Sportswear Suppliers Building Better Activewear Collections

On the product page, a sportswear range can seem very straightforward. But the details of the garment have a big impact on it during the training fabric, fit, stretch, seam and finish all play a role. So sportswear suppliers are a crucial part of designing the product, not just providing the final product.

Start With the Product You Want to Sell

Start by thinking what kind of sportswear you are intend to create, before even searching for suppliers.

A running T-shirt is required to perform differently than a gym training top. Yoga leggings require a different balance of stretch and recovery than football shorts. A lightweight tracksuit would require different fabric and garment construction selection.

It is also important to consider your target customer. For example, a high end activewear brand will likely be looking for softness, minimal finishing, and close fit. A teamwear customer, on the other hand, might be more concerned with washability, true fits, printing, and availability of stock.

This simple decision would make supplier research a nightmare. Instead of the question “Does this supplier make sportswear?” you should be asking “Does this Supplier have experience in supplying items similar to those I intend to sell?”

Look Beyond the Supplier’s Product Photos

Big catalog is not a synonym of power of production.

Some, mostly producers, just sell the Ready Made. Some pick garments out of drawings, measurements, reference samples or tech packs. These models are different for different buyers.

Ready-made products are optimal where rapid and straightforward buying is appropriate. Custom production offers the desired brand control over fit, fabric, colorways, branding, and construction.

For a fast-growing sportswear name, that sort of diversification also becomes significant. You might begin with one model, then introduce new colors, alter the fabric, modify the fit, or create an entirely new range. A manufacturer that will help you develop product can adapt to those variations.

Fabric Changes the Wearing Experience

Customers feel the fabric very quickly. It‘s not until they have touched, felt the weight, softness, stretch and surface of the fabric that they start to turn over the technical specifications.

The most common blend of fibers found in Sports clothing is that of polyester and nylon. Polyester is preferable because of its fast drying properties and resilience. Nylon is softer and withstands wear and tear better. Elastane or spandex adds elasticity and flexibility.

It can still match the activity.

Running21: Light weight, thin material may be more favorable for running. Heavier fabric may be better suited for training or casual sport wear. Others items such as sports leggings require a good stretch with excellent recovery and other items such as a training shirt which is relaxed in fit may value breathability and weight more.

Why not for that reason, buyers should always request fabric samples, well and early. To know the composition of the fabric you have to request for a specification sheet, although: It can only indicate you composition but it can‘t give you a complete idea of the fabric feel.

Fit Can Make or Break the Product

Sportswear changes over time. A piece of clothing may be comfortable stood up in but completely different at exercise.

Small variation in pattern can make a difference. Shoulder width, sleeve opening, rise, waistband height, body length and leg openings are the aspects of a pattern of which changes are can influence movement and comfort.

This is particularly critical in the case of fitted products. When creating the pattern for these types of garments (e.g. leggings, sports bras, compression tops, fitted shorts etc) you need to take into account how they will stretch.

A good fit lets you test something. Test the garment as you move around: sit down, bend, stretch your arms, and walk. These simple tests can help you discover issues that you can‘t see from measurements.

Construction Matters During Real Use

The focus can be on fabric, but the way seams are made provides a lot of influence to performance.

There are areas where a seam can rub a part of the skin. A weak area can open when under continual tension. The manufacturing process can reduce the quality of a high end item.

Various types of construction are suited for various products. The use of flatlock on areas in contact with the skin may be desirable as they reduce the thickness. Coverstitch construction may be used as a method of finish to maintain flexibility. Re-enforcement may be applied at any areas under stress including pockets, crotch, waistbands to strengthen the fabric.

We are not sewing more than is really required in the whole piece. Good construction means placing the right methods in the correct context.

Branding Needs Practical Thinking

The branding of sportswear is a lot more than just putting a logo on the front of the chest.

Branding options include heat transfers, screen printing, embroidery, woven labels, silicone details, reflective features, custom hangtags and branded packaging. These will alter the appearance and feel of the garment.

Placement is also important. An internal label is going to be irritating when running around, and a heavy embroidery work is not always suitable for a delicate fabrics. The print that appears in a cotton‘s T-shirt can have a completely different performance on a performance fabric.

To test the entire sample gives the buyers a much better concept of the end product and also minimises the problem of a branding issue being noticed once the mass production has been started.

Samples Tell You More Than a Quotation

A supplier quote shows the price. A sample shows whether it will do the job.

When checking samples pay close attention not just to the appearance. For example, inspect fabric hand, measurement, stretch and recovery, quality of seams, the position of the logo, and labels. Also check for good finishing.

The method of washing is also important. Wash the sample under conditions similar to those your customers would, note any fabric changes, cracking of the print, fading and loss of shape.

These tests cost a lot less than correcting the problem on a large quantity of production.

MOQ Changes the Way You Build a Collection

Your product strategy can be impacted by minimum order quanity.

The introduction of a new brand may wish to evaluate a range of designs with only moderate investment in each style. An existing brand may have sufficient sales volume to order at a higher quantity and thereby lower the unit cost.

The other thing is that the MOQs will even be determined by specifications of production. If a dedicated fabric, special dyes, special trims, printing and odd sizes are necessary, the quantities may be different.

Get details from your suppliers on how they use to work out the MOQ. For some it is one minimum order quantity per style. For others it could be on a style, color, fabric or even an individual size basis.

This can alter the true cost of launching a collection.

Think About the Second Order

The first order demonstrate that a supplier can produce the product once. The second and third orders provide you more information:

Repeated styles are used by sportswear brands in particular. A popular black training short design, if successful, will come back season after season in new colours. An established T-shirt may be a perennial product in the range.

The bottom line is this: it makes a difference. Hold on to the approved sample, measurements, fabric particulars, color Swatches, artwork and construction notes. Having nothing but neat documentation is a valuable resource for the factory when you place the next order.

Material stockists. even if a fabric is perfect and is proudly produced, how easy is this product to be stocked? Sometimes suppliers are very proud of the sample they produce but after few months, they cannot get hold of the same fabric which can led to unnecessary change on an existing product.

Communication Makes Development Faster

Choosing custom sportswear requires a lot of handful decisions.

Fabric content.GSM.Stretch direction ( For example,biaxial stretch).Dimensions,Machine stitch,Print,Labels,Packaging,Color standards. You may have to talk about all these points. And a supplier need enough information learn what your real require.

Reference garments and clear measurement charts. Marked-up sample photos. Simple tech packs.

Good communication is not long emails. It is answering questions and recording decisions. That makes the rev of samples more rapidly and avoids errors in shopfloor.

Choose a Supplier That Fits Your Growth

One (or a combination) of what I have outlined as a sportswear supplier‘s service is what all sportswear suppliers need to do.

A retailer whom has the requirements for pre-made gymwear might look at the stock availability and fast delivery. A newbie brand which is needs to build its own collection might focus more on sampling and customization. A bigger label might be more worried about the production consistency and re ordering.

Your supplier should have that same business model.

JiuvelWear, operated by Dongguan Jiuzuo Clothing Co., Ltd., is able to assist brands with sourcing fabric, designing patterns, sampling, OEM/ private label production, raw bulk manufacturing as well as quality control.

The best supplier relationship begins well before the first bulk order. Be sure to get the product specifications right, test the sample thoroughly and make sure the factory knows the ins and outs of what your customers need. When these things are in place, your supplier is contributing to your product instead of just providing a wholesaler.