This is well proven fact that the role of your private label clothing manufacturer is very crucial in the journey of your clothing line. The manufacturer whom you choose to partner can either make or break your new business.
Finding the right clothing manufacturer is very easy. But retaining them for years, is very difficult. In the quest of comparatively lower cost or sometime small stiff you go through the same process again and again. You have to :
Explore the internet for finding right clothing manufacturing partners for your private label
Or possibly ask your peers for recommendations
Interview potential manufacturer to make sure that their production practices match your high quality product and ethical standards
Make sure that your clothing manufacturer can meet your high and low batch production order
Negotiate the terms and pricing
You can see how hectic it is! Hence we always recommend to maintain your relations with your clothing manufacturer. We're giving you 06 proven tips which will help you to get best output from your clothing manufacturer.
BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR ORDER QUANTITY : Production quantity is needed for two things - one that it will help to work out the costing and second that it helps manufacturer to understand the possible future business volume. Quite often, clothing labels do not disclose the quantity or give a random (higher number) quantity. Manufacturing company calculate the price on higher volume but when it comes to place the actual order, the quantity goes lower. This creates lot of problem. At one hand, as label owner you possibly expecting same price of your lower quantity what was actually worked on higher quantity. We strongly recommend to be clear about your order quantity right at the beginning instead of fighting later with your manufacturer. Be honest and do not hesitate in case your order quantity is small. If that is a small batch clothing manufacturer, they will be glad to take your order and if they're not accepting low MOQ order quantity then at the time of actual order placement you will loose your time and temperament only. Hence be honest with your order quantity always. There are the possibility that you're not sure about your order quantity at the beginning. In this case ask your manufacturer about their minimums and take the price accordingly.
BE SPECIFIC WHAT YOU WANT : There is a quote of Billoomi Fashion a custom clothing manufacturer from India - "If you're 100% sure what you want, then we're 200% sure that we can manufacture this for you." You're the owner of your clothing label. You must know the basics before you start looking a private label apparel manufacturer for your label. Basics such as - how many styles you want, how many size in each style you want, the color you wish to go for for each style, the fabric you're willing and all those details which are important. More specific you're; more you will get out of your private label apparel manufacturer. Develop an understanding about the manufacturing process and what it takes to have a first sample created. If you're not well experienced, then discuss about all this with your manufacturer and go with their expertise rather. We always recommend to keep every single details finalised before you start finding a clothing manufacturer for you label. Do let your manufacturer to be your guide!
BE REALISTIC ON TIMELINE : Clothing manufacturing is a multi-skill, multi-hand, multi-process work which is done by humans. Do not judge a manufacturer if you get shorter timeline or do not start asking discount or refund if there is a delay in delivery or the given time-line is not fulfilled. Rather speak to your manufacturer and try to understand the timeline required for your order - be it sampling or production. If your design is complicated or it requires more than usual steps in manufacturing to meet your quality standard, then rushing for quick delivery may hamper the quality. Hence give due time for your collection to be made. Better discuss the timeline prior to order delivery date with your manufacturer and expect few days sooner or later from the given date.
WEEKLY FOLLOW UP. NOT DAILY : Make a weekly follow up about the work progress. In fact the good is that you make a follow up in 10 days or ask the frequency of follow up with your clothing manufacturer. You can imagine the situation - you’re managing 100 clients with some thousand unique work and all are asking daily update with picture and skype or whatsapp video call or phone call. This can be just annoying and the person who on ground is loaded around machines, struggling with suppliers and workers to make sure that everything is just perfect. The best way is that, you ask your manufacture for the frequency of update you should expect. If you're not comfortable with the given frequency, you can change it and once agreed then just stick with it. Manufacturers usually prefer staying close to their tailors and machines rather than their computers and over phone. Avoid ruffling their feathers with daily interruptions, and instead digitally follow up with them every other week. Daily follow up does not work.
SCHEDULE PHOTOSHOOT WITHOUT HAVING PRODUCT IN HAND : Do not schedule photoshoot or press conference or any such activity without having your samples in hand. Sometime you schedule such activity after taking words from your clothing manufacturer about the possible arrival date of sample. But due to some reason, you do not receive the sample. There are countless reasons such as : A. Courier was not picked on time B. Courier got stuck due to no-one found at destination C. Courier got stuck in custom and some duty incurred or additional document is asked D. Sample was not ready due to some reasons such as - last minute problem got detected in QC, or some problem came in fabric dyeing or printing and so on. E. Sample did not get completed due to respective tailor or labour got ill. F. Sample was ready but courier was not scheduled because invoice or other relevant paper was not ready. G. Payment is due from your side. Hence you can understand there could be endless reason behind not arriving your sample in hand as you were expecting. It is not necessary that manufacturer is always responsible. There are the chances that courier company or custom or some unforeseen problem came. Please understand the reason and avoid fighting for such reasons or situation. Rather discuss with your manufacturer and understand the reason and always schedule the activities only once your samples are reached in hand.
GOOD GESTURE YIELDS GREAT RESULTS : Maintain a professional courtesy all the time. You should respect their job, and must be kind so that they get motivated. If your manufacturer did a great job, thank them. In the rush of designing and selling your clothing, it’s important not to forget those artisans who actually made it for you.
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