Our manufacturing process will save you time
Our services enable you to achieve more of your business as you will save time on production sourcing and will have more time to focus on realization of new ideas, product development, innovations and other activities significantly affecting business grow.
By using our services you will not need to spend time on visiting factories. We will handle all the work in the factories. Whether you are a designer starting your own fashion business from the ground or an experienced fashion or workwear brand looking for the new production capacities, we can help you.
Our process
STEP 1 – find a clothing manufacturer
It is not so easy to find a manufacturer that you can trust and rely on and who will meet your needs. There are many manufacturers to choose from, however, it takes time to meet many of manufacturers, to test them, build trust and finally narrow your choice to the most reliable factory. It is expensive to do a process of proper selection and find the one who fits your needs best.
We can do all this hassle work for you. We have cooperation partnerships with many manufacturers in Eastern and Central Europe (Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine and other countries) and can immediately provide you with the quotation of the manufacturer who best fits your needs. We continue to select new manufacturers to have better choice.
STEP 2 – details about the style, specification sheet (spec sheet), sketch and supporting images
In order to calculate the precise price quotation clothing manufacturer needs to know some details about your style and planned quantities of production, therefore, for each style usually they ask for the information as follows:
- Do you have a sketch and/or supporting images and/or sample of the garment and/or spec sheet?
- Would you like a manufacturer to make a pattern?
- Who will supply fabric?
- Who will supply trims?
- Who will supply brand labels, swing tag, care label?
- Composition of the fabric.
- Fabric wash/garment wash services required?
- Timeline of sampling.
- Quantity of samples.
- Timeline of bulk production.
- Quantity of bulk per style/colour.
Spec sheet provides the most important primary information about the style and measurements. Clothing manufacturer needs the spec sheet for price calculation, creation of the pattern and sample development, therefore, it is very important to send it for manufacturer as soon as you can. Sketch and/or images help to understand the style visually.
Please pay attention that manufacturer will prepare a preliminary price quotation based on the information you give at this stage. Price may change when you provide tech pack when factory will see detailed seams, embroidery, stitching and possible other details of the style, which were not known at initial stage of quotation.
Specification sheet gives the primary information for price calculation, pattern making and beginning of the sampling, however, it does not say much about the other details that go into apparel style deeper. That’s why it is essential to receive tech pack as early as possible. A tech pack helps to avoid misunderstandings. A tech pack is a document that designers create in order to communicate with a manufacturer. All the necessary components and details needed to construct a product must be described in the tech pack: measurements, grading, fabrics, colours, trims, labels, tags, stickers, washing and wash care instructions, prints, packing instructions etc. The more detailed is the tech pack the less likely mistakes will occur. The tech pack is a exact instructions for manufacturer how to make a product. The critical path (steps, which has to be followed and deadlines) is also attached to the tech pack. If a manufacturer follows the instructions of the tech pack there is absolutely no chance that the production of garments will have mistakes. A good tech pack can save you money and frustration. Also even tiny but very important details like desired stitching or the exact position of labels should all be included in your tech pack to reduce the chances of mistakes, which occur in majority of cases due to low level of communication.
STEP 3 – quotation and approval of quotation
After receipt of your information as described under step 2 the manufacturer will calculate the preliminary price quotation. As mentioned above price may change when you provide tech pack as factory will see the exact details of your style, which were not known at initial stage of quotation. After your approval of the quotation we will continue with the process.
STEP 4 – signing of the contract between you and factory
You will sign the contract with the manufacturer, where all terms and conditions of the production will be defined and agreed between you. Usually manufacturer has a draft of the contract. Factories work on order basis as well: you send an order, factory accepts it and production process starts. Necessary details can be agreed per e-mail.
STEP 5 – pattern making
If you have your patterns, the factory usually can use it and it would even save time for you. Of course, factory can develop patterns for you according to your spec sheet, where measurement details are included. Some spec sheets also give the measurement gradation between sizes and give the detailed size gradation for the garments, however, if it is not given in your spec sheet factory can do grading for your garment.
STEP 6 – sampling
Sampling is vital part of the process. Samples are categorized as development samples (made in development stage) and production samples (made in production stage). Usually, if apparel brand starts cooperation with new manufacturer, they ask to produce test sample. The purpose of the test sample is to check whether quality level is in line with the expected quality level by the designer. It is important to mention that the samples could be called by different names (for example: original sample, sample test garment, development sample, design sample, style reference, parent pattern, sew-by, pre-production sample, pre-pro, costing sample and many other names) and sometimes they are differently categorized, therefore, it is important to discuss, how many samples apparel brand is planning to produce and whether definitions of the samples are understood equally.
Commonly used development samples:
Proto sample
Fit sample
Salesman sample/Photo shot sample
Size set sample
Pre-production sample
Commonly used production samples:
Top of production sample
Shipment sample
Proto sample is proto type of new design created by designers. Proto sample communicates design. Fit and fabrics are not evaluated.
Fit sample is being made after approval of the proto sample. Fit sample is produced in accordance with actual measurements with the purpose to check how the garment fits to human body. Fit sample is evaluated on both a mannequin and a model (person).
Salesman sample (SMS) is produced for salespeople. The purpose of the salesman sample is to receive feedback from the buyers and to evaluate which style will be purchased better. SMS is produced with the fabrics and trims, which will be used in bulk production.
Size set sample is produced with the purpose to check, how garment fits in different sizes. Buyer askes size set samples in particular sizes and factory makes them. Buyer checks size set samples and gives comments to the factory.
Pre-production sample (PP sample) is made in production line. All the above samples are made in sampling department. This sample is made with the fabrics and trims, which will be used in bulk production. Buyer approves PP sample before bulk production.
Top of production sample (TOP sample) is the sample, which is taken out from the bulk production in the middle of the production. Purpose is to check again and to make sure that manufacturer is following technical specification of PP sample.
Shipment sample is the sample, which is taken out from the garments, which are already finished and packed for transportation. The purpose is to check the packing, i.e. to see, whether all the packing instructions are kept. One shipment sample is kept in factory, the other – at buyer, to have these samples for future reference. After approval of shipment samples the shipment is sent to the place indicated by the buyer, warehouse or other destination. That‘s why shipment samples are sent to the buyer before shipment as they will not get shipment samples, in case garments will be delivered not to the buyer’s address, but directly to the warehouse.
Step 7 – orders and booking of production capacities
Factories plan their capacity employment in advance, therefore, it is essential to book capacities as soon as you decide to cooperate with the particular manufacturer and as soon as you know the exact quantities split by sizes, colours you would like to produce.
Step 8 – fabric and trims ordering
Fabric and trim purchase take long time. It starts from lab-dip, trims and art work approvals and ends with the delivery to the warehouse of the factory. Lead time of fabric delivery is usually about 1 – 2 months. Trim sourcing takes about 1 month to get in-house.
Step 9 – bulk production
Bulk production takes from 3 to 6 weeks.
Step 10 – shipping
Factory can use your transportation or suggest their partner.