Apparel Manufacturing
A list of apparel manufacturing resources
Useful Resources
Founded Outdoors community workshop:
- Domestic Manufacturing Office Hours with Jen Guarino & Janay Brower, in partnership with Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office & Pure Michigan Business Connect
Articles:
- FABRIC incubator - Classes on apparel manufacturing process
- How to Vet Apparel Manufacturers: A guide to finding and evaluating manufacturers to ensure they meet your needs.
- Understanding MOQs (Minimum Order Quantities): Tips for negotiating MOQs and strategies to balance cost and inventory needs.
- How to Create a Pre-Production Checklist: An essential guide to preparing for the production phase to avoid costly mistakes.
- Ethical and Sustainable Manufacturing Practices: Insights into working with ethical factories and sourcing eco-friendly materials.
- Working with Overseas Factories: A guide to managing relationships with international manufacturers, including quality control and logistics.
Books:
- “The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing” by Kathleen Fasanella: A must-read for understanding the manufacturing process from a small business perspective.
- “Sewing Success? Employment, Wages, and Poverty following the End of the Multi-Fibre Arrangement” by Gladys Lopez-Acevedo: Explores the dynamics of global garment manufacturing.
Videos:
- Apparel Manufacturing Process Overview: A high-level introduction to the stages of apparel manufacturing.
- Quality Control Tips for Manufacturing: Best practices for maintaining quality during production.
Founded Outdoors Community Tips & Insights
- Start with a small production run to test your manufacturer’s quality and reliability before committing to larger orders.
- Be clear and specific when communicating with manufacturers. Provide a detailed tech pack that includes materials, measurements, stitching details, and quality expectations.
- Always request samples before starting production, and make sure you conduct a thorough quality check before approving bulk production.
- Consider working with manufacturers that offer flexible MOQs if you’re a small or new brand to avoid overcommitting to inventory.
- Build a relationship with your factory team by visiting in person when possible. This fosters trust and helps resolve issues quickly.
- Plan for production delays by padding your timelines, especially when working with overseas manufacturers.
- Factor in hidden costs like shipping, tariffs, and potential quality control issues when calculating production budgets.
- Ensure you have a quality control process in place to catch errors early, ideally by inspecting a percentage of items during production.
- Explore sustainable manufacturing options, including factories that specialize in eco-friendly practices or use recycled materials.
Vendors
- Maker’s Row: A directory of U.S.-based factories that specialize in apparel manufacturing.
- Alanic Global: Offers custom manufacturing for activewear, lifestyle apparel, and more.
- Apparel Production Inc.: A full-service garment manufacturer based in New York City.
- Euphoric Colors: A California-based full-package production house specializing in fashion and performance wear.
- Hongyu Apparel: Offers custom apparel manufacturing with competitive pricing and small MOQs.
- Billoomi Fashion: An India-based apparel manufacturer known for quality and flexibility.
- SwatchOn: Offers fabric sourcing alongside manufacturing services for emerging brands.
- Venture Apparel: Specializes in creating technical outdoor gear and performance apparel.
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