There are many moving pieces to starting a clothing line, and choosing the right fabric is essential. Many different materials are available, from knit, woven, and yarn dyed to numerous knitting, weaving, and printing techniques. Understanding how to buy fabric is essential to avoid costly mistakes and production difficulties before designing products for your fashion business. Here are some tips to get you started.
Know Your Fabric Type and Quality
Your choice of fabric will greatly impact how well your clothes turn out. As such, finding a good supplier with high-quality materials at reasonable prices is worth it. You should shop around and look for specialist clothing manufacturers who offer lower-order quantities. Generally speaking, your textiles will look and feel better the better quality they are. If your business mainly focuses on activewear, it’s also worth looking for an athletic wear fabric sourced and produced responsibly to help your brand stand out. The type of weave you choose can affect the properties of the fabric, such as its thickness, durability and texture. The dyes used in a material can also impact the final product. For example, darker colors are more durable and fade less quickly than lighter shades. Another important factor to consider is the fabric weight.
Know Your Needs
Identifying your needs is a critical first step in fabric sourcing. Whether you’re a new designer or an established fashion brand, understanding your requirements is the best way to source the right textiles for your clothing line business. It may include figuring out how many yards of each fabric you need or what fabric type is best for your designs. Another consideration is fabric lead time, or how long it will take for the manufacturer to deliver your fabrics. It varies based on the fabric supplier and its stock levels. For example, some more popular textiles may have longer lead times than less-popular options. There are several ways to find fabric suppliers, including attending trade shows or contacting a fabric agent. These agents typically charge a commission on orders, but they can be helpful if you’re looking for a specific textile that is hard to find online. In addition, some fabric manufacturers list their suppliers on their websites and social media, making it easy to reach out to them directly.
Know Your Budget
It’s crucial to know your spending limit for your clothing line business. It will help you select the right fabrics for your designs. It would help to consider other startup costs, such as website and marketing expenses. It would help to create a financial forecast for your business to determine your budget. It will include a balance sheet, income, and cash flow statements. It is the closest thing you will get to looking into your business’s future. Remember that operating costs will increase if you hire employees or invest in new technology. Before placing a large order, it’s a good idea to test the fabric on small swatches first. You’ll be able to avoid costly errors that could cost you a lot of money.
Additionally, you should discuss the minimum order quantity (MOQ) with your vendors. It is usually measured in yards or meters and can vary depending on the fabric type. Also, ask about lead times to determine how quickly you can receive the fabric once you place an order.
Know Your Design Sketches
Fabric sourcing is a crucial element of the manufacturing process, and it can impact the final quality of your product. It’s critical to comprehensively understand your outfits’ patterns and construction aspects to locate the appropriate fabrics. Ordering the right materials can help you save time and money. You may have seen beautiful fashion sketches that make you gasp and dream of wearing gorgeous gowns, but these are not what you need when developing your line. It would help to have technical flats or tech sketches, essentially plain line drawings of a garment’s proportions and stitch types. Aside from helping you understand your design, these flats will also tell you how much shrinkage your garment will experience during production. It is important because it can cause the garment to fit differently than you want it to or even be unwearable. So, confirming this with your manufacturer before ordering fabric is important. It is easy to do, saving you time and money in the long run.
Know Your Suppliers
The type of fabric you choose impacts your garments’ look, feel, and consistency. Investing in a quality fabric that will last and make your clothing line stand out is worth it. Finding the right suppliers can take some time, but it’s important to find a supplier who offers high-quality fabrics at a reasonable price. To get started, you can look online or attend a trade show. Trade shows are great because they allow you to touch and see the fabrics before purchasing. They also offer discounts and special offers for small business owners.
Another way to find suppliers is by working with a specialist fabric agent. These agents are usually fabric wholesale suppliers with a deep network of factories and mill partners worldwide. They can help you find the right material for your design and ensure a steady fabric supply. They can also help you negotiate prices and work with manufacturers directly. They often charge a fee for their services, but they can save you a lot of time by handling the search for you.
