Here you'll find answers to the most frequently asked questions about using The Pattern Cloud platform. We've grouped everything into handy categories so you can quickly find what you need.

Helpful information about our core products — The Pattern Cloud and The Design Agent — plus how to access and navigate your site.

The Pattern Cloud is more than a marketplace—it's a platform designed to help creative studios grow sustainable businesses.

Studios can:

Beyond providing the technology to showcase and sell your work, we support studios with industry expertise, best practices and commercial guidance. Our goal is to help you build long-term relationships, increase visibility and create more opportunities for your designs to be discovered.

Whether you're an independent designer or an established studio, our aim is to give you the tools, knowledge and support you need to grow your business with confidence.

What is The Design Agent (TDA) ?

The Design Agent (TDA) is an exclusive marketplace for studios using The Pattern Cloud. It brings together designs from participating studios in a curated space for buyers to browse and purchase from multiple collections.

What's the relationship between TPC and TDA?

Studios can use TPC as a standalone platform to run their own site, or choose to join TDA to gain visibility in a shared buyer marketplace. Participation in TDA is optional.

Most studios are ready to launch within a few days once:

Our team will guide you through every step.

What's the difference between where I work and where my customers shop?

💻 Backend (Admin Site)

This is your admin panel, where you manage your designs, customers, sales, pricing, invoices, and more.

🌐 Frontend (Storefront)

This is your customer-facing site, where buyers log in, browse your collections, and purchase your designs.

How do I access the Backend (Admin Site)?

Use this link to access your admin panel (Backend): app.thepatterncloud.com

👉 Ready to set up your site? Check out our Pattern Cloud User's Manual

Here's everything you need to know about subscription types, what's included, and how to manage or cancel your plan.

We currently offer four plans for studios:

All plans are on an annual contract and billed monthly. Each plan includes different storage, upload limits, designer access and support features.

👉 Check thepatterncloud.com/subscribe for full pricing and plan details.

Yes. We offer a dedicated Agent plan designed for agents who represent multiple studios. This plan includes tools to manage multiple studio accounts, all in one place. Visit thepatterncloud.com/subscribe and select the Agent tab to see full details.

Yes. We regularly offer free trials for new studios. To find out more please contact the TPC team at [email protected].

All plans are yearly contracts, but you can choose to be billed monthly or annually. After the first year is completed, the contract automatically continues on a monthly basis unless you cancel.

Yes. If your needs grow, you can upgrade to a higher-tier plan at any time. Just contact Support and we'll assist you.

All subscriptions are subject to an annual contract. After the first year, the contract automatically rolls into a monthly plan. If you'd like to cancel, send us an email with at least 30 days' notice. Your subscription will stay active until the end of your current billing period.

Occasionally, yes. Discounts may be available through referral programmes, promotional campaigns, returning studios, and retention offers. Please speak with your Account Manager for current availability.

Yes. Our Graduate Plan is designed specifically for recent graduates who are ready to launch their studio and take the next step in their textile design journey. We're passionate about supporting new voices, from their first upload to their first sale and beyond.

👉 Contact us at [email protected] to learn more about the Graduate Plan.

Guidance on configuring your website, setting domains, and accessing the desktop or web app.

You have two options:

If you choose Option A for a faster setup, you can switch to Option B later when your subdomain is ready.

Option 1 — Use a Subdomain of The Pattern Cloud (e.g., yourstudio.thepatterncloud.com):

Option 2 — Use Your Own Domain or Subdomain:

In the Set Live tab, once all six tasks show green checkmarks, your site is ready. Send us an email and we'll take care of the rest. Here's a quick checklist:

Your storefront can be customised with your logo, brand colours, typography, homepage content and domain. This allows it to feel like a natural extension of your own brand.

Yes. You can invite additional users and assign different roles depending on your studio's workflow. Roles can include Manager, Designer, Uploader and Seller. This allows freelancers and collaborators to access only the areas they need. Please speak with your Account Manager to confirm which roles are available on your plan.

Open the App Store on your iPad and search for "The Pattern Cloud." Log in using your backend credentials. The app is free to download and is available for studios on the Professional plan and above.

ℹ️ The app is currently available exclusively for iPad.

This may occur if you are using a subdomain of your main domain to host your Type B website. Please contact us to arrange for an SSL security certificate for your domain.

