Beyond Eco Fabrics: Choosing the Right Sustainable Clothing Manufacturers

Developing a sustainable collection, needs more planning than simply printing recycled packs labels. Numerous brands look for sustainable clothing manufacturers because they seek artisan partners who grasp the concept of responsibly sourced materials, textile durability, and building a transparent supply chain. A sustainable product is based on the many choices made from yarn and fabric selection to production management, and design of a product that is functional for a longer period.

Depending on the product, sustainable may start to get complicated when the designs are developed in the factory. Fiber content might be sustainable, but how the piece turns out depends so much on the construction of the garment, final quality, longevity and management of the supply chain. Successful sustainable collections are those that raise the bottom line along with the top.

Sustainable Clothing Manufacturing Starts With Material Decisions

Material selection still is even one of the initial steps that brands take when they develop sustainable apparel.

Organic cotton, recycled polyester and other responsible fibres are standard in most collections. But brands need to know what‘s the difference between the different materials and what claims they can make.

For instance, GOTS is concerned with only certified organic fibers and all processing, environmental, social and traceability standards (but not all of the above are necessarily included in each criterion). GRS regulates recycled content and chain-of-custody; OEKO-TEX Standard 100 only certifies final textile products for harmful chemicals. As they support different claims of sustainability, brands should select certifications based on their product claims rather than treat them all equally.

A clothing label working with recycled polyester for activewear may require some other kind of certification compared to a label working with organic cotton in casual T-shirts.

Why Material Certification Alone Does Not Define Sustainability

Very often, a lot of new brands think that the certified fabric makes the garment a 100% sustainable.

More steps are involved in reality.

A finished garment usually passes through multiple stages:

• Fiber production
• Yarn processing
• Fabric manufacturing
• Dyeing and finishing Two of the finishing processes were dyeing and finishing.
• Sewing and cuttingou. Represents the sixth best-selling technique18. Based on her 14 years of experience working in the field, Walsh identified it as one of the most common techniques used on the job. She found that students go through a dry run or prototype and then begin sewing.
• Packaging and transportation The parameters of factors packaging and transportation are also enabled.

Every level can affect the environmental load of the final product.

Brands are now very interested in supply chain transparency because they want to have knowledge of material origins and processes. Companies like Patagonia have focused a lot on mapping supply chains and tracking material programs while textile supply chains often have many different suppliers until the item reaches the consumer.

Production Efficiency Creates Real Sustainability Improvements

The sustainability does not end up in the factory.

The garment manufacturers‘use of resources is affected by everyday decisions made during production.

Factories analyze markers during cut to maximize the efficiency of fabric use. Improved cut plans minimize the remaining fabric wastage, particularly for complicated patterns as in the case of bulky streetwear design.

During production planning, manufacturers also manage:

• Material preparation
• Production scheduling
• Quality checkpoints
• Defect control

Eliminating production errors also contributes to long term sustainability because there are fewer rejects to send back through the process and dispose of.

A supplier that understands on production efficiency than a supplier that encourages only eco-friendly fabric will do a better job to a fashion brands.

What Brands Should Examine Before Working With Sustainable Manufacturers

The answertothe question: of whether a particular factory is using sustainable clothing manufacturers is not simply:.

The practical issues brands need to measure include:

Material Knowledge

A competent manufacturer is aware of how various types of fabrics will react during production.

For example:

Organic cotton may need shrinkage control.

Polyester blanket, no testing for .

Different sewing techniques on blended fabrics may be required depending on stretch and recovery as it has impact on fit.

Material knowledge is useful for brands to prevent problems during mass production.

Manufacturing Capability

The skills involved in manufacturing, of course, are not abandoned by the idea of sustainability.

A factory still needs strong ability in:

• Pattern development
• Sampling
• Sewing techniques
• Quality inspection
• Production management

A textile made out of this would not be a suitable product if the construction of the garment did not work.

Supply Chain Transparency

More international customers are asking suppliers for where produced, source of raw materials and paperwork.

Major retailers have also started to increase supply chain visibility by engaging in factory mapping and material provenance tracking through various stages of production. Target, for instance, has undertaken a factory mapping and material traceability initiative.

We are seeing smaller fashion brands also starting to ask these sorts of questions.

The Challenges Behind Sustainable Apparel Production

When designing sustainably, companies are more often than not balancing between different aims.

One of the problems is the cost.

The use of responsible materials and certification procedures could lead to additional costs of production compared with traditional alternatives.

The other problem is the availability.

Some sustainable fabrics require:

• Specific suppliers
• More (larger minimum orders)
• Not in time: Longer development cycles.

Pricing faces a third problem with customer‘s expectations.

Brands still need garments that provide:

• How the ear is comfortable to wear.
• Attractive appearance
• Reliable durability

The greatest success in sustainability occurs when theres blending a sustainability perspective with a quality product.

Why Long-Term Brands Need Manufacturing Partners, Not Just Suppliers

Suppliers will be able to supply fabric and finished garments, but a manufacturing partner will be able to give a more in-depth development support.

During product creation, brands often need help with:

• Choosing appropriate materials.
• Modifying garmentsstructures
• Improving samples
• Production controls, quality, throughout workshop

For new fashion brands, this cooperation is crucial in order to stand out from other just by developing own collections, not just by copying the existing ones.

A solid manufacturing relation provides brands with the opportunity to establish consistency over successive seasons.

Building Sustainable Collections With JiuvelWear

JiuvelWear offers professional manufacturing services for fashion brands seeking to create custom apparel ranges. Dongguan Jiuzuo Clothing Co., Ltd. supplies OEM, ODM, private label, sampling and bulk production services for brands developing custom clothing lines.

The company partners with brands on product development, fabric sourcing, sample development and production management to assist in bringing ideas to life.

Partnering with producersofenvironmentally-friendly garments involves more than just working with the fabric choices. One has to know the pre- and post-production time lines to know what‘s actually in the finished garments. Knowledge of sourcing, production and quality assurance results in a line where environmental benefits are combined with customer sustainable fashion expectations.