Sourcing Clothing Manufacturers in the Global Apparel Industry

Selecting the appropriate factory can greatly impact the quality, price and timing of a clothing brand. Sourcing Clothing Manufacturers are more complex than gathering factory contacts and price comparisons. Brands must familiarize themselves with production abilities, fabric selection, minimum order quantities, sampling, quality assurance, communication and delivery prior to choosing a factory.

Think about your product first, before you communicate with the factory. If you know the fabric, weight, fit, measurements, colors, trims, labels, printing, embroidery, packaging and garment category, the company has ready information to produce. Pack style can be an extra detail. Drawing, sample/garments, measurements, photos with all details explained, can offer to your manufacturer the best understanding of your idea.

Order quantity is important too. A new line of clothing from a fresh designer may be small, or for the large, well-known brand, the order could be thousands of pieces across many styles. Factories will have different capacities and it is easy for a preliminary list of suppliers to be eliminated when you specify what quantity you require.

Where to Source Clothing Manufacturers

Google has one of the most user friendly tools to get started finding factories. Once searching by category of good, such as calling for a clothing manufacturer, can bring up much less helpful results than searching by specific product. For example, a brand searching for the manufacture of denim would search specifically for ‘denim manufacturer’ and then review each factory‘s product experience and manufacturing capabilities.

Another valuable source is industry directories. Currently, the CFDA Production Directory has information on over 380 United States clothing manufacturers and is searchable for location, product category, minimum order, and services. The directory is broken into specific categories of apparel production such as sourcing of fabric, pattern making, sample making, cutting, and sewing.

Trade exhibitions can offer a different set of information. The face to face activity allows the purchasers to discuss the fabrics, construction, quantities and development terms, as well as to view the samples in real environment. Other companies’ recommendations are helpful too, especially for a manufacturer who is familiar with the desired product.

The use of online directories and recommendation should merely compile an initial list. The CFDA itself clarifies that the members of the directory do not have any audits, certifications or monitoring of facilities and therefore market demand still has to make their own supplier checks.

Look at Production Experience First

A factory may be advertising everything from intimate wear to accessories, but that doesn‘t necessarily mean they‘re experienced in your sort of product.

All of the categories shown (streetwear, denim, sportswear, dresses, uniforms and knitwear) have different production needs. For example, a manufacturer with very good background in one category, will not necessarily have equally good experience in another. Looking at example of a product is therefore much more valuable than a generic company profile.

Product complexity. Heavyweight fabrics, special washes, complex panels, embroidery, screen printing, exotic construction, custom trims are examples of where specific equipment and production knowledge may be necessary. The more similar a factory‘s historical work is to your product, the easier it may be to assess production and quality expectations.

Do Not Choose a Factory From Price Alone

On the other hand, Price naturally gathers limited attention from the suppliers. In fact, even if the lowest quotation is a common criterial, the lowest price of offer does not necessarily correspond to the lowest production.

Quotation may also be altered as the factory gets more information about the fabric, specification, quantity, colours, trims and finishing requirements. The quoted garment price may be relatively low with the specified fabric minimum or extra development costs.

Another key difference is quality. A close dup for a cheaper garment can be much more costly when measurement issues, fabric problems, work problems or late delivery lead to unnecessary work.

Compare the whole production to unit price as well. MOQ, sampling, fabric sourcing, quality control, lead time, communication and repurchase support need to be considered before you make up your mind.

Ask Detailed Questions Before Sampling

The initial discussion with the factory should clarify if the project is feasible on both sides.

Tell them what you want to produce, the quantity you hope for, the fabric you require, the customization you want, and your deadlines. Then ask if the factory has produced similar goods before, and if it can handle the volume.

Questions about MOQ, fabric sourcing, sample development, lead time, quality inspection and repeat order may indicate That‘s some aspects you should be aware of when you compare the suppliers to select the production sources.

An effective inquiry also enables the manufacturer to get a realistic quote. Apparel sourcing guidance advised it is better to inform the conditions, style, quantity, specification, etc. to the supplier instead of quoting a price without further details.

