Starting a clothing line is a popular startup idea because of its great branding opportunities and relatively low capital requirements. No wonder why we see a lot of clothing startups come and go in the industry. Some fail to leave a mark and eventually go bankrupt while there are many others that become successful and are thriving up to this day. Much like any other business, there is no certainty with having a clothing line as a business venture. There will always be tough challenges ahead and it is up to the business owner to overcome these.
Most of the time, the biggest challenge for startup clothing lines is finding a clothing manufacturer which works not always perfectly for them. Finding someone who is willing to provide maximum services despite of the business owners’ initial minimal orders is hard. Most clothing manufacturers prefer working with established brands and companies because of the financial security they get from them and the high volume. However, the emergence of small businesses through e-commerce paved the way for manufacturers to consider small up to mid-sized businesses as clients.
In this article, we will teach you how to find clothing manufacturers in a different perspective. We already know we can find them in events such as trade and industry fairs or look them up in supplier directories online, but this time we will provide extensive tips on the other aspects of finding a clothing manufacturer.
Guidance for Finding a Startup Clothing Manufacturer
When looking for a clothing manufacturer, it is important to understand you are not only searching for someone who will manufacture your clothing designs. You are also choosing a business partner who is going to be a critical factor to the outcome of your clothing business. Always look forward to work with a manufacturer on a long-term basis instead of swapping manufacturers from time to time. This way, you are able to establish a solid business relationship which is essential for success.
When you reach out to a potential clothing manufacturer, ask for a proposal which lets them inform you of the services they can offer. If possible, look forward to a clothing manufacturer who will not only provide manufacturing services but will also support you in every manufacturing step there is. From design conception all the way up to the end of the production line with the logistics. Assuming you are a startup clothing business, the clothing manufacturer must be supportive of your endeavor and not simply take advantage of the money they can get out of you.
A startup business regardless of the industry you are in, you will often be in a critical situation. Budget is tight, there is little room for errors and sometimes the business owners shouldn’t risk too much. A great clothing manufacturer must acknowledge this considering they have worked with multiple clothing lines before. They should provide excellent customer support system and not just leave clients on their own. They have to be open to giving inputs and suggestions for the betterment of the product and work altogether as a team.
Another great sign to determine whether you have landed a potent clothing manufacturer is when they suggest for you to order a small batch of clothing products first to test the waters. This goes to show they care about your business and do not only care of their profits. Starting out with a small batch allows you to reiterate and modify your products for succeeding batches as soon as you have discovered the flaws or areas which need improvement of the current batch. An excellent clothing manufacturer seeks long-term clients and not only short-term cash cows.
Conclusion
Finding a clothing manufacturer for startup businesses is crucial. Determining whether you have found the right one is the tricky part. Asking for a formal proposal is definitely the way to go when finding a great clothing manufacturer. This is a better approach instead of simply asking questions back and forth. It helps you save time and effort and you can check out multiple potential clothing manufacturers at once. It is simply up to you to weigh your choices based on the services and fair prices they can offer.
As a startup clothing business, you would not want to start your venture working with a wrong clothing manufacturer. Choosing your clothing manufacturer for startups is a critical step and you need to get it right to make sure your first major step is a right one. Picking the wrong clothing manufacturer is a big step backwards for your business venture. The loss of money, time and resources are sometimes too much for a small clothing line. Worse thing is when you do not have a fall back plan to rely on. Choose your clothing manufacturer wisely.
