Fashion teams already juggle enough without fighting outdated tools. Spreadsheets pile up, tech packs get buried in endless email threads, and crucial details slip through the cracks.

Instead of designing, teams spend their days chasing files and managing versions, stuck working around systems that were never built for how creative brands work.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Your product lifecycle management (PLM) platform should support your product development process and make everyday tasks easier, not harder.

In this guide, we’re sharing practical PLM best practices designed specifically for fashion brands. You’ll learn simple strategies to streamline processes, collaborate better with your vendors, and reduce production mistakes.

Ready for a smarter, clearer, and more effective way to manage your products? Here’s how to get started.

What Is PLM and Why Do Fashion Brands Need It?

PLM stands for product lifecycle management, a system that helps you track and manage everything that happens between your first sketch and final delivery. That includes product data, approvals, timelines, vendor communication, and more. For fashion brands, it’s the foundation for keeping collections on track.

But here’s the catch: most legacy PLM systems weren’t designed for the way fashion teams actually work. They’re slow, rigid, and cluttered with features you don’t need, while missing the ones you do. Designers end up spending more time formatting spreadsheets than creating products.

A modern PLM system should do the opposite. It should simplify your day-to-day, help your team stay organized, and reduce the back-and-forth that slows everything down. When done right, PLM helps brands:

• Stay aligned across teams, from design to sourcing to production.

• Organize all product data in one place – no more scattered files or version issues.

• Accelerate time to market by removing blockers and manual steps.

Whether you’re implementing product lifecycle management for the first time or replacing a system that no longer supports your business goals, getting the setup right is key. That’s why following the right PLM best practices makes all the difference for a successful implementation.

Top 9 PLM Best Practices for Fashion Brands in 2025

A successful PLM implementation isn't only about picking the right software. It’s about setting it up in a way that supports your team’s day-to-day work. These best practices come from what we’ve seen work for real fashion brands that are implementing PLM to improve collaboration, speed, and product accuracy.

1. Build Your PLM Strategy Around How Your Team Actually Works

Every brand works differently, and your PLM should support that instead of forcing change. Before you start rolling anything out, take time to understand how your design and product development teams get things done. 

What does their process look like? Where do delays usually happen? What tools are they relying on to fill in the gaps?

The goal is not to replace your existing business processes but to build a well-executed PLM strategy that fits your team and supports long-term PLM initiatives.

2. Involve Cross-Functional Teams From the Start

PLM affects more than just one department. It connects design, sourcing, tech design, production, and vendor communication, so it works best when everyone is involved early. Skipping this step usually leads to limited adoption and features no one uses.

Involving key stakeholders from each department early in the PLM implementation process helps increase user adoption and ensures the platform meets real cross-functional needs.

3. Prioritize Clean, Centralized Product Data

Scattered product data is one of the biggest causes of confusion during development. When files live in different drives, emails, or folders, it’s easy for teams to work off the wrong version or miss key updates. Clean, centralized data is a key component of alignment and helps reduce unnecessary back-and-forth.

Start by creating clear naming standards and organizing everything in one shared space. Your PLM should be the single place where your team can find up-to-date information. When product data is easy to access and manage, it improves data integrity and gives your team confidence in every decision they make.

4. Keep Your Workflows Configurable and Easy to Update

Fashion timelines change. Some styles move fast, others take more time. That’s why your workflows should be built to adapt instead of following a rigid checklist. A flexible PLM lets you update timelines, adjust responsibilities, and move tasks around when plans shift.

Avoid locking your team into one static process. Give them room to work the way each season demands. Configurable workflows paired with automation allow your team to maintain consistent system performance while adapting to evolving priorities.

5. Automate Manual Processes Wherever You Can

Your team didn’t sign up to chase approvals or send the same reminder three times. If you're still managing task updates through email or manual checklists, you're spending time on work that could easily be automated. Repetitive tasks slow things down and take focus away from product development.

A solid PLM solution helps handle the busywork. Set up automatic status updates, task assignments, and reminders so your team stays on track without lifting a finger. When these details run in the background, your team can focus on the work that moves products forward and generates long-term cost savings.

6. Enable Real-Time Collaboration (Especially With Vendors)

Vendors need access to the most current product info, not outdated PDFs buried in inboxes. Real-time collaboration helps reduce confusion and avoid costly production errors. If you’re still relying on email, spreadsheets, or messaging apps to manage feedback, things are more likely to fall through the cracks.

Your PLM should give vendors a place to see updates, leave comments, and stay aligned without back-and-forth. When everyone is working off the same live tech pack, communication becomes clearer, changes are easier to manage, and production runs more smoothly.

7. Make Onboarding and Data Migration Easy

Moving to a new PLM system can feel overwhelming, especially if your product data is scattered or outdated. For many teams, the idea of organizing everything before getting started is enough to delay the project altogether. But that first step doesn’t have to be painful.

Look for a PLM that supports integration capabilities, offers tools for fast onboarding, and improves system performance from day one. Getting your data in place early gives your team a clean starting point and helps you avoid months of catch-up. 

Once everything’s in, your team can hit the ground running instead of getting stuck in setup mode.

8. Offer Ongoing Support and Collect User Feedback

Rolling out PLM is only the beginning. The real value comes when your team uses it every day without friction. That means checking in, collecting feedback, and offering support as things evolve. Without regular updates or training, adoption tends to drop off.