Not yet. Custom favicons aren't currently supported. This is a known limitation and a popular feature request that is on our product roadmap.

Instructions for uploading designs, working with colourways, using templates, 3D fabric mapping and more.

Supported formats include AI (Adobe Illustrator), PSD (Photoshop) and JPEG.

For each design we recommend uploading:

Uploading the high-resolution file alongside the design ensures it is delivered automatically after purchase — no manual steps required.

We recommend using sRGB colour mode. sRGB is the standard for web display and ensures your designs appear accurate and consistent across different devices and browsers.

Currently the platform is optimised for portrait format. Landscape images will appear as stripes.

To manage alternative colourways:

This ensures all colour variations are grouped under the same design, making it easier for buyers to view and compare options.

ℹ️ If you wish to charge an extra fee for alternative colourways, you can specify this in the description box.

Half-drop repeats aren't currently supported for product templates. However, you can create your own mockup and upload it in JPEG format alongside the thumbnail in the same upload.

3D Fabric Mapping is a video preview that shows your pattern on a plain fabric swatch. It adds depth and subtle movement to the flat design, helping you visualise how the pattern could look on real fabric.

Monthly limits depend on your subscription plan:

These limits reset every month.

Bulk upload allows you to upload multiple designs at once. Use consistent, structured filenames (for example: design-001, design-002) to help the platform automatically match artwork, previews and associated files.

Metadata powers the entire discovery experience on the platform — driving search results, filters, buyer discovery, AI-assisted search and internal organisation. Studios that invest time in tagging and categorising their work consistently see stronger buyer engagement.

Yes. You can create custom tags that suit your own workflow and categorisation style.

Not as a dedicated module currently. Most studios create collections using Categories, Tags and Pinboards — for example, 'Spring 2027', 'Christmas', 'Floral Collection'.

The Newest section is based on the live date — when a design becomes publicly visible — rather than simply when it was uploaded. Spacing uploads throughout the month is generally more effective than releasing everything in one large batch.

Creating a PDF Pinboard allows you to share a curated selection of designs in a secure, professional format.

Step 1: Create or log into a customer account

If you don't already have one, go to Customers > New Customer to create a customer account. Then log into your shop using that customer account.

Step 2: Enable the VIP feature for your customer

Navigate to Pricing and Customisation in the backend. Switch on the PDF Printout VIP option and click Save.

⚠️ This feature is an add-on for VIP customers and is not available to all customers by default. You may choose to enable it for specific clients, agents or high-value customers.

Step 3: Create a Pinboard

Go to your shop, select the designs you want to include, and create a new pinboard (or add to an existing one). Save your selection.

Step 4: Create the PDF

Navigate to the Pinboard section and click Create PDF. Choose your thumbnail size (small, medium or large) and select the display option (mapped image or full-screen version).

Step 5: Generate, download and share

Click Create. The PDF will generate. Download, rename and share directly with your customer.

Step 6: Customise branding

The PDF your studio name, design codes, logo and footer text. You can customise the footer by going to Website > Appearance.

Manage your customers: their logins, Pinboards, permissions and site interaction insights.

Buyer access is managed by your studio. Depending on your setup, customers may require approval before accessing your storefront. Access is limited to registered customers, keeping your collections private until you choose to share them.

We recommend setting up a customer account to access the Frontend of your site and view your designs as they appear to customers. For the best experience, use a different email address from the one you use for the backend.

Yes. Go to the Customer Tab in the backend and click Add New Customer. Note that customers must be added one at a time. We recommend encouraging customers to register themselves whenever possible, so their information is up-to-date and they can set their own password.

No. Once a customer account is active, the customer has 24/7 access to your website.

Pinboards allow you to create curated collections of designs for individual customers, projects or presentations. They're private by default and can be shared securely with customers via a link. Pinboards can also serve as a substitute for Collections.

Each customer can create up to 10 Pinboards, with a maximum of 50 designs per Pinboard.

⚠️ Customers need VIP access to use the PDF creation feature.

Yes, if online purchasing has been enabled on your storefront. Otherwise, Pinboards function as presentation and lookbook tools.

Yes. Pinboards can be exported as PDFs for presentations, email proposals or physical lookbooks. See the Design Uploads & Features section for full step-by-step instructions.

