You have your business plan, and you have your ideas. So what’s next for your fashion business? Getting your ideas from paper to fabric doesn’t have to be a hassle—knowing the steps to get there is key to making sure your business runs smoothly.
To manufacture clothes for your fashion business:
- Start pre-production by deciding on fabrics, patterns, and cost of your garment.
- Plan production by determining a timeline for your production.
- Start production by cutting your fabric.
- Sew the items together and check for their quality.
- Finish and deliver the product.
What can you expect out of the clothing manufacturing industry? What happens if you don’t want to go with a manufacturer, and instead want to create your items in house? Regardless of where or how they’re created, read on to find out how you can easily manufacture clothing for your fashion business.
What is clothing manufacturing?
Before you start manufacturing your own clothing, it’s important to know how clothing manufacturing works. The business of manufacturing follows the steps it takes to make a garment from start to finish—whether it’s cutting the fabric, sewing the pieces together, or adding the finishing products. The process breaks it down step by step and can sometimes vary depending on the complexity of the clothing item, the type of equipment being used, and even the skill of the person putting the piece of clothing together.
If you’re in the market to find a manufacturer that works for you, consider searching on Maker’s Row, Common Objective, Sqetch, and Kompass for one that fits your needs. This is the step before you start pre-production—without a manufacturer, you can’t start creating. Make sure you look into several manufacturers before making a decision, and feel free to shop around. Finding the right one to create your product could make or break your business.
If you decide instead to make your own clothing, understand the process, the industry, and the skills you need to do so—while you do not need to be the best seamstress or tailor in the world, your skill will directly affect how your clothing looks.
So how does the process work? Regardless of what you’re putting together, your manufacturer (or you!) will need to follow the same process.
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Start pre-production
What is pre-production, and what does it mean for you? In this stage of the process, you’re considering materials, patterns, and sampling those designs. This sort of preplanning is usually done for bulk orders, but don’t be fooled—every order that you make as a clothing line owner should be given the same care as a bulk order.
This step is what creates efficiency in your business. When you start pre-production, you should be considering what raw materials you are using and how you are getting them, what kind of patterns you want to use, and the actual cost of creating the garment. This is also the time you want to create a sample so you know exactly what to expect.
If you’re working with a manufacturer, this is the time you and the manufacturer are deciding what types of fabrics are best for your item. Whether It’s cotton or silk, they will need a seat at the table when making that decision, as they are the ones putting your pieces together. Typically, you need to create your business plan and your idea before you bring it to the manufacturer, where you can both work together to create that aforementioned sample. Be sure to ask for a price quote before you move out of this stage. Don’t pick a manufacturer that is out of your budget.
If you have decided to manufacture your own products, this is the time for you to make those decisions by yourself or with your business partner. Create patterns for your clothing and start sampling which items will be the best for what you’re creating. Just because you’re working out of your home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t create a budget—you still need to purchase your supplies. Make sure you know what to expect.
Plan production
While this might feel like another step in the pre-production phase, it’s really it’s own step—you will be working with your team to make sure everything will happen on your timeline.
When working with a manufacturer, this is the point where you should sit down with their team and discuss the timeline for each step of the process and the overall deadline. There are also two types of clothing manufacturers to look for—“cut, make, trim” manufacturers and “full production package” manufacturers. The former focuses on creating a finished product, while the latter helps with every single stage of the creation of your item. If you want assistance in planning your line, consider the FPP manufacturers. CMT manufacturers are best if you already have a production plan in place.
If you’re making the items yourself, make sure you put together a strict but feasible deadline for you to create the products in house. Remember, “feasible” is your key word here—making your products by hand is time consuming, so make sure you have a realistic viewpoint of how long it could take to create your inventory.
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Start production by cutting your fabric
Starting production can seem like a daunting task, but it’s something as simple as just cutting your fabric. This is the step in the process when the materials chosen in the first step are cut out to the patterns specified by you.
In a factory, this step is completed usually by laser cutting machines. This can help eliminate fabric waste.
In your own sewing space, make sure you try to eliminate as much waste as possible by cutting your fabric as close to the edge and by arranging your pattern in a way that you will have the least amount of fabric when you’re finished.
Sew the items together and check for their quality
At this step in the process, you’re putting your clothing together. This is the point where the items are sewn, but it is also when the items are checked for their quality. What does this entail? Quality control experts will be checking that the stitching is complete and that the dimensions are correct. They will also focus on making sure that the items are created to your specific specifications. The best way you can help in this situation is making sure those specifications are outline when you create your items—sizing, fabrics, stitches, etc. should all be discussed beforehand.
In a factory, this can be done by machine or by people at industrial sewing machines. Quality control can be done by trained professionals.
In your sewing space, this is the part that is completed by you or your employees. Note that quality control should still be done if creating outside of a factory, as it is important that your clothing still remains the highest quality, even if it is created by hand.
Finish and deliver the product
Once the items are completed and are deemed high quality, they will pass along to you, the clothing line owner. Regardless of whether you create in house or in a manufacturing facility, this is the point where you can start selling your items in your physical or online store.
In some cases, you may have to focus on the legal ramifications of creating your products—like consumer safety regulations, any textile standards, and clothing labeling rules. Make sure you consider these regardless of how your clothing is created. Your product is a direct reflection of your business—make it the highest quality you can, and your customers will follow. If you find yourself needing to shift your focus, that’s the sign of a good business—don’t be afraid to change up your designs, sizing, or materials as you find what works and what doesn’t. While consistency is the mark of a good company, being able to learn from mistakes or errors is the mark of a great one.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
What’s the process of creating a sample for my clothing line?
When you’re just starting out with your clothing line, it’s important to make sure you have samples created. First, you must determine what size you would like in your sample, and pick out the clothing measurements. Then, create a sketch of your item, outlining what it will look like and any other specifications. Choose your fabrics and any other materials, and then create your sample, either by hand or by working with a manufacturer.
What is a MOQ manufacturer?
A MOQ manufacturer is a manufacturer who can honor minimum order quantities. This means that the manufacturer will sell a low number of units to a customer at once. Some manufacturers function like this, meaning you can find a clothing manufacturer who is willing to sell to you a limited number of pieces of your line—meaning you do not have an overage in your inventory to sell. This is a tried-and-true way to limit your initial investment and make sure you do not have too much inventory when you start your clothing line.
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.