Use Samples to Test the Factory

Sampling also provides a brand with its initial assessment of manufacture capability.

Please check fabric weight and hand, measurements, fit, construction such as stitching, seams, trims, labels, printing, embroidery etc. before your final selection. It‘s always better to compare sample design with your spec, rather than just judging by a on-screen appearance.

Revision communication can be as informative as the sample you are reviewing. Should you ask for modifications, observe the way the factory reacts; skilled production staff can identify the issue, provide workable adjustments and carry out the changes efficiently.

Sampling also allows for avoiding bigger errors. It becomes more expensive and difficult to change the wrong construction detail once the brand has ordered a large batch.

Understand MOQ Before You Compare Suppliers

Minimum order quantity will seem simple until you start talking about a real clothing project.

A supplier might have a minimum order size for each style, and a different minimum for each color or fabric. If it has a small garment order, it may require a large order of fabric from its material supplier.

Inquire precisely about the MOQ of each quote before we compare. Find minimum quantity for each style, color, fabric, production run. Smaller brands make sure to ask is it possible to start with smaller first orders and larger repeat orders.

Lower MOQ can aid a developing brand with a risks of stock aging and the inability to find the optimal number that suit your market; however, the MOQ is never one and only consideration for selecting a particular supplier, as the quality of production and lasting stable supply is vital.

Pay Attention to Communication

Communication generally exposes the problems affecting the program before it enters production.

An agent that inquires a lot about the measurements, fabric and material, construction, quantity, delivery, etc. Normally has a more comprehensive idea of the whole project. An agent that quotes a price very quickly without querying any requirements might not have enough information to be able to quote sensibly.

Response time is also important, but accuracy is more important. Having a speedy response will only be valuable if the supplier has understood the product correctly.

It is especially crucial that a project is communicated clearly, when multiple iterations are involved. Small differences in measurements, fabric shades, labels, or construction can become very troublesome during bulk production.

Test the Relationship With the First Order

Initial production order should provide the brand with sufficient information to evaluate the supplier before any further significant production volumes.

Check and make the factory comply with approved spec, A.K.A. kept consistent measurement, Selected finish fabric, Uncontrolled workmanship, Responded to schedule, Communicated when faced problems.

Quality control should be introduced into the manufacturing process right from the start. Well defined specifications and inspection standards provide both the buyer and the producer with a common basis for judging the quality of garments.

If the first production is successful, it provides a better platform for the next order. The brand understands what kind of communication it has with its factory and how the factory reacts to problems.

Think About Future Production

The supply source is less necessary when the manufacturer is able to uphold a brand for more than one order.

Growing brands will use new styles, update fabrics, increase quantities and repeat order over the year. A supplier that is aware of the brands measurements, styles, fabric, labels and quality standard will be able to help the development process in the future.

The key here is consistency. A wear/tear mechanism also reduces the variation in the garment when the same customer wears it on subsequent occasions.

However, long-term cooperation will help to prevent unwarranted supplier changes by avoiding the need to restart the sourcing step for each new collection, if the manufacturer is still in compliance with the brand‘s requirement.

Choose the Factory That Fits the Business

Most of the time, lowest price doesn‘t indicate the right one. The more suitable one is the one whose factory characteristics and actual products, business orders, quality and development plan are consistent with the brand information.

JiuvelWear collaborates with brands for custom apparel development and manufacturing. The Dongguan Jiuzuo Clothing Co., Ltd. provides fabric sourcing, sample development, production, inspection, and QC, allowing brands to leverage one manufacturer for a number of key aspects to the apparel manufacturing process.

In the end, good sourcing results from detailed evaluation not a hurried supplier hunt. Precisely specify the product, search for manufacturers via multiple sources, consider prior relevant production experience, compare the total cost, ask for samples and test the relationship through an initial purchase. When a manufacturer provides the desired quality and service on a regular basis, the sourcing can be fully evolved to become a stable long term production relationship.