How to Create a Line Sheet
Build a professional line sheet template, choose the right line sheet software, and close orders with retail buyers.
Joe Lauder·Founder, Kōbō·Updated Jul 29, 2026A line sheet is your brand's most important wholesale sales tool. It's the document that retail buyers use to evaluate your collection and place orders — and a well-designed one can mean the difference between landing accounts and being passed over.
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Fill in styles, colourways, size runs, wholesale price and MSRP, then print it or export CSV. Every field is explained as you go, so you don't ship a sheet with a missing MOQ or a blank delivery window. No signup, nothing to install.
Open the line sheet templateUnlike a lookbook, which sells a lifestyle and inspires emotion, a line sheet sells products. It's functional, not aspirational — designed to facilitate ordering with clear pricing, sizing, and product specifications that buyers need to make purchasing decisions.
Essential Line Sheet Components
Every product entry on your line sheet needs to include specific information that buyers require to place orders. Missing any of these elements creates friction and can cost you the sale.
| Element | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Product Image | Visual representation of the item | High-quality, consistent background |
| Style Number/SKU | Unique identifier for ordering | Your internal reference code |
| Product Name | Descriptive name for the item | Clear, searchable naming convention |
| Wholesale Price | B2B cost to the retailer | Price per unit excluding taxes |
| MSRP/RRP | Suggested retail price | Helps buyers calculate margins |
| Size Range | Available sizes | Include size chart reference |
| Color Options | Available colorways | Color swatches or Pantone codes |
| Fabric/Material | Composition details | Materials and percentages |
| MOQ | Minimum order quantity | Per style, per color, or total |
Product Entry Format
Each product should be presented in a consistent, scannable format. Buyers review hundreds of line sheets — make yours easy to navigate.
Name: Essential Crew Tee
Wholesale: $24.00 | MSRP: $58.00
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
Colors: White, Black, Navy, Sage
Fabric: 100% Organic Cotton, 180gsm
MOQ: 6 units per color
What Buyers Actually Look For
It helps to remember what a buyer is doing while your sheet is open. They aren't admiring the collection. They're building an order they'll have to defend to a merchandising manager, against an open-to-buy budget that's already spoken for. Everything they look for follows from that.
The first number they find is margin. They take your MSRP, subtract your wholesale price, and see whether the gap clears their threshold. If you've only printed the wholesale price, they either work out an RRP themselves or they skip the style, and neither outcome helps you. Print both, on every line, for every colourway that's priced differently. If you're still deciding what those numbers should be, work through the wholesale and retail pricing guide and run the maths in the free wholesale price calculator before the sheet goes out.
The second thing they check is whether they can afford to try you. A buyer taking a risk on a new brand wants a small opening order across a few price points. If your minimum order quantity forces them into six colourways of one style, you've priced yourself out of the trial. State minimums plainly and make the entry point survivable.
Then they check the calendar. Buyers plan floor sets months out, so a delivery window that lands after their season starts is a no, however good the product is. A single ship date with no window, or no date at all, reads as a brand that isn't sure it can deliver.
Last, they're comparing. Your sheet sits in a folder next to eight other brands, and it gets scanned in a couple of minutes. That's why consistency beats artistry here: same crop, same background, same field order on every entry, so a buyer can find the price on your sheet as fast as they can on everyone else's.
Digital vs. PDF Line Sheets
Modern wholesale has largely moved to digital platforms, but PDF line sheets still have their place. Understanding when to use each format is key.
PDF Line Sheets
PDF remains the standard for trade shows, email attachments, and first-time buyer outreach. They're universal, print-ready, and don't require platform access.
Trade shows — Best format for market weeks and in-person appointments
Email outreach — Easy to send as an attachment to prospective buyers
Consistent layout — Renders identically across all devices and printers
Offline access — No internet connection required to review
Digital B2B Platforms
Platforms like JOOR, NuORDER, and Brandboom have transformed wholesale ordering. JOOR alone connects over 14,000 brands with 650,000+ buyers globally. These platforms offer real-time inventory, integrated ordering, and buyer analytics.
Real-time inventory — Buyers see current stock levels and availability instantly
Integrated ordering — Order placement and tracking built into the platform
Buyer analytics — Track engagement, views, and conversion metrics
Automated updates — Seasonal refreshes and reorder workflows handled automatically
Header and Terms Pages
Your line sheet should open with essential brand information and close with clear terms and conditions. These bookend pages establish professionalism and prevent misunderstandings.
