Sew, you’re in the sweet spot between completing your garment design and sending it off to the factory to be manufactured. We know how incredibly exciting this stage is, but don’t jump too far ahead of yourself – by the first time you reach out to the factory, you need to have everything from fabrics and labels to hang tags and trims ready to go. Also, factories who don’t do product development will need you to have additional materials like samples and a tech pack before production can begin!
If you’re suddenly feeling overwhelmed and underprepared, fear not – Silaye is here to help you start! Let’s take a look at the key points that require your undivided attention to achieve material sourcing success.
Availability of fabric
This is step one. Of course, identifying whether a style will be timeless, if it’s about to hit the runway, or if it’s near retirement in the closets of fashionistas will help you decide whether or not it’s worth creating and the materials are worth ordering. But that isn’t the only point to pay attention to; especially when it comes to printed fabrics, certain fabrics are more difficult to come by or costly to produce. Prints with continuity will be cheaper to purchase than to have custom-printed, but they are much harder to find. Sit down with a fabric supplier to see what they have in stock to help you make the best decision for you, your brand, and your wallet.
Keep quality in check
The quality of your garments speak volumes about your brand, so avoid cutting corners and always utilize the best materials available in your market and at your price point. It may seem like the cheaper option will save you money, but if they end up costing you in loss of customers and added expenses to fix your garments, you won’t be saving money after all!
Get to know your fabric options
The types of fabrics are endless… so if you have an idea between knits and woven pieces, fabric construction types, and weights, you’ll be much better off when you begin! Confused? Hit up our fabric classification blog post to build your knowledge.
Find your unique edge
The only way to stay competitive in the fashion industry is to define your individuality and sell it. The more unique your apparel is, the less competition there will be in your sector. Define what sets you apart and what you want to achieve with it by creating mood boards and vision boards – they will help you define and realize your ideas and your voice as a designer entrepreneur.
Never stop learning
The fashion industry is ever-evolving, so ensure you’re keeping up with the trends, the methods, and always invest in your knowledge by keeping up to date with blog posts by Source My Garment! #ShamelessPlug… right?
What are the key pieces of info, advice, or ideas that helped you get on the ground running when fabric sourcing?
P.S. Looking to save some time finding a fabric or trim supplier? Check out our database that contains over 700 North American Suppliers. Here!