Why Domestic Garment Manufacturers Will Give You an Edge Over Others

July 15, 2019

It’s very tempting to turn to overseas manufacturing plants to fulfill your garment production requirements. While manufacturing overseas may be cheaper per unit than manufacturing locally, it comes with increased logistics cost, lead time, inventory investment and sometimes, poor quality.

As an upcoming or small fashion brand, choosing to manufacture your apparel locally can actually give you an edge over your competitors.

Here’s why you should choose domestic garment manufacturers Los Angeles over international manufacturers:

1. It Improves Communication

When producing clothing in tens of thousands of units, it can make sense to produce overseas, however when you’re producing small batches, it’s much better to produce locally.

Communication with your manufacturer is a lot easier when you’re operating in the same time zones and there are no language barriers.  You want to be sure your design vision is fully communicated to your production partner.

Large corporations have the luxury of assigning managers to overseas offices, but small scale producers can’t afford to hire and send a manager abroad.

By producing locally, you’ll have greater access to your manufacturer so changes can be made quickly.

2. Low Minimums

Most garment manufacturing facilities have minimums but because overseas factories produce large quantities of goods on a daily basis, their minimum requirements are much higher than those of local garment manufacturing factories.

By keeping low minimums, new fashion brands are given the time to grow gradually without worrying about overspending on production and inventory. Investing in large quantities of inventory requires a large amount of upfront cash that takes time to recoup.

3. Quicker Response Time

The improved communication and control over the production process leads to greater efficiency.  It also allows you to respond quickly to market feedback and to changing trends.

The logistics involved in manufacturing goods abroad can get really messy. It’s common for goods to be held up in custom offices and for companies to experience delays in shipments.

Making profit from manufacturing domestically can be a lot quicker than generating profits from overseas production. You can put the returns you make back into the business.  

Lefty Production Co. is a one stop shop garment and accessory design, development and production company that offers dedicated client support, quick response times and low minimums.

To enjoy the benefits of a domestic apparel manufacturer, get in touch with our team. We’re based in Los Angeles and can handle everything from sourcing and design, pattern making, sample making, laser-cutting, and production of clothing and accessories.

Contact us at (323) 515-9266 for more information.

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