Fashion Revolution Week is a big mission and there are many ways to get involved as a brand and as a consumer. Today I want to talk about five things you can do as a fashion brand to become a more ethical manufacturer and be part of that better fashion future.
Measurements are found all over within the fashion industry and fabrics are no exception. Whether you are looking at a Bill of Materials, ordering fabric or swatches online, or doing some fabric testing, understanding how fabrics are measured and listed will help you make the best choices regarding your fabric.
Small batch production is an attractive option for brands that are just starting out and want to test their products in the market before investing in large amounts of inventory. But, while producing small batch has a lower environmental and start-up cost, the cost per unit is actually much higher.
During development and even pre-production, there are times that you might get a sample back that isn’t quite how you wanted it. But, when the sample doesn’t fit, how do you determine whether cutting, sewing, shrinkage, markers, or the pattern itself caused the problem and what needs to be done to correct it?
Part of running a successful fashion brand is managing your resources well. That includes ordering the right amount of fabric you need without running short or sitting on a bunch of leftover yardage. Having a better understanding of what affects your yields will help you order materials more efficiently.
Product development is a time to test and tweak your design before mass production. Each step has a purpose to help you evaluate different aspects of the product and how it’s manufactured — from performance, to fit, to ease of care. Once the testing is done, you’ll have all the tools you need for production.
There are many different types of factories that specialize in different fabrics, products, price points, and size of brands they serve. But, overall, factories fall into two main categories – full service and cut & sew factories. Let’s look at the difference between the two and the pros and cons of each for your brand.
Sampling is what allows you to test out all aspects of your design before investing in production. There are different types of samples needed during the process each serving a purpose. In today’s post, we’ll talk about what samples you need for each stage of development, what they are for, and who should make them.
You’ll need to consider the cost to make your designs and set prices that will make you a profit. Costing apparel products can seem like a moving target, but there are some formulas you can use to calculate costs and prices so you can make informed money decisions.
Have you ever wanted to start a fashion brand and wondered how to actually get the products made? There is more than one way you can get products made for your fashion brand. You have several options depending on how much product customization you want and how much you have to invest in product development.