Choosing the right clothing manufacturer is the first step toward building a successful fashion brand. This relationship is important to every area of your business's operation, from the quality of your products to their pricing. With thousands of garment manufacturers across the world to choose from, you must get it right.
If you have a firm product idea and vision for your business, what's next? Use our step-by-step guide to take the next step.
First of all, you should know the kind of partner your company requires before starting the search for the best clothing manufacturer. Many new business owners make the major error of thinking that one place will handle everything from design and materials purchasing to complete manufacturing. Most manufacturers focus on one step of the production process. For design, materials, and manufacturing, you will probably call for different partners.
A design partner helps translate your original concepts into patterns and technical drawings. Finding fabrics, decorations, and other supplies needed for your product can be helpfully assisted by a sourcing partner. Lastly, a manufacturing partner is responsible for actually making your clothing and converting it into finished products.
To achieve a successful manufacturer search, it is necessary to have the following basics in place:
After developing a good business plan and deciding what your brand needs, the next step is to start your search for a trusted clothes manufacturer. If you're entering the garment production arena, it's good to get acquainted with certain regularly used industry words to get you through it.
When you're connected with the technical language and industry vocabulary, it's time to start investigating! The internet is an excellent place to begin, especially online directories. The large majority (if not all) mention thousands of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors on their site! A good example is Maker's Row. They put together the full manufacturing process and connect brands with firms they trust.
Also, social media can be a significantly beneficial resource. You can identify manufacturers by searching hundreds of hashtags and keywords. In addition, you can also get a hint about what they are currently working on, their ideals, and what other customers think.
Finding a manufacturer also works well when you promote yourself at business events. This allows you the opportunity to meet factory personnel in person, create some trust, and improve the details of expectations. You can ask about development costs, minimum order quantities (MOQs), shipping, and payment methods. You may also give a reasonably comprehensive breakdown of your needs and see whether they would be suitable to work with your brand vision.
If this is your first time contacting a factory, make sure to identify yourself and your business properly and professionally. Your introduction can be brief, name your brand, what type of product(s) you make, and what you are looking to have made. Ideally, when getting a quote, you will provide the factory a tech kit. If you do not have a tech pack yet, please offer a clear and specific description of the product you would like to manufacture.
Before beginning with any manufacture, please consider these five important tips:
Before you move forward with any manufacturer, take some time to discover all of the important facts - do not put your business at risk, so that you might run into complications later over a simple background check. When a supplier approaches you or reacts to your query, go further below their quick sales presentation and look to determine:
Doing your work ahead will save you time, money, and possibly even headaches down the line.
Large retailers or even popular brands may often ask suppliers to go through onsite audits (not to be confused with certifications) to show that suppliers satisfy the supplier standards. Audits often analyze the qualifications and competency of the organization, and sometimes even the environment in which the personnel were performing, as it relates to what a buyer expects.
When looking at possible manufacturers, always ask whether they have gone through an audit before, and ask if the documentation on past audits can be given. Most good suppliers are prepared to disclose documentation they acknowledge, provided they have not incorrectly represented or modified the information. However, if the audit was paid for by some other brand, the supplier may not be allowed to release it due to the confidentiality of the audit, so we recommend asking for it.
Keep this pair of items top of mind while determining what to do about audit reports:
Certifications in the industry, in addition to audits, are another means to establish legitimacy and commitment to quality. Ask your provider about the following certifications:
If they supply you with evidence of the certifications, you will want to verify any certifications with the granting body to make sure they are real.
It is usually a good idea to inquire about references from a supplier's former or present customers. These references will help you understand how the manufacturer performs regarding communication, product quality, on-time delivery, and dispute settlement.
That said, many providers may delay supplying references. They may be prohibited from doing so due to confidentiality agreements, or they may be afraid of the prospect of hearing bad feedback even if the clients were satisfied with the results. Even when orders are handled perfectly, things may go wrong, or some little issues may develop, and the suppliers know that a buyer may share that there were some concerns.
That being said, you should inquire whether the supplier can provide references, and don't let it raise a red flag if the supplier declines in a nice approach and claims confidentiality. If they do provide references, it is a strong indication they are acting professionally and transparently, and it helps you to help guarantee they are the real deal by getting a first-hand experience of their trustworthiness.
One of the best techniques for securing your business against suppliers not completing their duties or committing fraud is to create precise payment terms. Ideally, your agreement says that your provider will be paid only after they have completed their part of the agreement, not before the terms of the agreement have been satisfied.
One of the safest methods of carrying out transactions internationally is with a Letter of Credit (LC). This strategy works well because:
However, not all manufacturers are going to want to accept LCs, and some of the reasons are as follows:
Regardless, such doubts can typically be solved through communication:
Be careful. A respectable provider may say no to an LC, but they will likely be open to alternative options. A scammer, however, will never agree to an LC. Usually, they will want full payment in advance, or a large deposit (50%, etc.) before starting work. Although they can look trustworthy, you should never agree to pay a supplier in this manner without sufficient safety measures.
Be sure to always use secure payment solutions, such as a Letter of Credit or an approved secure provider, if you feel uncertain or suspicious. Doing so offers you leverage and keeps both parties accountable.
To further authenticate your supplier's legality and guarantee that you are making a sound business decision, you may want to employ an engaged third-party inspection service. You can arrange third-party inspection services with a well-known agency, such as Intertek or SGS, and utilize them to inspect your supplier's facility for a modest price.
