Corporate Clothing Suppliers: My learning experience before I selected a supplier

If you are looking for reputable corporate clothing suppliers, you are most likely going through that very rough buying stage. You have send out a dozen RFQs to Chinese factories, got back totally inconsistent quotes, and you don‘t know which supplier is going to actually deliver.

I‘ve been on both ends of this table. I‘ve been the buyer, anxious as hell because a Chinese shipment was supposed to arrive two weeks ago. And now I work with brands on a daily basis who are just like you. So let me tell you some of the lessons I‘ve learned the hard way.

The First Mistake Almost Every Buyer Makes

We have all done it. We go straight to a B2B website, search “business clothes manufacturer”, see “start a search in China”, and then sort form cheapest to most expensive. It makes sense.

But here is what that cheapest quote from a Chinese supplier really gets you. Fabric that pills after three launderings. Sizing which doesn‘t fit anyone. A sales rep who promises delivery in two weeks and then vanishes for a week and a half after you call for a status. I‘m not saying every cheap Chinese supplier is bad. I‘m just saying that price should be the last thing you consider. Cost of correcting a bad uniform purchase will always outweigh the dollar you saved.

The One Question That Changes Everything

Having spent 10 years working with Chinese suppliers, my experience has been that the most effective way of screening suppliers is not; how much, but…what happens when there is a problem.

Any time you encounter a supplier that is reluctant, non-conclusive or non-responsive is a warning sign. Any time you encounter a supplier that will explain the quality controls and cushion in their process is a person who recognizes problems are unavoidable, but it is your response to them that counts.

China-China is still the most easily scalable high output sourcing center and an innovative leader in customization-50-. Closest and most reliable suppliers are found in highly interconnected textile systems of Guangdong province-50-. Thanks to its proximity to accessory and raw material sources, producers in Guangdong (Dongguan and Humen in particular) has gained a major edge in flexible production and small batch customization-49-28. Wuhan‘s strategic location allows compression of lead-times of up to 40%-33-. Seaports like Shenzhen are through-put to/or local ports for global distribution under regular Incoterms like FOB and CIF-31-.

How I Learned to Stop Gambling on Suppliers

Recently I was preparing an order for a client that required 1200 custom denim aprons for a restaurant group. The delivery date was not negotiable. We decided to order this project with a Chinese supplier that seemed ideal on paper. Solid reputation. Reasonable price. Delivery promised in eighteen days.

Day 18 and still nothing. Day 28 they shipped. By the time the goods arrived the embroidery was all unaligned and the sizes all mixed up. The client‘s launch had to be delayed. That supplier had all the right certified documents and a great website. They just couldn‘t get their act together.

When I now evaluate a Chinese corporate uniform manufacturer I find three absolute indicators which I only seek when given real performance.

First, on-time delivery rate. Must be90-. Below 80 indicates a system wide blockage-33. The high performing vendors=consistent on-time rate above 95% indication effective internal development-49. Seek reorder rate of 30% or above- customer acceptance of quality-33. A rate of less than 15% indicates a deficiency in service.

Second, time to respond. Less than four hours is a good target for urgent inquiries-33.Reply within two hours indicates that vendors are interested in engaging with buyers and responding to issues-50. If the only person you can get on the phone is a junior sales representative that has to get approval from the factory manager before answering each question, he/she will be your constant companion for the duration of your production cycle.

3. The level of customize. Real custom making suppliers will have their own design teams, pattern library, sample room and even quality control units in their factory 33. Will they have their own fabric buying, color matching, embroidery digitizing and packaging design teams? 33. A supplier from China with the knowledge of REACH or CPSIA, to realize that L in New York equals to different in Tokyo is priceless.

What Great Corporate Clothing Partners in China WouldBe Like.

You have just sent off a request for information to a factory in China. You get a reply back within a matter of hours. The reply is not a generic quote, but genuine questions about your brand and who is wearing these garments.

They send you fabric swatches from their Dongguan location. They recommend a more appropriate stitch for industrial washing. They identify the low resolution of your logo file before you risk a sample. Once you approve, they send digital mock-ups within 24 to 48 hours, so you can see how the stitching, pocket positioning and branding will look before a single item is produced;5. They provide sample prototypes and allow revision cycles.

When you say yes to the sample, they will send you pictures of the cutting table, the sewing line, the packaging. Not because you asked, but they know you have to sleep at night.

And then when the order arrives from China, it looks just the way the sample did. That isn‘t magic. That‘s a supplier paying close attention.

The Chinese Supplier I Keep Coming Back To

I may not normally mention names. But since you asked for a quick guide to a Chinese supplier, who supplies everything I mentioned. Here it is, I can personally recommended.

JiuvelWear, a ten-plus year-established manufacturer from Dongguan city, Guangdong in China, is a supplier of denim, hoodies, polos and Jackets. – exactly what the corporate teams will like to wear in their daily lives.

What I like most isn‘t their monthly capacity even 100,000 units plus from their China factory is admirable. It‘s not their lead time even though seven to fifteen days from order to delivery is truly quick the industry average is around 20 to 351 days / (2–3 weeks)4. It‘s because their management is involved directly. They speak perfect English. They are knowledgeable about export logistics from China to the US, Europe, and Australia.

I have even placed some difficult custom orders. Difficult embroidery. Custom woven labels. Requests for recycled packaging. They have taken care of each one smoothly, all to be produced in their factory in Dongguan, China.

And more then anything they are honest. If it will not work, they tell you up front. And if they promise they‘ll ship from China on Friday, you can watch that package go out on Friday.

A Quick Checklist Before You Sign

Here are the questions to pose to your new Chinese supplier of workwear. Did they inquire about how your team will be wearing the apparel? Can they provide a sample with your logo on it before the bulk order? Do they boast a successful 90+% on time delivery rate? Do they reply within 4 hours? Is the person to whom you speak authorized to commit? Have they shipped to your country before?

The result is in the hand if you answer yes five or six times.

One Last Thought

Sourcing from China is not the most glamorous step in creating a brand. But when sourcing is done well your team appears sleek and professional; your logo is secure; and your launch is a resounding success the impact is undeniable. When sourcing is done poorly everyone can tell. Invest the time in identifying the right Chinese supplier who shares your stewardship of your brand. You are not purchasing T-shirts. You are purchasing assurance. And that is not something to auction to the lowest bidder.

If this sounded familiar, contact JiuvelWear. No heavy pitching here, just a plain wood conversation with people who understand their stuff in Dongguan, China. Call them for free counseling or to ask for a sample.