Working with a clothing manufacturer

Choose a manufacturer when no stock blank gives you the cut, fabric, fit or finish you want, or when the garment itself is what you sell: your own labels, trims and construction.

If a stock blank is close enough, a print shop or print on demand is usually faster and cheaper to start with. Many brands begin on blanks and move their best sellers to their own garment later.

Manufacturers quote faster and more accurately when your first message answers the questions they always ask.

• The garment type and a reference: a sketch, a photo or a garment you want to match.
• The fabric composition and weight you want, or a swatch, and whether you will supply it.
• Target quantity per style and per color, and the size range.
• Prints, embroidery, labels, hang tags and packaging.
• Your target price per piece and the date you need finished goods.
• Where the order ships, so shipping and duties can be quoted.

A tech pack is the written specification a factory builds from. A simple one is enough to get quotes; a complete one prevents most surprises in sampling.

Expect at least one sample before the bulk order, and often several rounds. A first sample checks the pattern and construction; later rounds check fit across sizes, fabric, color and branding.

Ask what each round costs, how long it takes, and whether sample fees count toward the bulk order. Approve the final sample in writing: it becomes the standard the bulk order is checked against.

Minimums are usually set per style and per color, because each one needs its own fabric, cutting and setup. Some factories accept a smaller quantity at a higher price per piece.

Lead times usually count from sample approval rather than from your first message, and depend on how quickly the fabric arrives. A deposit before production and the balance before shipping is a common arrangement; agree the terms in writing.

Agree how the order is checked before it ships: who inspects it, against which sample, and what happens to pieces that fail.

Confirm who arranges shipping and who pays duties. Shipping terms, often written as Incoterms, decide where the factory’s responsibility ends and yours begins.

An EXW price covers the goods at the factory door, and you arrange and pay for everything after that. A DDP price includes delivery to your address with duties paid.