When do you plan to begin sourcing fabrics for your clothing or accessory line? This is the one and only manual you’ll ever need for finding and purchasing wholesale fabrics or obtaining individual pieces of fabric. Whether you choose to deal with fabric mills and fabric manufacturers directly or via an agency, I will show you how to prepare, keep organized, and locate fabric suppliers. After many years working in the sector and specializing in fabric production, I still use the same technique and procedure!
Considered these points:
Identify Target Audience
You should not try to please everyone right away. Ok, so you’re looking for eco-friendly hemp or organic cotton clothing, right? Ok… Do you cater to women, men, or both genders? Would they describe themselves as “casual everyday” people who do errands but nonetheless care about how they look? What about dressy attire for a night out? Can you name an issue that your clothing helps to resolve? Or maybe you’re intent on becoming an expert in only one field, say, the design of the ideal t-shirt. You’ll need to make these selections before you begin. Which fashion textiles you end up sourcing will depend on the course your business is taking and the goods you want to produce.
Research Well
Take your time and think of something really unique; just because it seems unfamiliar now does not imply it was always so. Did you know that the popular sustainable fabric Tencel was first marketed as Newcell in 1972? Shoppers have been wearing the eco-friendly material for half a century, but it is only now generating news due to greenwashing. When gathering information, don’t be that person who fakes caring about the environment.
Counter Sourcing
If you are just starting out in the field of product creation and want to make sure you receive the precise materials you need without getting bogged down in the weeds of technical minutiae and industry lingo, counter sourcing is a fantastic option. When we know exactly what we want, it might be difficult to explain our needs to a textiles beginner or graduate. A shirt, for instance, may be X% cotton, X% linen, Z yarn size, and Y gauge, all of which I could determine by looking at it. The cloth has also been enzyme rinsed for 10 minutes. I need you to create it right now. Truth be told, however, most of you don’t have this kind of expertise since fabric sourcing positions need at least ten years of experience. Following this advice, though, will have you sourcing fabric like a pro in no time.
Buy
Get started on creating your own label by searching around for textiles you like and would be interested in using.
Get out there and observe the competition. Who is dominating the space you want to enter?
Avoid yoga and swimming wear if you’re looking to launch a sustainable clothing line. These niches are already well-served by established brands. Create something really unique.
Two things should be on your radar while you shop now. The first is, of course, textiles.
Test
You should try on samples of the textiles to see whether they are to your liking; if you can identify issues with the products your rivals are selling and develop ways to improve upon them, your brand will have a greater shot at succeeding.
Put on some of the rival brand’s clothing by purchasing a couple pieces. Does wear and tear cause the cloth to fail? How much of a pill is it (get those little balls of lint). Or maybe it rapidly loses its stretch, like the Outdoor Voices brand does. Perhaps you have the impression of being trapped in a plastic bag, hot and muggy.
If you want an identical match from a fabric mill, you need first make sure the cloth you want to replicate is high-quality.
Conclusion
Fabric sourcing and finding potential fabric manufacturers and suppliers are not easy tasks as they require complex activities. But with a little bit of research and clarity about your needs and business, you can find a good fabric distributor. And at fabriclore, you will get all kinds of quality that you want. Fast shipping, wide variety of material, availability of bulk fabric and customization options. So hurry up and get the fabric of your dream.