Build a habit of asking what’s working and what’s getting in the way. Choose a system with responsive support that’s part of the package, not something that comes with extra fees. 

Ongoing training and regular knowledge sharing also give project managers and department leads the insights they need to track user adoption and improve decision-making.

9. Track the Right KPIs to Measure Success

Once your PLM system is in place, it’s important to check how it’s helping your team. Are you moving faster? Are there fewer errors? Are products getting approved and produced on time? If you’re not tracking results, it’s hard to know what’s working and what needs adjustment.

Track key performance indicators like time to market, number of sample revisions, production delays, and communication speed with vendors. When you track the right data, you can spot problems early, make smarter decisions, and continue improving how your team works season after season.

A PLM That Works the Way Your Team Does

Most PLMs weren’t built for creative fashion teams. They’re slow, hard to use, and built around a service model that charges for every change. 

Onbrand is different. We offer modern PLM software designed for small to mid-size apparel brands that need speed, flexibility, and a tool that works for the way they already do things.

Here’s what makes us stand out.

Live Tech Packs Built for Change

Design changes constantly. Traditional PLMs export static files that quickly go out of date. Onbrand gives you web-based tech packs that update in real time. Everyone sees the same version—no more emailing PDFs or worrying about which file is the latest.

Fast Onboarding Without the Headaches

Legacy PLMs can take six months or more to implement. Onbrand gets teams fully live in just two weeks. We handle data migration, configure your setup, and train your team so you’re ready to work without delays or detours.

Full Data Migration Done for You

We’ve simplified one of the hardest parts of PLM adoption. Onbrand uses automation and hands-on help to migrate your existing product data, so you don’t spend weeks uploading files or hiring someone to do it. Your team starts with a clean, complete setup.

Project Management That’s Already Included

With Onbrand, project management is built right in. You get tasks, approvals, time and action calendars, and flexible workflows you can actually control. There’s no need to buy extra tools or wait for custom builds.

Designed for Real Vendor Collaboration

Vendors get access to tech packs inside the platform, not through email. Comments, updates, and changes all happen in one place. This reduces miscommunication and helps avoid delays during production.

Truly Configurable Workflows

Every brand has its own way of developing products. Onbrand is built to match your process, not the other way around. You can set up workflows, categories, and timelines to fit how your team already works without relying on outside developers.

Modern Interface Made for Designers

We built Onbrand for fashion teams, not manufacturing plants. The layout is clean, the UX makes sense, and you don’t need a user manual to get started. Designers, developers, and product leads all use it daily without friction.

SaaS That Actually Acts Like SaaS

We push updates regularly, not every few years. Our customers never get stuck on an old version. You get access to the latest features automatically, and we never charge for upgrades or basic changes.

Dedicated Support at No Extra Cost

You get a dedicated account manager from day one. We don’t charge for support calls, tickets, or check-ins. Helping your team succeed is part of the product, not an upsell.

A Better Price for a Better Experience

While legacy tools charge $50K or more per year and take months or even years to launch, Onbrand starts at just $89 per user/month and gets your team fully onboarded in two weeks. You won’t pay extra for essentials like live tech packs, vendor access, or project management because we believe those should already be included.

Set Your Team Up for Success with Smarter PLM

Choosing the right PLM software is only part of the equation. The real difference comes from how you set it up, how your team uses it, and whether the platform can adapt to the way your brand actually works.

From clean product data and real-time vendor collaboration to flexible workflows and fast onboarding, every detail plays a role in building a stronger product development process.

When your PLM supports your team’s daily work instead of slowing it down, you see fewer errors, faster timelines, and better results across the board. The best systems are easy to adopt, easy to scale, and built with creative teams in mind.

Onbrand was created to do exactly that. If you're ready to leave behind outdated tools and make product development easier for your entire team, we’re here to help you get started fast.

Book your personalized demo today and see how Onbrand makes product development simpler, faster, and easier to manage.

FAQs About PLM Best Practices

What are the three main elements of PLM?

The three key elements of PLM are product data management, workflow and process management, and collaboration. Together, these support a more organized, efficient development process. A good PLM system keeps all product details in one place, helps teams track tasks and approvals, and enables seamless integration across departments. It’s the foundation for consistent execution across the entire lifecycle of your product.

What are the four stages of PLM?

PLM typically moves through four main stages: concept and design, development, production, and post-production. It starts with early ideas and sketches, then moves into tech packs and sample reviews. After that comes production and vendor handoff, followed by tracking, data analytics, and updates after launch.

What are the principles of PLM?

The core principles of PLM are consistency, clarity, and adaptability. Product data should be centralized and easy to access. Workflows should support how your team actually works. And the system should encourage collaboration across teams and vendors. A strong PLM also supports continuous improvement, so your processes can evolve as your brand grows.

How can PLM help brands overcome implementation challenges?

A modern PLM platform helps teams overcome PLM implementation challenges by offering an intuitive setup, pre-built workflows, and hands-on onboarding support. Instead of relying on complex enterprise resource planning systems, today’s PLM tools focus on fast adoption, role-based access, and guided rollouts that reduce friction across teams.

What should brands look for in a PLM vendor?

When choosing a PLM vendor, look for one that aligns with your PLM journey, not just your software checklist. The right partner offers more than a product. They bring a focus on industry best practices, tools to enhance product quality, options for comprehensive training, and support that improves cost efficiency throughout your PLM project. A strong vendor should also offer flexibility to support new PLM processes and easily integrate PLM into your existing workflows.