Yes. You can monitor customer interactions through detailed activity logs available in each customer profile. Logged actions include sign-up, logins, design views, downloads, items added to basket and general daily activity.

👉 For more details, refer to Know Your Customers Better: Activity Logs in the Help Centre.

Set up payment methods, manage currencies and invoices.

Customers can pay using the options you've enabled in your settings, including credit/debit card payments via Stripe or PayPal, and pay-by-invoice if you've activated that option for them. Available checkout methods are shown based on your studio's configuration and the customer's account permissions.

Customers pay before receiving the high-resolution file. Once payment is confirmed, the purchased artwork is automatically delivered to the buyer and your payment is processed according to your agreed payout schedule.

If Stripe isn't available in your country, alternative methods — including Wise or bank transfer — can be arranged.

Your Studio Dashboard contains payout history, statements and invoice history. If you're unable to locate a specific payout, contact Support — this area has recently been updated.

You can set different prices for different regions and the platform automatically displays the correct pricing based on the buyer's location. During onboarding we provide recommended pricing benchmarks in GBP, USD, EUR and AUD. These are guidelines only — you always decide your own prices.

Enter your VAT number in the bank detail fields. This ensures it appears at the footer of your invoice.

Yes. In the Backend under Studio Website > Appearance, you'll find fields to add bank account details for up to three currencies: USD ($), GBP (£) and EUR (€). If you fill in these boxes, the corresponding details appear on invoices based on the currency of the transaction. If left empty, invoices default to your main bank details.

ℹ️ These fields are text boxes, so you can add additional instructions — for example: "For payments from outside the USA, please use Wise at [your Wise details]."

The Design Agent is TPC's in-house sales team, connecting participating studios with buyers worldwide.

Unlike traditional agency models that often involve multiple commission layers, The Design Agent offers a simpler, more direct route to buyers.

👉 For more details, refer to Getting to know The Design Agent in the Help Centre.

The Design Agent works with major fashion, homeware and lifestyle retailers across North America, Europe and Australia. Your Account Manager can also introduce you to specialist agents in your target markets.

Ask your Account Manager for access to the Agent Directory, introductions to relevant agents and market and territory recommendations.

Yes. Designs are shared automatically by default, but you can unshare individual designs at any time. You remain in full control of which designs are available through The Design Agent.

The Design Agent uses self-billing invoices. Payment history can be viewed from your dashboard, and automated VAT-compliant invoicing is being introduced.

Understanding exclusive, non-exclusive and buyout options on The Pattern Cloud.

On TPC, an exclusive sale means the design is sold once only, worldwide, and full rights are permanently transferred to the buyer. Once purchased exclusively, the design is removed from your shop and cannot be sold again.

This is different from how "exclusive" is sometimes used in the broader industry (e.g. a time-limited or territory-specific licence where the designer retains ownership). On TPC, exclusive always means a full and permanent rights transfer.

👉 Read our full licensing guide →

A non-exclusive design can be sold multiple times to different buyers — the studio retains ownership. A non-exclusive price is significantly lower to reflect this.

An exclusive sale means the design is sold once only, worldwide, with full rights transferred to the buyer. The design is then removed from your shop permanently.

Within the Non-Exclusive Pricing tab you can set three price options: Non-Exclusive, Extended Non-Exclusive and an Exclusive upgrade price — giving buyers the option to go exclusive even on a non-exclusive listing.

On TPC, an exclusive purchase is a buyout — both mean a one-time, worldwide sale with full rights permanently transferred to the buyer. There is no separate "buyout" category; your exclusive price is your buyout price.

If a client requests a buyout, direct them to purchase via the exclusive option on your site. If you need to negotiate a custom arrangement, this can be handled directly with the client and recorded via a manual invoice in TPC.

Yes. When uploading a design, tick the Non-Exclusive box to add it to your non-exclusive collection. Designs without this box ticked will appear only in your exclusive collection.

For designs in the non-exclusive collection, you can still offer an exclusive upgrade price — buyers will see all three options until a non-exclusive sale is made, at which point the exclusive option is automatically removed.

This is not a built-in feature of the platform. TPC's exclusive option is a permanent, worldwide full rights transfer. If you wish to offer a time-limited or territory-specific licence (where you retain ownership), this would need to be negotiated directly with the client outside the platform, with a manual invoice created in TPC to record the transaction.

