Do you have a knack for fashion? Are you the person whose friends rely on to put that perfect outfit together? Better yet, have you ever wondered what it takes to be a designer in the fashion industry? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then you have more than likely expressed interest in being a fashion designer. Although it is a satisfying and rewarding career choice, becoming a fashion designer will demand all of your passion and dedication. Designing manufacturing clothes is an arduous process that requires plenty of skill and effort. Have you ever thought about what goes into making clothes? Well, that’s exactly why I’m here…
Fashion designers make clothes by:
- Creating a sketch that represents their vision.
- Working on their spec sheet and the rest of their tech pack.
- Getting a sample of their design from the manufacturer.
- Proceeding with the production run with the manufacturer.
- Quality control prior to shipping.
In this article, I will break down each of these steps to provide you with a better understanding of how clothing is made. While each aspect of the manufacturing process may not seem complicated, we will discover that there is indeed quite a bit of work that goes into making the garments that we wear every day. Let’s read along as we dive into the world of designing and producing a clothing line, shall we?
Create A Sketch

Making your own dream of becoming a successful fashion designer has to start somewhere, and this is the point where it begins. I’m not sure that you have a plethora of unique designs that you have thought about quite a few times. Well, you are going to need a visual representation of what you have envisioned for your manufacturer to get started. It’s time for you and your team to start sketching. Most of the time, you first sketches are going to be done by simply using a pencil and paper. Once you have put your initial ideas on paper, you will need to present these ideas to your design team for any suggestions or revisions they may have.
Once you have presented your sketches to your team, it’s time to collaborate with your team. However, there is a chance that you and your team may not be able to come to an agreement regarding your initial designs. So, what do you do now? Fortunately ,Tech Packer has suggested the following two ways to collaborate with your team:
- Gather inspiration from some of your existing creations.
- Sketch more than one version of your design.
Fortunately for you and your design team, these two ideas frequently work in unison. You may be wondering how these two suggestions work together. Some of the best ideas in fashion come to life when designers take an existing version and makeup modifications to it, creating a new design in the process. After all, this process is how some of the most intriguing designs are brought to the public. One of the best examples of this is usually seen in shoes. Drastic changes in footwear usually don’t happen overnight. Most often, shoe designers take an existing model and make subtle changes each year until an entirely new creation is born.
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Work On Your Tech Pack
Creating a rough draft of what you want your design to look like with your team is just the beginning of the manufacturing process. The next step is to develop a tech pack to present to the manufacturer. The tech pack is an essential step in making your clothing line because it gives your manufacturer a clear idea of what you want. Think of this in terms of construction. If you want to see the final product, you will have to provide the contractors with a blueprint. The same concept applies to this. Now, I know that there is more than one of you who are wondering what should be included in the tech pack. This includes all of the sketches (including technical drawings) that you and your team have completed as well as a special sheet that outlines the fabrics, trim, and the accessories you need to be included in the final product.
While some designers may not think that providing a good quality tech pack to the manufacturer is a necessity, I’m here to tell you that they are mistaken. The tech pack does more than provide the blueprint of what you want the final product to be. This step also ensures that you are provided with an accurate price quote from your manufacturer. They won’t be able to do this if they don’t know exactly what you want, and how you want it done. Your spec sheet will also help yourself manufacturer give you a quality sample, which will pay huge dividends regarding quality control and the final fitting of your clothing line. Not only will this make you happy, but it will also please the people buying your clothing line.
Get A Sample Of Your Design
This is perhaps the most exciting aspect of the manufacturing process, or even being a designer in general. As a fashion designer, nothing will ever come close to the feeling of seeing a physical representation of your clothing. You have put in the work, collaborate with your team to come up with the perfect design, and now it’s time to see your creative efforts come to life. According to Master Class, these samples (or prototypes) can be made with a variety of different materials like muslin, which closely resembles cotton. The reason for this is that materials can be costly, so manufacturers often use something less expensive until they get the sample correctly done.
Getting your sample up to par will put you one step closer to having your clothing line available to the general public. However, getting your sample is not the final step in this process. I told you earlier that this was going to be time-consuming. Well, seeing a sample of your clothing is like being able to see the finish line in a race, but knowing that you still have a way to go before you reach it. When you receive your samples (yes, you will need to go through more than one of them), you will have to make any changes you need to make your clothing garment exactly what you want it to be.
The Manufacturing Process Takes Place

