episode Shadi Adada, co-founder and creative director of FittDesign, looks at the product side: the see-th...

In today's FittBite, we break down whether polyester is actually bad for you, and where the truth sits between the hero and the villain story you see online. This FittBite covers why around 59% of apparel items are polyester and cotton sits at 17%, why gym clothing depends on moisture wicking, why polyester holds on to odor even after washing, the microplastics released in a 6 kg wash, how co...

In today's FittBite, we rank every trim on an activewear or sportswear hoodie from S tier to D tier, based on which details are actually worth the extra spend. This FittBite covers 13 mm metal eyelets, properly tipped drawcord ends and aglets, woven neck labels with a damask weave, neck tape, bar tacks at the pocket corners, 10 to 11 mm flat drawcords, cord locks, metal versus nylon molded zi...

In today's FittBite, we break down whether cotton, modal or Tencel can make a good natural legging. This FittBite covers the real job of a legging, shape retention, why cotton sags at the knees and the back rise, why even an all-cotton legging still needs elastane, what modal, lyocell and Tencel are, where Tencel pills in damp high-friction use, and whether nylon and polyester were ever the v...

In today's FittBite, we go through how a startup brand should choose between a seasonal collection and evergreen core products. This FittBite covers how often a customer actually uses the product, why a puffer can cost four to five times a pair of joggers to make and sell for far fewer weeks a year, the single narrow ordering window a seasonal drop forces on you, how long you wait for custome...

In today's FittBite, we break down the real difference between French terry and brushed fleece, and how to pick the right one for your hoodie. This FittBite covers why both fabrics start as the same knit, warmth versus breathability, why a 400 GSM French terry can feel as thick as a 300 to 320 GSM fleece, why cheap fleece pills and turns patchy after hot washes, printing and embroidery on eac...

Why are my leggings see-through? Why do they roll down, pill, go baggy in the crotch or at the knees, or feel itchy? These are the questions people type into Google most about leggings, so we answered every one of them. Shadi Adada, co-founder and creative director of FittDesign, has designed over a thousand pairs of leggings in the last 10 years. In this episode he explains the real reason behind...

In today's FittBite, we explore why you don't have to be the face of your clothing brand.  The FittBite covers giving the product its own recognizable identity, letting customers and ambassadors carry the brand, turning the development process into content, building repeatable content formats, and using the founder selectively, showing how a brand can build recognition and trust without...

In today's FittBite, we explore what happened before SET Active made $1 million in one hour. This FittBite covers audience building, repeat customers, launch reminders, early access, multi-channel content, product demand signals, and post-launch review, showing how the result was shaped long before the collection went live. Tune in to learn what activewear founders can take from the launch. B...

In today's FittBite, we discuss what makes a clothing product ready for manufacturing beyond the sketch, moodboard, or early concept. The FittBite focuses on customer behavior, competitive positioning, pricing, landed cost, MOQ exposure, factory feedback, sample testing, and real demand validation before placing a bulk order. Tune in to learn how to evaluate an idea before it becomes inventor...

In today's FittBite, we break down how a sportswear brand could reach its first $100,000 in revenue by building around one hero product instead of launching a full collection. The FittBite covers product selection, customer pain points, technical development, fabric and fit testing, color planning, MOQ and inventory control, pricing, reorder strategy, and when the brand has earned the right t...

In today's FittBite, we break down how a sportswear brand could reach its first $100,000 in revenue by building around one hero product instead of launching a full collection. The FittBite covers product selection, customer pain points, technical development, fabric and fit testing, color planning, MOQ and inventory control, pricing, reorder strategy, and when the brand has earned the right t...

In today's FittBite, we break down the shift from founder to operator and the nine decisions that make an apparel business easier to scale. This FittBite covers approval structures, operating rules, key business metrics, product standardization, inventory risk, sample approval standards, escalation systems, hiring around bottlenecks, and controlling operational complexity. Tune in to learn ho...

In today's FittBite, we rank 12 apparel categories by manufacturing difficulty, based on pattern complexity, fit sensitivity, construction, material requirements, and how consistently each product can be repeated in bulk. This FittBite covers everything from basic tees and training tanks to seamless leggings, sports bras, technical jackets, and waterproof shells, showing why some products req...

In today's FittBite, we explore how AI-generated tech packs can create production risk when visual mockups, unvalidated measurements, fabric ranges, and broad construction notes are treated as final specifications. The FittBite covers the difference between a concept document and a controlled production tech pack, including points of measurement, fabric approval, construction decisions, facto...

In today's FittBite, we break down why a $649 design fee should be compared against the cost of an unresolved bulk order, not just the price of a sketch. The FittBite covers product positioning, fit decisions, manufacturing cost, factory-ready specifications, sampling, landed cost, and the financial risk of producing inventory before the product is properly developed. Tune in to learn why ear...

In today's FittBite, we outline five product types that new activewear founders should approach carefully before launching. The FittBite covers highly technical outerwear, high-impact sports bras, detailed seamless leggings, one-piece activewear, and products that require too much customer education, with a focus on sampling, fit testing, sizing, manufacturing complexity, returns, and custome...

In today's FittBite, the focus is on why two hoodies can use the same fabric, GSM, and supplier but still become completely different products. The FittBite covers fabric finishing, fit development, construction, rib quality, trims, branding, quality control, and bulk consistency, and how each one affects the final garment beyond the fabric spec. Tune in to learn why same fabric does not alwa...

In today’s FittBite, we show how free shipping can reduce the margin activewear brands worked hard to build.  This FittBite goes through landed cost, packaging, payment fees, fulfillment, returns, customer acquisition, and how to calculate a free-shipping threshold that actually protects the order. Tune in to learn how to offer free shipping through thresholds, bundles, tiers, and shipping credits...

In today's FittBite, we go through how activewear brands lose cash when the wrong sizes and colors sit in the warehouse.  This FittBite covers size curves, size-by-color planning, product fit differences, first-launch buying signals, stockout timing, returns, exchanges, and how to use real demand data to make the next order more accurate. Tune in to learn how to plan inventory around what cus...

In today's FittBite, we explain what actually happens inside a 35-day sample timeline. This FittBite covers factory review, sourcing, pattern development, cutting, branding, sewing, and inspections. Tune in to understand where the time goes, what starts the factory clock, and how a clear tech pack and fast approvals help keep production on track. Book a 1 on 1 with our host, Shadi for persona...