Yes. You always retain ownership of your artwork unless you separately agree to transfer rights as part of a specific sale or licensing agreement. Copyright stays with you by default.

Understand how your designs are performing and how buyers interact with your storefront.

Your Analytics dashboard provides insights into sales, customer activity, design performance, listing views, searches, downloads and engagement trends. New reports continue to be added as the platform evolves.

Previously, some internal staff activity contributed to view counts. This has been addressed so that analytics now better reflect genuine buyer engagement. If your figures still look unusual, contact Support and we'll investigate.

Yes. Analytics highlights your most-viewed and most-engaged designs so you can understand what's resonating with buyers.

Yes. You can track customer activity including views, logins and downloads through detailed activity logs in each customer profile.

No. Browsers don't currently provide a technical way to detect when a user takes a screenshot.

Not yet. Designer-specific reporting has been requested and is on our product roadmap.

Present your work professionally with the platform's mockup library and AI-assisted tools.

The Pattern Cloud provides a growing library of mockups. Your Account Manager can share the latest resources and the full mockup library directly. Studios can also upload their own custom mockups.

Yes. You can adjust scale, position, rotation and saturation to suit your design.

Yes. Many studios have requested more contemporary mockups and AI-assisted mockup generation. These are part of ongoing product discussions.

Yes. We're continually expanding AI-assisted tools for mockups, creative workflows and design support. Ask your Account Manager about the latest capabilities.

Absolutely. The Pattern Cloud provides onboarding support and training, a growing set of AI-assisted tools, mockup generation support and Account Manager guidance throughout your time on the platform.

Best practices and monthly routines to help your studio build visibility and sustained sales.

The Pattern Cloud works with fashion, homeware, interiors and lifestyle brands across North America, Europe and Australia. The United States remains our strongest market, with continued international growth.

No. The Pattern Cloud provides the platform, buyer network and marketing tools, but success depends on the strength of your collection, consistent uploads, competitive pricing and your own marketing efforts. Studios that upload regularly, keep their collections well organised and actively promote themselves tend to see stronger long-term results.

We recommend around 5 new designs each week and around 20 designs each month. Regular uploads keep your storefront active, improve visibility in the Newest feed and encourage buyers to return regularly.

No. Consistent weekly uploads generally perform better than releasing large batches. Spacing releases throughout the month gives your storefront a continuously fresh feel.

A healthy monthly routine:

Keep descriptions concise and practical. Include technique and style, available colourways, end use, repeat size and DPI.

Many successful independent studios focus on frequent and consistent uploads, high-quality metadata, active client outreach using Pinboards, building genuine buyer relationships, working with The Design Agent and following commercial trends while maintaining their own creative voice. Consistency often matters more than collection size.

The strongest collections balance commercial trends with the studio's own creative style. Reviewing trend reports regularly and speaking with your Account Manager about what buyers are actively seeking will help you stay relevant.

Information about data storage, site security, privacy policies and compliance.

Yes. Only authorised users can log in until you decide to grant access. Without the specific links and notifications you share, your site remains effectively invisible to the public.

Your files are securely stored on industry-standard Amazon AWS servers, renowned for their reliability and durability in object storage. The data is hosted on a separate remote server. Both servers are regularly backed up; however, we strongly recommend maintaining offline copies of your files and data for added security.

Yes. When a design is marked as sold (e.g., added to an invoice), it will immediately disappear from your site's frontend and be marked as sold in the backend.

Solutions to common technical problems related to file uploads, website errors or customer access.

Still having trouble? Contact us at [email protected] with a clear description of the issue.

ℹ️ If the backend is not loading, try clearing your browser cookies and refreshing the page. That should do the trick!

Some customers may encounter issues accessing your website due to firewalls, particularly those in large organisations with strict IT security policies.

If issues persist, provide the Support team with a detailed description, screenshots and any error messages.

Visit your Dashboard under Statements or Payout History. If you're still unable to locate them, contact Support — this area has recently been updated and your Account Manager can guide you through the new layout.

Simply update the design status in your dashboard to ensure your inventory remains accurate across all platforms.

The Pattern Cloud®

Still stuck? Our support team is always happy to help, or reach us at [email protected]