Clothing Manufacturing Companies Shaping Apparel Supply Chains

Today the manufacturing stage is no longer seen by the fashion industry as merely a production process. Nowadays brands require sourcing partners whom they can depend on in coordinating the many diverse factors of materials, product development, production management, and delivery planning. Clothing manufacturing companies are now involved in much more significant role to support fashion companies establishing a steady supply chain.

Sourcing in global apparel is giving new challenge than before. Changes in consumer expectations, rising material prices, logistics obstacles and growing awareness for sustainability are complicating the apparel sourcing. According to industry research Mc. Kinsey, apparel companies are shifting their focus from low price sourcing to partnerships, transparency and supply chain resilience:

Fashion firms that develop closer working relationship with manufacturing suppliers tend to develop benefits on three key areas of new product development: speed, consistency of quality, and flexibility of production.

The Evolution of Clothing Manufacturing Companies

Typical garment factories would cut and sew and finish the product according to the customer‘s directions.

Today, manufacturing companies play a far more significant role in providing support.

A capable manufacturing partner may connect:

Fabric suppliers
Trim suppliers
Teams engaged in pattern development.
Production departments
Quality control teams
Logistics partners

This denotes how far the apparel value chain has been progressed. It means that the apparel manufactures have experienced fairly innovations from cut and sew services to OEM, full package production, and further to ODM with sourcing, developing and production coordination functionalities.

For brands , this change is opening new doors. Instead of doing all the production by themselves, brands can partner with manufacturing companies that know both creative needs and technical factors.

Manufacturing Companies Connect Design Ideas With Production Reality

The starting point of the fashion idea can be inspiration, sketches or reference products.

There are many pragmatic considerations involved in transforming this idea into a market-ready piece.

A manufacturing company helps brands evaluate:

Fabric suitability
Construction methods
Production costs
Manufacturing limitations
Quality expectations

An example would be when a streetwear company look for a heavyweight over-sized hoodie with a specific shape.

The manufacturer needs to consider:

Fabric weight
Shrinkage behavior
Pattern balance
Stitch strength
Performance of rib materials

The design idea is not a finished product until the manufacturing processes are in place to realize the original design intent.

Different Types of Clothing Manufacturing Companies

It is important to note that not all manufacturing companies are equal.

By understanding the various production models, brands are able to select their appropriate partners.

Cut and Sew Manufacturers

Though it is not the predominant activity, cut and sew companies are primarily engaged in the assembly of garments.

Brands usually provide:

Fabric
Patterns
Technical specifications

The manufacturer handles:

Cutting
Sewing
Basic finishing

It is a good model for brands that have good product development teams.

OEM Clothing Manufacturing Companies

In the OEM manufacturing the manufacturer makes the product as directed by the key brands.

The brand usually controls:

Product design
Specifications
Brand direction

Production execution is managed by the manufacturer‘s.

Numerous fashion brands using internationally, produce their products through OEM relationships. The reason behind using this type of collaboration is to gain manufacturing support while keep ownership of goods.

ODM Clothing Manufacturing Companies

ODM companies offer more advanced product development assistance.

They may help with:

Design suggestions
Fabric selection
Product improvement
Sample development

This approach works well for brands seeking manufacturing partners with more developed capabilities.

In textile and apparel supply chain research, OEM and full-package model enable manufacturers to take more responsibility such as coordination of designs, purchase of materials, production, packaging and delivery management. (Public publication)

Why Brands Evaluate More Than Production Price

Price still holds significance, however, modern brands realize that the most cost-effective production does not per se lead to optimum business outcome.

A cheaper supplier may create problems through:

Inconsistent quality
Longer development time. Teams that have to go back several times over their code and take absolutely forever to arrive at an initial implementation are not going to be nearly as productive as teams with frequent releases.
Communication difficulties
Production delays

Favorite brands tend to consider multiple indicators at the same time.

Product Experience

Product group: A supplier that has detailed knowledge on a certain class of products can also be a source of superior solutions.

Denim production requires knowledge of:

Fabric washing
Hardware selection
Garment durability

Streetwear production requires experience with:

Heavy fabrics
Oversized patterns
Special finishing procedures

Sportswear requires understanding of:

Stretch fabrics
Functional construction
Performance requirements

Not all products require manufacturing knowledge.

Development Capability

Sampling is very important before bulk production.

Manufacturing companies with strong development teams can help brands improve:

Fit
Measurements
Construction
Material choices

The more highly developed the sample, the greater the chance of encountering problems before the bigger orders are placed.

Production Management

Extensive apparel productions involve all departments working together.

Manufacturers manage:

Material preparation
Production scheduling
Worker allocation
Quality checks

Good production management allows brands to stay consistent in-between collections.

The Importance of Supply Chain Relationships

Like the site Colette, other fashion brands value long term collaborations with the factory:

In the past, raw material suppliers were selected higher mostly according to the price.

The stability of the chain has become a huge issue nowadays.

According to research from McKinsey apparel companies are favoring more integrated supplier relationships, such as closer collaboration or even consolidating suppliers instead of simply increasing the number of suppliers.

Long-term cooperation creates several advantages:

Faster communication
A clearer notion about what are the needs of the brand.
Red Bull would also make horizontal sharing and the development of more effective products a lot easier.
Enhanced optimization of production planning

For the manufacturer who ‘gets it’ as to what the brand wants, this knowledge will allow the individual to be more helpful to the brand in subsequent collections.

How Clothing Manufacturing Companies Manage Global Production Challenges

Apparel manufacturing is continually changing worldwide.

Manufacturers and brands must deal with:

Changes in material prices
Shipping uncertainty
Changing regulations
Sustainability requirements

Recent industry analysis suggests that brands are now forming more flexible sourcing arrangements rather than sticking to a single location and manufacturing in one place. Here we see bold emerging new trends as Asian and other non-traditional production centers are also still re-evolving their supply chains.

This does not suggest that brands remain dependent on traditional production areas. On the contrary, numerous brands seek to establish balanced supply chains with trusted partners.

Sustainability Changes Manufacturing Expectations

Sustainable practices are also another significant area of apparel production.

Brands now ask manufacturing companies about:

Material sources
Production efficiency
Waste reduction
Traceability

A sustainable collection can be achieved only if the fabric suppliers and the garment producers work together.

For instance, if you decide to use recycled fabric, you must go beyond just buying recycled. Brands also require suppliers that have the knowledge of fabric performance, production processes and quality control.

Sustainable manufacturing involves the integration of environmental concerns with manufacturing practice.

Technology Is Changing Apparel Manufacturing

The industry for clothing manufacturing companies is continuously changing because of digital tools.

Manufacturers increasingly use technology for:

Production planning
Inventory management
Product development
Quality tracking

McKinsey revealed, apparel makers are investigating on new digital technologies that would help reduce cycle times, and increase speed, planning accuracy and manufacturing productivity.

For brands, the benefit of increased speed of development is that they are able to match the changes on the market more quickly.

Building Stronger Clothing Collections With JiuvelWear

JiuvelWear is an excellent choice for fashion brands seeking dependable manufacturing assistance to create their custom apparel collections. Dongguan Jiuzuo Clothing Co., Ltd. is capable of manufacturing original clothing items through OEM/ODM/private label, sampling, or in bulk.

The team works with brands on:

Fabric sourcing
Product development
Sample improvement
Production coordination
Quality management

(8)Selecting the suitable clothing manufacturing companies can assist brand to build up more stable supply chains and better long term product development. Apparel manufacturing nowadays is not only about producing garments, but it is to establish a solid link between design ideas, manufacturing skills and market needs.