So you want to start a clothing line?
First off, congrats on wanting to start a clothing line. You are about to start a very exciting adventure! Second, I cannot wait to help you accomplish your dreams!
If you want to design your own clothing line and work with manufacturers to have your designs become a reality, this post is for you. On the other hand, if you are looking to start an online (wholesale) boutique, stay tuned for another post coming soon.
I will start by saying everyone’s journey from design to production will be different. With that said, I was fortunate enough to find manufacturers that were willing to help me with the design and sampling steps, but not all manufacturers do this. With the ability to draw and sew, I could do a little bit of everything in the production process, but they really helped pull everything together with the grading (sizes for patterns) and ordering all my fabric and trim.
Below are just a few key steps in getting started as well as the one and only secret (in my opinion) to starting your own line, where to find a manufacturer.
Things to consider before you get started
- Your why. WHY do you want to start a clothing line?
- Planning your success strategy does not happen overnight, there are a lot of steps you need to take before you get to the fun stuff – seeing your physical product! Ensure you take your time building the foundation.
- There are very limited resources around the topic of how to start your own clothing line. Trust me, I watched every YouTube and read every blog post I could find. Therefore, you will likely end up doing a ton of trial and error, but this is part of the excitement and where you learn so much. Also, I am here to help and always open to connecting 1×1.
- Designing a clothing line can be a full-time job or a hobby. I personally enjoy doing it on the side of my 9-5 to cover costs while I test things out. You have to fork over a lot of $ upfront to even have samples of your potential clothing line.
- You will have to take a lot of chances, and that includes large financial chances. Trust your gut and plan before you make a big commitment.
- Drive brand awareness before you have physical products so you have a community cheering you on when the time comes to launch your brand.
Set the foundation of your business
If you are seriously considering starting your own clothing line, you need to have an incorporated business/BIN for manufacturers to take you seriously. You also need to have social channels and a full website up and running before contacting any manufacturers.
Below are a few of the most important steps to take before you get to the fun stuff, designing!
General Planning
- Build the bones of your business plan
- Choose a name
- Determine your mission and vision
- Determine what products you will offer
- Research your competition & your target market
- Set goals, 3, 6 and 12 months to start
Marketing/Business Development
- Buy your domain name
- Set up your website (blog post coming in the future)
- Choose a legal structure and incorporate your business
- Create all social handles (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Pinterest for me!)
- Set up a business email (don’t use brand@gmail.com, it’s so simple to set up hello@brand.com)
Branding
- Determine brand colors
- Design logo
- Decide which website platform you will use (I use WordPress)
- Think about packaging/brand experience
Finances/Costs
- Estimate startup costs + manufacturing costs
- Determine how much time you are willing to spend on building your brand
- Think about shipping + tax
- Determine what you could price your products for. Would you pay that much? How long will it take you to break even? How many products do you need to sell before seeing a profit?
- Open a business bank account
- Get an accountant and sign up for Sage Accounting (from day 1!)
- Set up PayPal
Educate yourself
- Buy The Fashion Business Manual. When you are just getting started, the “Product Development” section will help you take the idea in your head, and put it onto paper. The book will go through the production process, how to find the right factory, sourcing materials, how to create tech packs, labels, quality, packaging, and much more. This book is your bible.
- Watch YouTube, scroll TikTok, read Pinterest posts, and speak with other people that have done the same thing you are about to do!
- Form a focus group, and talk to your friends! Ask them to share their impression of your brand, thoughts around your product, any feedback thus far.
Decide what you want in your collection
It is key you plan your collection strategically.
I will admit, I really went for it with my line, but the MOQ (minimum order quantities) were the lowest this 1st order (50/style) then they will ever be again (150/style moving forward). Therefore, I wanted to try multiple styles while I had a low (in the grand scheme of things) commitment. (I still have 13 boxes and 900+ pieces coming, so remember, you have to take a lot of chances).
Things to think about:
- What are your key pieces? Your signature items? Your traction builders? Your profit generators?
- How will your items be memorable? What will boost your brand’s image?
- What will your price point be?
- What quality are you going for?
- What tone? historical, contemporary, casual, luxury, minimal, sustainable etc.
The production process
The very first thing you will need to do is design your tech pack. What is a tech pack? It is a guideline provided by designers to factories to go from an idea to a physical product. This includes the following:
Sketch – an illustration of your design, and all views
Spec sheet- your illustration and corresponding measurements
Details (artwork)- specific details (ex: buttons, pockets, collars, logo, etc)
Trims/Label- label placement and design
Color- color, and fabric used
The next steps will include sampling, pattern making, prototype, fitted samples, final samples, grading your pattern, preproduction samples, bulk order, and then pack/ship.
^^ I know the above seems overwhelming, but as long as you give the above a go, most manufacturers will be open to helping you get from the design to sampling stage. Using examples from Google and creating an Excel sheet, I was able to create a simple version of a Tech Pack and then fill in with manufacturers that specified they have designers in-house.
Find your manufacturer (+ the site I use)
Once you complete all the pre-production steps, you will need to find a factory. There are a ton of factories out there, so you will want to take your time and vet them.
Tips:
- Ask for recommendations from other designers. They may or may not be open to sharing
- Attend a manufacturer trade show (they have some online)
- Shop around and ask for examples of their work/what brands they currently work with
- Get a quote upfront and understand their MOQ. Try to find someone with a low MOQ to start (mine is 50/style which is still a massive commitment).
- Always make (multiple) samples before production
- Decide if you need a full package service (fabric sourcing, labeling, packaging, design help etc) or cut and trim (if you just need the fabric)
There are a number of manufacturing platforms out there, so choose what works best for you. I use FOURSOURCE and love it. Two others I looked into were sqetch and Maker’s Row.
I have a ton of tips and tricks to share re: specifics on how to use FOURSOURCE and will write an additional post in the next few weeks. (I started to write it here, but it needs its own post!)
Sample, adjust, sample, adjust, sample....
Once you’ve completed the majority of the production process, you will be ready to create PPS – pre-production samples.
This is likely where you will really start to spend your money, and you will likely have multiple changes before coming to a final PPS (I did 5 samples before finalizing my line, and tested three manufacturers).
You want to check the following: sizing, color, fabric, seams, appearance, fitting, smell, packaging, and pattern.
What I found really helpful here was sharing my samples with friends and getting their feedback on fit and feel. For example, I changed the widths of the pants, and the seams based on feedback from others trying my line on.
And, that's the simplest explanation of how to start a clothing line.
I am always happy to answer any questions and help where I can. I encourage you to comment below with specific questions on what you’d like information on.
I wish you all the best and hope to hear from you! My email is hello@emmalynessentials.com.
[…] mentioned in my post on How To Start A Clothing Line, it is key you ask yourself a few questions before you get […]