After making any adjustments, revisions, or modifications you think are necessary to your design, the next step is for your manufacturer to start a production run. Now, there are many more aspects of production than simply putting garments together. Per Indie Source, some of the most important things regarding production that must be taken into consideration include the following items:
- Is your fabric of choice available and in stock at the time of production, or will it have to be specially ordered?
- Does the warehouse or your manufacturer have a minimum requirement for the color you choose?
- What type of payment options does your manufacturer offer?
- What is the weight and cuttable width of your fabric of choice, and how much does that affect the price per yard?
Now that you have made all relevant decisions regarding the fabric and colors of your clothing line, it’s time for your manufacturer to set production into full swing. While the production may vary depending on the style, fabric, and color of your choosing, there are six steps involved in the production process. These steps are:
- Hot Wash/Pre-Shrinking – While this step is not applicable to all fabrics, this is the point of production when materials are washed in hot water before they are cut. This cleans the material as well as helps to prevent shrinking after purchase.
- Dyeing – If you haven’t purchased the fabric in your desired color, it will be dyed to match your color specifications at this time. While this step is usually done at this point, dyeing can also be occur after assembly.
- Cutting/Bundling – During this phase of production, the materials are cut to a exact specifications provided to the manufacturer in the tech pack. Then, the materials are bundled together in preparation sewing.
- Printing – This phase only occurs if your design has any graphics, words, pictures, or designs, and happens at this point of production because it is much more efficient to print materials this way instead of trying to print completed garments.
- Sewing – At this stage, materials are sewn together per the instructions included when you provided the manufacturer with your completed tech pack.
- Trimming/Finishing – This is the second-to-last phase of the production run, and it is last stage before your design is complete. Final touches are performed at this point to ensure customer satisfaction.
Your Product Goes Through Quality Control
Before your clothing line is shipped from the manufacturer to your warehouse, there is one final phase of the production process that must be completed. At this time, your manufacturer will analyze the finished product through a scrutinizing process known as quality control. During quality control, the production line will be closely inspected to ensure that the finished product meets your exact specifications. Here are the steps that are involved in quality control procedures for manufacturing clothing, per QIMA:

- Garments are measured to ensure that their dimensions meet the specifications of the designer.
- Physical test are conducted for any moving parts, buttons, or accessories.
- The composition and density of the fabric areas now tested to make sure that they meet the desired expectations of the designer.
- Labels areas tested and verified to meet the compliance standards set by the US Textile Fiber Products Identification Act.
- Any packaging will be inspected to prevent damage to the clothing during shipping and storage. This is the finally step of the quality control process that is conducted before the designer receives the clothes.
Conclusion
Making clothing is a time consuming process that requires each of these steps to be followed if you expect to have a successful production run. This starts with the sketch you create when thinking about potential designs. Next, you will need to work on your tech pack, which includes the specifics of your design. The manufacturer will then provide a sample of your design, where you can get a better idea of what your final design will be. This can help you make any modifications and improvements you deem necessary. Once you have finished making any changes you may have had, the manufacturer initiate a production run where all of the cutting and sewing processes are done. Finality, before you take your design to market, your design will be put through the quality control process to make sure that it is ready to be sold.
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Related Questions
What Is the leading clothing manufacturer in the United States?
The top clothing manufacturer in the United States is American Stitches, Inc. , although Carolina Glove Co. and AdCapitol follow closely behind them. Each of these manufacturers areas estimated to have between 200 and 500 clients, although the exact number is currently not known.
How much does it cost to manufacture a clothing line?
While the answer to this question will vary depending on the size, cut, color, and fabric used for the clothing line, the average cost of manufacturing a small clothing line will usually cost around $500, while you can expect to pay $1,500 for a medium-sized line and upwards of $5,000 for a large one.
To learn more about how to start your own fashion clothing line check out my startup documents here
Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.

Meet Shawn Chun: Entrepreneur and Fashion Business Fan.
I’m a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a designer or boutique owner at a craft fair, farmers market, retail location or anywhere else I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to retain clients, find good employees and keep the business growing all while trying to stay competitive.
That’s why I created Fashion Business Boss: I want to help fashion business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.