Local or Overseas? Choosing the Right Clothing Manufacturer

Local clothing manufacturers may be the best option for brands looking for more communication, simplified sample review process and the greater degree of control over the production process. But proximity doesn‘t necessarily mean it‘s the best match.

In some cases, local production can significantly simplify the development process. However, other brands may benefit in terms of experience, material sourcing, production capacity or specific technical capabilities from choosing a manufacturer abroad.

The real issue is not where the factory is. The issue is whether the marketer is the right one for the product you are trying to get off the ground.

Why Brands Look for Local Manufacturers

There are reasons for the attraction of local manufacturing.

Being closer can make communication more direct. You will be able to go to the factory, see samples, call or send notes about changes, see the production of the sample as it happens, etc.

This can be especially desirable in cases where the product itself is still in development.

Would you prefer to sitdown with the manufacturer and can show the wearer the problem?

Already by these dimensions it’s easier to see how, for smaller brands, this can have a much more manageable feeling to its evolution.

However, convenience is not to be confused with the ability to manufacture.

Local Doesn’t Automatically Mean Faster

We assume local production will always be less lead time in this way,

Not necessarily.

Whether a country is vast or compact makes no difference to the time it takes to produce.

Delivery time can be affected by the amount of, current workload of the manufacturer, fabric availability, sampling process, production capacity and the complexity of the order.

A local manufacturer who produces at a site with a lengthy queue may take more time than an overseas manufacturer who has the relevant raw materials and production capacity available.

If speed is of the essence, get details of the real production schedule rather than assuming distance is a proxy for lead-time.

Where Local Manufacturing Has a Real Advantage

Local manufacture offers significant advantages when a brand is in the development stages and requires constant contact.

Suppose you want to produce a fresh jacket.

The first sample is close but the sleeve needs to be changed. The pocket needs to be moved. The fabric does not feel exactly right.

If the manufacturer is nearby, a visit could be made to have a good talk about the changes and also to look at another sample without much difficulty.

This can be valuable for:

• New product development; since the ‘original conception’ of the product is introduced into the market and the time the product is ‘tangibly’ available to customers, for the period from origin to tangible availability, is the ‘new product development’ time.
• Complex designs
• Small production runs: there is a large or medium sized production run.
• Multiple sample revisions Frequent revisions of the sample according to mismatches between the sample and the target.
• Face-to-face communication

In these cases, having proximity really can make things a lot easier.

Where Overseas Manufacturing May Make More Sense

In other cases, it can make sense to think further afield:

In some of the other overseas manufacturing regions, clothing supply chains are already well developed for specific products.

A manufacturer may be experienced in denim, knitwear, outerwear, sportswear, embroidery or washing et cetera.

There could be an extensive network of fabric suppliers and trim suppliers in proximity.

However, this benefits can become more advantageous for brands moving on to bigger production runs.

Indeed, the question is not whether there are any advantages to overseas manufacturing.

It is about the production expertise and supply chain support your product needs.

The Better Question Isn’t “Local or Overseas?”

A better question is:

Whatarrangement of production issuitableto this product?

A brand does not have a requirement of choosing one single manufacturing location for everything.

You could produce and develop a product locally and then export larger quantities for production at a manufacturer abroad.

You could have kept smaller or very niche items onshore while still manufacturing the core items offshore.

This could be a more sensible way than pressing all products into a “one size fits all” manufacturing paradigm.

Think About the Product Before the Location

The variety of clothes demand different manufacturing capabilities.

A simple T-shirt could be fairly quick to produce in many places, however.

A heavily washeds pair of jeans may necessitate more exposure to talented denim and washing.

A performance garment perhaps can hang on technical fabrics, stretch, construction and testing.

A complex, decorated jacket may require different presses, and the skill of a pressman familiar with multi-layered attire and finishing details.

So instead of starting with:

”…I require a local factory.”

Start with:

What needs of this product from its manufacturer?

Once you‘ve answered that question, most of the inputs to selecting the best manufacturing location are straightforward.

What Should You Ask a Local Clothing Manufacturer?

Choosing a local manufacturer can sometimes be the best decision; if so, then location should just be the first consideration in choosing your partner.

Inquire about what products the factory makes.

See if it is what makes samples, or if it subsists of production.

Conman whether it has the ability to find fabrics and trims.

Know its minimum production quantities.

Inquire about the duration of sampling and what procedures to follow if revisions are needed.

First and foremost, find out what will occur after the initial successful production run.

Is it possible for the factory to produce the same garment again and again?

Can it support bigger orders if the product becomes successful?

A manufacturer that works for a small test order might not be able to handle future bulk stages of your brand.

Local Manufacturing Can Be Valuable for Small Brands

Manufacturing a new brand can be it is quite intimidating.

We have patterns, fabrics, samples, measurements, labels, packaging, production schedule, and quality checks.

Allowing tours of the factory can help simplify some of these decisions.

It is possible to see the materials you are using.

One thing you could do is list the best fit in person.

Instead of referring to the photographs, I will also look over the sample.

It can be particularly handy while still comprehending how they should be.

However small brands should also be aware not to only select a manufacturer depending on the proximity.

Even with a labor shortage, if the factory is far away from the one that you want, it is still the wrong factory.

Local Can Be the Beginning, Not the Whole Supply Chain

Manufacturing doesn‘t have to take a linear path from design to finished garment.

The innovation may be developed countries, then tried with customers and produced with an overseas manufacturer.

Another option would be an established international manufacturer working with the brand from the start, but product development and distribution would be kept nearer to the home market.

The correct setup will vary depending on the product, the sales order volume, how far development has gone, and what is available to the brand in its capabilities.

A clothing line does not have to be manufactured all in one location.

What Actually Makes a Manufacturer “Local”?

Another point of intrigue might be to look perhaps to other locations not in the factory address.

Your business may be outwardly based in the factory, which is local to you but the fabrics, trims, labels and other inputs are obtained elsewhere.

Not an issue.

In fact, a longer supply chain could often provide the manufacturer with superiormaterials or more expertproduction processfor certain products.

All that counts is having a clear picture of the provenance of the “knock-sharp” bits of your product, and the ownership of each step in the process.

The band location itself, however, is just a small piece of the whole saga.

Choose Manufacturing Capability Over Convenience

There are real benefits to be gained from local [apparel:] manufacturers for brands that want open conversation, were consistently developing and [who are] very much about lower quantities.

However, proximity alone won‘t necessarily produce lower costs, or quicker delivery, or higher quality.

The product is where the right decision begins.

Familiarize yourself with the fabric, pattern, construction, anticipated quantity, quality levels, and tommorow‘s production needs.

Then find a manufacturer that can do to order.

For brands requiring production outside of the local market, Jiuvelwear offers custom apparel manufacturing, OEM, ODM, private label, sampling, custom branding and bulk production of T-shirts, hoodies, shirts, jackets, denim and streetwear.

Eventually it may be that the closest you can get to a price is not always best.

It is the one that will be able to produce the product you desire, communicate openly throughout the design process, and keep manufacturing it reliably as your brand expands.