CLO 3D vs PAD System

CLO 3D is fashion design software for designing garments and visualizing how they drape. In Simulation mode, users edit patterns in a 2D window while arranging garments or poses in 3D. Print Layout mode places patterns on prints, calculates fabric consumption, and creates layouts for printing. The software includes a V-Ray renderer; GPU-accelerated V-Ray rendering through Metal is supported on Apple Silicon Macs starting with CLO v2025.0. In the 2026.0 Pattern Information window, users can inspect pattern details and switch between revisions. CLO supports importing and exporting FBX and OBJ files, and DXF-AAMA pattern files. Its API allows customized features through plugins registered from DLL or DYLIB files. CLO runs on Windows and macOS, with listed minimum requirements of Windows 11 64-bit or macOS Sonoma 14, 16 GB memory, and 10 GB SSD space. The Individual plan costs $50 a month or $450 a year; student pricing is $25 a month or $225 a year. A 14-day trial is listed, but there is no free plan.

PAD System is apparel-industry software for pattern design, grading, marker production and digitizing. Its cloud offering combines PAD Pattern, PAD Marker and Auto-Nesting. Users can open, create and edit pattern files and work with pattern design, grading and marker-making tools; the cloud service also supports communication and sharing for designers and teams. Listed formats include DXF, Gerber, Lectra, Illustrator, HPGL and ANSI, with additional export formats including Excel, DXF-AAMA, DXF Basic, TIIP, Text and Eastman. The company says its products are compatible with standard digitizing tables, plotters, plotter cutters and scanners. PAD System 8.0 has an open architecture for third-party plugins or add-ons. The maker’s wiki lists version 8.0.3, released in June 2026, with a self-contained nesting engine and Vietnamese language support among its changes. The Basic plan is $15 a year and includes 20 pattern pieces and 3 sizes; Standard is $45 a year with unlimited pattern pieces and sizes. Both list grading, MTM, marker design, digitizing and format support. A free trial is available.