You may think you just got lucky finding a factory that would develop your patterns and make you samples for free as part of your production order. What you might not realize is that those “free” samples and development will cost you in other ways.
You are missing out if you’ve never been to a The Fabric Shows (formerly DG Expo). The Fabric Shows are wholesale sourcing trade shows catering to small brands with vendors that offer low-minimums and in-stock programs. The show offers so much and here’s why I think every small fashion brand should attend.
You may be wondering what you can expect at your first meeting with your patternmaker. At the meeting, your patternmaker will need to ask you questions about your design and business. Here are some questions your patternmaker will ask and why the answers are important to the success of your design.
Product development is expensive. I’m not going to tell you otherwise. And this is all upfront long before you are able to start selling the product and see the return on your investment. But there are ways to still develop and offer your customers new options while staying within your budget.