Inspections are worth every penny, not just for certifying authenticity, but also for guaranteeing product quality and factory conformity. Below is a summary of what these services normally provide:
Keep in mind, all reports are for informative purposes only. They do not issue a verdict or suggestion, you'll need to analyze the findings and make your decision based on the contents of the report.
While frauds sometimes happen within the sourcing scope, they are not prevalent. Usually, suppliers, especially manufacturers, are aiming to build honest, long-lasting partnerships with brands. Using inspection services is an obvious strategy to limit dangers, as well as to establish your possible partner's ethical and production standards.
The worldwide apparel market is once again on the rise following the serious events of COVID-19 in 2020. Demand for clothing and footwear continues to expand, whereas the global apparel market is predicted to reach roughly $2 trillion by 2026.
Two powerhouses lead the market: the United States and China. The United States and China are outliers when it comes to garment consumption and revenue generation. They play a big and important part in global trade. While China is the greatest garment exporter, the U.S. is second only to the European Union as the second largest apparel importer.
The industry is changing, and we can notice certain new trends in production to take care of consumer tastes and needs.
Brands now need to make a strategic choice about producing in quantity vs generating smaller and more flexible batches. Small batch production may be ideally suited to the demands of start-ups, boutique brands, and sustainable firms that are exploring new concepts. Conversely, big-scale production is particularly suited to mass-market retailers who aim to push lower per-unit costs.
Each technique will have an impact on your sourcing strategy. Costs, production lead times, scalability, and quality control methods will help determine your choice of nation and/or partner for production.
Nowadays, it is not simple to get apparel with the label "Made in the USA". In the 1960s, roughly 95% of the clothing worn in the United States was created domestically. However, the convergence of trade agreements, recessions, and movements of factories seeking lower labor costs overseas resulted in a major fall in U.S. garment production. By the late 1990s, about 97% of apparel was created overseas as many corporations transferred operations overseas to benefit from cheaper production and more available labor.
Recently, interest in products made in the USA has switched again, and this increased interest originates from a mix of trade deals becoming more advantageous, an ability to support local economies, and improvement in manufacturing in the U.S. Here are a few important points concerning this resurgence:
Even with important expansion, apparel manufacturing in the USA is also experiencing the following challenges:
While U.S. manufacturing continues to return (it has not regained its footing) and is exceeding several other complex nations, the most noticeable advantage of American-made garments is quality. Many consumers actively choose to spend their money on domestic items, even if this means the material is at a greater price because of consumer devotion to workmanship and desire to pay for ethical and local jobs.
Asia has been acknowledged as the manufacturing center of the globe across all industries, with the textile and fashion sectors in particular. There are multiple countries producing apparel in Asia, mostly China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and India. Other prominent participants include Pakistan, Thailand, Turkey, and Hong Kong.
Let me introduce some of the biggest names in Asian apparel:
China
Previously well recognized for fast fashion and cheap clothing, China is turning towards high-end apparel because of its increasing labor costs.
China is still a big supplier of commodities, notably in terms of mid to high-level fashion producers.
India
Vietnam
Bangladesh
Turkey
Thailand
Hong Kong
Asia continues to remain the hub of clothing manufacturer on the globe, with choices ranging from mass production to craftsmen products. While China is focusing on creating superior luxury products while Vietnam and Pakistan are strengthening their talent pool and competitive price, Asia continues to grow and thrive as a manufacturing sector.
Whether you are sourcing goods for luxury fashion or low-cost necessities, Asia offers solutions that are flexible, scalable, and prepared to interact with your vision, throughout the range of fashion enterprises and product levels.
As fashion businesses attempt to respond to the need for shorter production cycles and more efficient supply chains, they are beginning to examine Central and South America. These regions have the benefits of geography and also offer multiple trade advantages that can assist in decreasing costs and enhancing delivery.
One of the reasons Central America is becoming interesting is the necessity for shorter lead times. With the quick evolution of fashion trends, corporations seek to keep existing collections fresh and replenish them, as needed. Central America is positioned for it.
The member countries of CAFTA-DR include:
These countries are competing among themselves for a greater market share in the U.S. fashion market, along with competing against low-cost areas such as Haiti and parts of Asia.
South America is rising as a big contributor in the global apparel manufacturing sector, thanks to its plentiful natural resources, talented workforce, and unequaled raw materials.
Building a strong fashion brand depends on finding the right Clothing Manufacturer since it influences the quality of your product, expenses, and general company operations. Evaluating and verifying the correct processes for your brand is important, whether your production is in the USA locally, you are seeking affordable alternatives in Asia, or you want quick turnaround partners in Central/South America. To confirm vendor confidence, investigate credentials for certifications, verify past audit reports, and obtain conditions for payment should you identify a manufacturer you want to go after.
With trends like sustainability and on-demand manufacturing, which let companies have more freedom in sourcing, the global clothing business is growing more dynamic and changing. Finding the correct Clothing Manufacturer will enable you to ethically create and serve your target market, therefore realizing your vision. Decide effectively how future-proof your clothes label should be!
CEO & Founder of DecodeUp, a tech agency helping brands scale in eCommerce and Fintech. With 12+ years of experience, he blends technical expertise with business insight to build user-focused platforms that drive growth, engagement, and lasting impact.