Header / Cover Page
Terms and Conditions Page
Wholesale Terms to Include
Terms are the part most brands rush, and it's the part that decides whether a good first order turns into a working account. Every term you leave off gets filled in by the buyer's assumption, and their assumption is always the version that favours them. Here's the set worth writing down before you send anything.
| Term | What to state |
|---|---|
| Minimum order | Total order minimum and per-style minimum, in units or in value. State both, because they aren't the same constraint. |
| Payment terms | Net 30, Net 60, deposit plus balance, or prepaid for first orders. Say what applies to new accounts versus established ones. |
| Shipping terms | FOB origin, DDP, freight collect. Buyers price landed cost, so an unstated Incoterm gets read as the worst case. |
| Delivery window | A start and end ship date per delivery, not a single date. Buyers plan floor sets around windows. |
| Cancellation date | The date after which the buyer can cancel unshipped goods. Leaving it out means it's whenever they decide. |
| Reorder policy | Whether reorders are open, the lead time, and any lower minimum. This is where repeat revenue comes from. |
| Return policy | Faulty goods only is the norm in wholesale. Spell it out so nobody assumes sale or return. |
| Territory and exclusivity | Any geographic restriction, or the fact that there isn't one. Buyers ask before they commit. |
Keep the wording short and put it on one page. A terms page nobody reads is still doing work, because it's the thing you point at when a delivery slips or a buyer asks for sale or return in month three. If a stockist starts pushing for bespoke terms, that's a separate conversation, and the guide to negotiating retailer agreements covers where to hold the line.
Line Sheet Best Practices
Consistent photography — Use the same background, lighting, and angles for all products. Flat lay or ghost mannequin images work best — buyers need to see the product clearly, not styled on models
Clear pricing structure — Show both wholesale and MSRP for every item. Buyers calculate their margins instantly — if they can't, they move on
Logical organization — Group products by category (tops, bottoms, dresses), delivery date, or price point. Make it easy to navigate and compare
White space matters — Don't overcrowd pages. Buyers scan quickly — 6 to 12 products per page is ideal depending on your layout
Color accuracy notes — Include a disclaimer that colors may vary from screen to production. Offer physical swatches for key accounts
Easy ordering path — Include a direct link to your B2B portal or attach an order form. Reduce friction between interest and purchase
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Missing MOQs — Buyers won't guess your minimums — make them crystal clear or expect frustrating back-and-forth
No delivery dates — Buyers plan 6-12 months ahead; without ship dates, your line sheet is incomplete
Inconsistent imagery — Mixed photo styles signal an amateur operation and make comparison difficult
Too much lifestyle — Save the mood boards for your lookbook — line sheets sell products, not vibes
Outdated information — Wrong prices or discontinued styles destroy buyer trust immediately
No contact information — Make it effortless for interested buyers to reach you with questions
Line Sheet vs. Lookbook vs. Catalog
These three documents serve different audiences and purposes. Understanding the distinction helps you create the right tool for each situation.
| Document | Audience | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Line Sheet | Retail buyers (B2B) | Sales tool with wholesale pricing and ordering info |
| Lookbook | Press, buyers, influencers | Brand storytelling with lifestyle imagery, no prices |
| Catalog | End consumers (B2C) | Retail shopping guide with consumer prices |
Most growing brands need all three documents for different touchpoints. They can share product photography but serve fundamentally different functions in your sales process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a line sheet?
A line sheet is the wholesale sales document a fashion brand sends to retail buyers. It lists every style in a collection with the information a buyer needs to place an order: product image, style number, wholesale price, MSRP, size range, colourways, fabric composition, minimum order quantity, and delivery dates. It's a functional ordering document, not a branding piece.
What should a line sheet include?
Each product entry needs a clear product image, a style number or SKU, a product name, the wholesale price, the MSRP or RRP, the size range, available colourways, fabric composition, and the minimum order quantity. Around that, the sheet needs a cover page with your brand contact details, season and collection name, and a terms page covering minimums, payment terms, shipping terms, delivery windows, cancellation date, reorder policy, returns, and any territory restrictions.
What's the difference between a line sheet and a lookbook?
A lookbook sells the story. It's styled imagery, often on models, with no prices, and it goes to press, stylists, and buyers you want to excite. A line sheet sells the products. It's clean product photography with wholesale pricing, sizing, minimums, and delivery dates, and it exists so a buyer can build an order from it. Most brands send both, with the lookbook creating interest and the line sheet closing it.
How do wholesale buyers use line sheets?
Buyers use line sheets to build an order sheet and to defend that order internally. They scan for the wholesale price and MSRP to work out their margin, check the minimum order quantity against their open-to-buy budget, check the delivery window against their floor-set calendar, then pick a small opening range across price points. They also compare your sheet side by side with other brands, which is why a consistent, complete, easy-to-scan sheet wins over a beautiful but incomplete one.
Final Thoughts
Invest time in getting your line sheet right. Update it every season with fresh photography, current pricing, and accurate inventory. The brands that make ordering easy are the ones that win repeat business.
If you're building one today, start from the free line sheet template and fill it in style by style. If the bottleneck is that your prices, size runs and colourways live in five different spreadsheets, that's a product data problem rather than a document problem, and it's what fashion PLM software is for. Kōbō's pricing is published per user, with free supplier seats.
Your line sheet is often the first impression a buyer has of your brand's professionalism. A clean, complete, and easy-to-navigate document signals that you're ready for wholesale.
Joe's the founder of Kōbō Labs. Before this, he founded Satta, a fashion brand he scaled to sell internationally at Mr Porter, SSENSE, and Beams Japan. A decade of running his own brand — design, suppliers, production, the lot — is what Kōbō is built on.
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