What a Line Sheet Is and Why Retail Buyers Ask for One
A line sheet is a short document that lists the products you sell wholesale, with an image, a style code, a description, the available sizes and colours, the wholesale price, the suggested retail price and the order terms. It is usually one to a few pages, often a PDF, and it is built so a buyer can scan the range quickly and decide what to order. If a retailer asks for a line sheet, they are asking for the practical facts needed to place an order, not for a mood or a story.
For a clothing brand, a line sheet is a sales tool and an ordering tool at once. A buyer may look at dozens of brands in a day, so a clear line sheet makes yours easy to compare, easy to forward to a colleague and easy to turn into a purchase order. A confusing one slows the conversation, and a buyer who cannot find the price or the minimum order may simply move on. The line sheet is also a promise: what it shows is what the retailer expects to receive.
If you are still planning how to approach retailers, start with our guide on how to sell clothing wholesale to retailers in the UK. To build the range itself, see the capsule collection planning guide.
Line Sheet vs Lookbook vs Catalogue
These three documents are often confused, and each has a different job. A lookbook shows the collection through styled photography, to create desire and set the brand mood. A catalogue is a longer listing, often for a wider range, with product information but sometimes without wholesale terms. A line sheet is the ordering document: compact, factual and priced. Many brands send a lookbook first and a line sheet to buyers who show interest, because the two work together.
Do not try to make one document do every job. A lookbook full of lifestyle shots makes poor reference for buyers who need sizes and prices. A line sheet full of small images and tables does not inspire. Read our guide to creating a fashion lookbook for the visual side, and keep the line sheet plain and functional.
Line sheet vs lookbook vs catalogue
| Document | Main purpose | Typical content | Who reads it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line sheet | Help a buyer decide and order | Image, style code, sizes, colours, wholesale and retail price, terms | Retail buyers |
| Lookbook | Show the mood and styling of the range | Styled photography with minimal text | Buyers, press and customers |
| Catalogue | List a wider range with details | Product information, sometimes with prices | Buyers and trade customers |
A general guide. Many brands combine or adapt these documents to suit their channel.
What to Put on a Line Sheet
Start with the brand header: logo, season or collection name, a short line describing the brand and the contact details for orders. Then give each style a block with a clear product image, a style code and name, a short description, the fabric and composition, the colours, the size range and the prices. Add the terms: minimum order value or quantity, the delivery window, payment terms, the order deadline and whether pre-orders or ready stock are offered. Our guide on what MOQ means in clothing manufacturing explains minimum quantities from the supply side.
Image quality matters because buyers cannot touch the garment. Use a front image at least, plus a back or detail image if the style has features that sell it. Keep image sizes consistent, and show colour options as swatches or small images. State the composition and care if the retailer asks for it. Do not hide the price: a line sheet that leaves the wholesale price for later gets forwarded less often. If you sell to UK retailers, wholesale prices are normally quoted without VAT, and the current rates are published on GOV.UK VAT rates.
Line sheet contents checklist
- Brand name, logo, season and contact details for orders
- Style code and name for every product
- Clear product image, with a back or detail view where useful
- Fabric, composition and key features in a short description
- Colours and the full size range, with a size chart link
- Wholesale price and suggested retail price, with the currency
- Minimum order, delivery window, order deadline and payment terms
- Pre-order or ready stock status for each style
A general list. Add anything your retailers ask for.
Pricing the Line Sheet: Wholesale and Retail Price
Every style on a line sheet carries two prices. The wholesale price is what the retailer pays you, and the suggested retail price is what the retailer is expected to charge the customer. The gap between them is the retailer's margin, which they use to pay for rent, staff, marketing and profit. If the gap is too small, buyers will see no margin in your range, and if the retail price is out of line with the product quality, they will doubt your pricing. Use our guide to pricing clothing wholesale and retail to work out the numbers.
The relationship between wholesale and retail is often described as a markup or a margin, and the two are easy to confuse. A wholesale to retail price calculator can show the retail price for a chosen margin, and it is worth checking before you publish. Never set the wholesale price from the factory cost alone. Work back from the retail price the customer will pay, and make sure that the wholesale price still covers your costs, shipping and your own margin.
