Surgeons and recovery brands sourcing private label compression lines frequently ask our technical team the same question: why does the Stage 2 version of a garment run one size smaller than the Stage 1 piece the patient wore during the first weeks? The answer sits at the center of post surgical garment sizing stage 2 programs, and getting it wrong at the development stage creates returns, patient complaints, and clinic frustration that could have been avoided with a correctly engineered pattern.
At CI Aliada SAS we manufacture both stages as part of the same postoperative protocol, and the sizing logic is intentional, not a manufacturing inconsistency. Understanding why matters for any clinic or brand building a private label or white label compression program in Bogota.
Stage 1 garments are designed for day 1 through week 3. They include frontal and perineal closure, an anatomical pocket for drains, and a fit that accommodates surgical dressings, initial swelling, and the drainage management the surgeon indicates during the earliest recovery period. The fabric and pattern have to leave room for a body that is still inflamed and for accessories that disappear within days.
Stage 2 covers week 3 through month 3, once drains are removed and the clinical team wants tighter graduated support as edema subsides. This is where post surgical garment sizing stage 2 decisions become critical: the same patient, in the same recovery journey, now needs a smaller perimeter to maintain effective compression against a body that has changed.
Because of this, a Stage 2 piece built on the exact same pattern as Stage 1, just resized down, will not deliver the support the clinical protocol expects. The size-down approach exists because the garment's job has changed, not because the patient's measurements alone dictate the size chart.
When a clinic or recovery brand commissions a private label program, the temptation is to treat Stage 2 as a simple re-cut of Stage 1 in a smaller size. This is one of the most common errors we correct during technical development. Proper post surgical garment sizing stage 2 requires its own grading rules, its own ease allowances, and in many cases a different balance of powernet colombiano versus POWERFLEX panels to achieve higher graduated compression without sacrificing mobility.
Ignoring this distinction leads to predictable problems in the field: patients report that the Stage 2 garment feels looser than expected, or clinics end up recommending a size down from what the patient wore in Stage 1, confusing both patients and staff who expected size continuity.
It is worth clarifying a point that surgeons and clinical directors often ask about directly: compression levels referenced for Stage 1 and Stage 2 garments are category reference ranges, not a measurement certified per individual unit. Each garment is built to a technical specification sheet, but claiming an exact mmHg value per piece without lab verification would be misleading. What clinics can rely on is consistent fabric behavior across a production run when the same powernet colombiano and POWERFLEX specifications are used batch after batch.
For clinics developing a new design, our technical team works through pattern and fabric selection before any cutting begins. This is where post surgical garment sizing stage 2 gets engineered properly:
| Stage | Timeframe | Key Construction Features |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Day 1 to Week 3 | Frontal and perineal closure, anatomical drain pocket, looser ease for dressings and initial edema |
| Stage 2 | Week 3 to Month 3 | Closure adjustment via hooks, no drain pocket, tighter graduated fit for continued edema control as indicated by the surgeon |
Sizing runs from XS to 3XL with extension to 5XL on both stages, and seams are built flat to minimize skin irritation during the extended wear period Stage 2 typically requires. Getting the grading rules right between the two stages, rather than treating Stage 2 as a linear size-down of Stage 1, is what prevents the one-size-smaller confusion from becoming a patient complaint.
Any clinic or brand entering a private label compression program should expect a technical specification sheet that documents the sizing logic for both stages before committing to a production run. This should include:
At CI Aliada SAS, every new design developed for a clinic or brand follows this process, with a production MOQ of 120 units for a new design once the technical sheet and samples are approved. For existing references, the MOQ is 12 units per reference and per color, distributed across a minimum of 4 sizes in multiples of 3 per size, without mixing colors within a single size.
Clinics building their own branded recovery line should plan for Stage 1 and Stage 2 as a paired offering rather than two unrelated products. Patients who receive both pieces under the same clinic brand, with consistent labeling and packaging, are more likely to trust the sizing guidance given at discharge. All garments ship in individual surgical polypropylene packaging under sanitization protocol, which supports a clean handoff from clinic to patient at each stage of the recovery timeline.
Pricing is quoted EXW from our Bogota facility. The list price applies to unbranded production; adding the clinic's own brand adds USD 1 per unit to the base price, reflecting the additional labeling and packaging setup.
Because post surgical garment sizing stage 2 decisions affect patient comfort and compliance, we recommend clinics involve their surgical team directly in reviewing the technical specification sheet before finalizing a private label order. The surgeon's indication on when to transition a patient from Stage 1 to Stage 2, and how much additional compression is appropriate for that individual's recovery, should align with how the garment itself is graded and constructed.
With more than 15 years manufacturing postoperative compression garments for clinics in 17 countries, our technical team can walk any surgical or clinical partner through this sizing logic before a single sample is cut, ensuring the Stage 1 to Stage 2 transition supports the recovery protocol your patients actually follow.
EXW Bogotá factory prices · MOQ 12 units per style and color (min. 4 sizes, multiples of 3) · your clinic’s brand +USD 1/unit
Technical content addressed to professionals and companies. It is not a medical indication and does not replace the assessment of the treating surgeon, who defines the duration, manner and suitability of each garment.