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    Garment Production for Fashion Start-ups: Overseas Apparel Production Series, #1
    Garment Production for Fashion Start-ups: Overseas Apparel Production Series, #1
    Garment Production for Fashion Start-ups: Overseas Apparel Production Series, #1
    Ebook150 pages1 hour

    Garment Production for Fashion Start-ups: Overseas Apparel Production Series, #1

    By Chris Walker

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    About this ebook

    Working with sewing factories in Vietnam requires steps like choosing your fabric, trims and accessories which I cover in detail.  I explain how to get samples made and negotiate price.  I give you insider tips about using tech packs and bonding with factory staff.  I prepare you for production steps and shipping options you will need to produce apparel in Vietnam.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherChris Walker
    Release dateSep 1, 2019
    ISBN9781393740278
    Garment Production for Fashion Start-ups: Overseas Apparel Production Series, #1

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      Book preview

      Garment Production for Fashion Start-ups - Chris Walker

      Garment Production

      Garment Production

      For Fashion Start-ups with

      Chris Walker

      Chris Walker

      Copyright © 2019 by Chris Walker

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

      Created with Vellum Created with Vellum

      My Best Advice

      Here is a simple action plan to start your Vietnamese production as smoothly as possible. I am assuming you haven’t documented your designs and have not found a reliable factory.

      Hire a tech pack freelancer to create your tech pack(s).

      Communicate the big picture by listing your preferred purchase order quantities.

      Email your tech pack and preferred purchase order to Vietnamese factories and follow up aggressively.

      All the big names like Mango, Zara and Forever 21 use tech packs when producing garments in foreign countries - it is an industry standard practice. A tech pack is a technical document that describes all the details of your garment. You will spend at least $500 per tech pack, but in the end, you will save $1,000s. Don’t waste your time or the factory’s time contacting them without tech packs. To create a tech pack correctly requires training and experience in garment technology. In another chapter I describe in detail what goes into tech packs. Below I introduce you to fashion incubators and freelancers who can help you create tech packs. Trust me on this point, hire a freelancer, then your chance of getting it done right the first time is high. The quickest way to get accurate quotes and samples made is by having perfect tech packs prepared in advance. The only missing piece of information will be quantities. This is why I suggest step two, communicate your quantities.

      Communicate the big picture by listing your preferred purchase order quantities. Show the quantities broken down by style, fabric, color and artwork. This is important because the price is based on quantity and factories have minimums they must meet for knitting, weaving, dyeing, printing and embellishing which I describe later. If the quantities are too low then factories can not offer cheap prices. Also, if your quantities don’t meet their minimum’s then they will tell you right away and save you time and money.

      communicate the big picture

      Modify this form to match your collection details and communicate the big picture.

      The third step is to contact factories. There are three ways to contact factories in Vietnam. You can find them on websites like Alibaba.com, Globalsources.com, and Foursource.com. You can contact Vietnamese garment associations like Vitas, Vinatex and Agtek. Or, you can meet factories at trade shows like Sourcing at Magic, Globalsources Fair, or Canton Fair. Once you have the factory contact details, email them your tech pack(s) and preferred purchase order quantities. I recommend you attend trade shows to meet the factories in person. See the samples they have at the show, get an idea on pricing and show them your tech packs to confirm they can produce what you want in the quantities you want.

      Follow up aggressively with the factories that meet your requirements. Push them to get quotes within two weeks. Compare the prices and customer service levels you get from each factory. Then, when the feeling is right, travel to Vietnam to visit the factories. Work face-to-face with them as they make a counter sample, then negotiate the final price per piece. Be prepared to make a deposit, usually 20%, and approve pre-production samples.

      Here is a list of fashion incubators and freelancers around the world. They can either make tech packs for you or introduce you to garment technicians who can.

      Shanghai, China

      Fashion Ex

      www.fashionex.global

      Vincent Djen

      Traunstein, Germany

      Vaw Studio 100

      www.vaw-studio100.com

      Veronika (Vroni) Anna Weidinger

      Malgersdorf, Germany

      Schneideri Winkler

      www.schneiderei-winkler.de

      Anneliese Winkler

      Los Angeles, USA

      TechPacks.co

      www.techpacks.co

      Belinda Jacobs

      Indie Source

      www.indiesource.com

      Jesse Dombrowiak

      Fashion for Profit

      www.fashionforprofit.com

      Frances Harder

      Designer Consulting Co-op

      www.designerconsultingcoop.com

      Jamie Provencio

      Miami, USA

      Apparel Design House

      www.appareldesignhousecom

      Travis Smith

      Portland, USA

      Portland Apparel Lab

      www.portlandapparellab.com

      Dawn Moothart

      Portland Sewing

      www.portlandfashioninstitute.com

      Sharon Blair

      Langley, USA

      Mag Pie Trends

      www.magpietrends.com

      Margaret King

      Albequerque, USA

      Albuquerque Sewing Factory

      www.fashion-incubator.com

      Kathleen Fasanella

      If you know of any other freelance garment production consultants, then please email their contact information so I can include them in future editions.

      Table of Contents

      My Best Advice

      Three Friends and an American

      Introduction

      Dedication

      Garment Industry Abbreviations

      Meet Factories’ Minimum Order Quantities

      Choose Your Fabric in Advance

      Understand Your Printing Options

      Know Your Trims

      Know Your Accessories

      Prepare Your Tech Packs in Advance

      Expect Samples to be Made for You

      Dedicate Time and Money Finding the Right Factory

      Consider Packing Options

      Bond with the Factory

      Know Your Negotiation Strategy

      Be Familiar with Production Steps

      Plan to Manage Quality Control

      Be Familiar with Shipping Documents

      Contact a Freight Forwarding Company

      Calculate Your Import Tax

      Bonus Insider Tips and Referrals

      Take Aways

      About the Author

      What’s the Next Step?

      Three Friends and an American

      It always seems impossible until it is done.

      - Quote by Kaye Ann Hosack - Co Founder of Three Friends

      What follows is a true story of a company called Three Friends who started a children’s clothing brand without ever having produced overseas. They started their dream in February 2015 and launched their first collection in August 2015.

      Kaye tells the story how Three Friends got started in Vietnam thanks to an American in Vietnam:

      Starting with a dream to build our own brand, I charged full speed ahead into the unknown. My friends and I wrote a business plan and began searching for a manufacturer in the US.

      I contacted several manufacturers and was surprised by the high cost and extra work I needed to do because US manufacturers had many limitations. For example, our fabric needed all-over-printing before cutting. The US sewing factories I contacted did not have this option. When I understood made-in-USA limitations I realized why so many fashion brands turn to overseas manufacturing. I finally accepted the fact that I would not be able to produce locally. I researched online and found that Vietnam and India are known for their work in knits.

      I searched the internet looking for an agent or direct contact with a factory in Vietnam or India. I sent out inquiries through emails and waited. I received several responses, but nothing felt right. I found an agent of Indian manufacturers, but the agent quickly realized that I was a beginner and lost interest in me. I emailed several factories in Vietnam. One replied promptly and spoke English. This is how I met Chris. He quickly answered all my preliminary questions and gave me a sense of hope that things might work out with the factory he worked for.

      I truly knew nothing about the manufacturing side of the garment business, not to mention how to do business in Vietnam. I worked through my list of questions and concerns with Chris. He set my mind at ease. He educated me about the manufacturing process. He confirmed my fears, yet explained how to overcome them.

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