For a new designer, launching a fashion line can look intimidating. However, with the right resources, information, and manufacturing partners, they can focus on designing garments without worrying about things that haven’t come yet such as choosing retailers. This blog will serve as a brief clothes manufacturing guide to help new designers understand what happens before clothes end up at a retail store.

Step 1: Design & Sourcing

The most relevant part that concerns you as a designer is naturally the design of the products. There are several decisions you’ll make in this step. For example, if you’re creating an activewear fashion line, what colors are you choosing as themes? If you want your products to be sustainable, what textiles can you choose without hurting the costs or design of your clothes?

As a new designer, you may want a good manufacturer by your side to help you decide. For example, an activewear manufacturer can guide you on the trending colors and styles for your activewear line.

After the initial design, you’ll want to procure the raw material needed to bring your design to life. Deciding whether you want to use cotton, synthetic fibers, leather, bamboo, etc., comes in this step. Sourcing from reliable and ethical sources is important to ensure the quality of your products.

Step 2: Sampling

The next step in this clothes manufacturing guide is sampling. Sampling is the process of making various samples of a design for different sizes, colors, and fits. The chosen sample(s) are usually the ones that are used as the blueprint for the production of designs.

Step 3: Cutting and Marking

Once the designer has chosen the samples that are to be produced, the manufacturer marks garments using a marker stencil which indicates where the cuts for the designs have to be made. This guide is then used to cut materials to produce garments. The latest industry methods using computer-aided designs (CAD) ensure most sampling and marking happen digitally to avoid wastage and save time. Since raw materials are one of the biggest expenses in making a fashion line, moving to CAD helps save costs.

Step 4: Production

After the materials have been marked and cut, clothes are produced in large numbers from the sample. Production keeps the designer’s notes from all initial steps to provide physical manifestations of their ideas.

So there you have it! This was our simple apparel manufacturing companies guide that explains garment production from start to end. While the process may seem lengthy at first, with the right choice of manufacturers, you can leave a significant part of the responsibility to them.

We are an activewear, swimwear, and athleisure apparel manufacturers in Los Angeles that works with new designers to bring their visions to life. From procurement of raw materials to production and post-production, we help our clients every step of the way. Reach out to schedule an appointment today!

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