How each pricing choice tends to affect a retail buyer
1 dot = low, 5 dots = high
| Retailer margin looks healthy | Brand looks credible | Easy to compare with other brands | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear wholesale and retail price on every style | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Wholesale price only, retail left out | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Prices on request | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
Indicative ratings based on common practice, not measured results.
Layout, Format and Keeping It Up to Date
A line sheet should be easy to scan on a laptop, a phone or a printout. Think of the line sheet as a form the buyer fills in with their eyes. Use a grid of equally sized product blocks, with the style code and the price in the same position in every block. Keep the text short and the typefaces readable. Send it as a PDF so the layout does not change, and name the file clearly, for example brand name, season and the word line sheet. Some brands also keep an online version or a spreadsheet for retailers who prefer to upload products.
A line sheet goes out of date quickly, and an out of date line sheet costs more than the time spent to refresh it. Prices, colours, sizes and delivery dates change, and a buyer who orders from an old version creates a problem for you both. Number or date each version and replace old ones. Keep the information matched to your production specification, so the colours and sizes you list are the ones the factory will make. The clothing purchase order guide shows how an order from a line sheet becomes a firm commitment.
Buyers often ask whether a line sheet should be a PDF or an online page. Both work, and many brands offer both. The comparison below shows the main differences, and the right choice depends on how your retailers like to order.
PDF line sheet vs online line sheet
PDF line sheet
- PDF: layout stays fixed on any device
- PDF: easy to attach to an email and forward to colleagues
- PDF: works offline and prints cleanly
Online line sheet
- Online: prices and stock can be updated instantly
- Online: buyers can filter styles and place orders directly
- Online: needs a platform and ongoing upkeep
A general comparison. Many brands offer both and keep them in step.
Building a line sheet from your range
- 1Finalise the rangeConfirm styles, colours and size ranges with your factory
- 2Collect images and dataGather photos, codes, compositions and measurements
- 3Set prices and termsConfirm wholesale, retail, minimums and delivery windows
- 4Lay it outUse a consistent grid and a short, readable format
- 5Check every detailCompare against the approved samples and specifications
- 6Date and sendExport as a PDF, name it clearly and track versions
A simplified method. Adapt it to your range and sales channel.
Where the Space on a Line Sheet Goes
A useful rule is to give most of the space to the product and keep the rest functional. The chart below is an illustration, with placeholder percentages, of how the page area of a typical line sheet might be split. It is not survey data. Change it to suit your own range.
Illustrative split of line sheet page space
Placeholder split, not data
- Product images45%
- Product details and sizes25%
- Prices and order terms20%
- Brand header and contact10%
An illustration with placeholder percentages to show how page space might be shared. It is not survey data and varies by brand.
Common Line Sheet Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Most line sheet problems come from missing information or from a mismatch with what is actually produced. The table below lists mistakes buyers notice and what to do about each. The British Fashion Council is one UK industry body that publishes information for fashion businesses and may help you understand the wider trade landscape.
Line sheet mistakes and what to do
| Mistake | Why it hurts | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No wholesale price | The buyer cannot judge the range | Show wholesale and retail price on every style |
| Unclear minimum order | The buyer cannot plan an order | State minimums and delivery windows clearly |
| Lifestyle photos only | The buyer cannot see the product | Add a plain product image for each style |
| Colours or sizes not matching production | The buyer receives something different | Check against the approved sample and specification |
| Old version in circulation | Orders are placed on wrong prices or dates | Date every version and replace old files |
A general guide to common mistakes, not an exhaustive list.
How Ruhrose Supports Brands Building a Line Sheet
Ruhrose develops hoodies, fleece, jersey, denim and woven casualwear with production in Bangladesh and UK buyer support. We help brands confirm the fabric, colours, sizes and details of each style through sampling, so the information on your line sheet matches what the factory will make. We do not publish prices or minimums here, because they depend on the fabric and quantity. To discuss your range, visit Ruhrose and tell us which styles you plan to sell wholesale.