There is a significant relationship between the clothing manufacturers and the designers. Clothing manufacturers and designers are the base of any fashion business because once the designers deliver their concepts of designs to the manufacturers, clothing manufacturers portray that design into the fabric as their expectation.
A designer’s and a clothing manufacturer’s collaboration is challenging. It needs ongoing communication and cooperation from both groups. For a designer, this relationship will define the overall quality, whereas, for a manufacturer, it will determine the client’s business sustainability. In this article, we’ll look at how both sides should work together to achieve their objectives at three key stages of production.
For understanding the stages of collaboration between designers and clothing manufacturers let’s look at this infographic first:
Now let’s discuss the details…
The Product Development Phase
The garment industry and clothing manufacturers are built on collaboration between designers and manufacturers. When you initially speak with each other, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how each side will work together.
The followings are the stages of product development:
- Developing a business strategy. The designer creates a business at this stage, which includes defining the target market, budgeting, and financial objectives.
- Putting the concept into words. The creative process begins when the business strategy has been finished and approved. The initial concepts, color story, and fabric selections are all completed at this time.
- Developing a tech pack. After the brand has a clear vision of the design, the technical process can begin. Technical sketches, specifications, colors, and fabric preferences are included in a factory-ready Tech Pack.
Pre-production Procedures
There are several stages to a standard pre-production process:
- Identifying and selecting the appropriate manufacturer for a specific business.
- Tech Pack sharing and negotiation with the manufacturer.
- On both parties, dealing with agreements and payment terms.
- Both parties must communicate.
- The approval of a pre-production sample.
Select the Right Manufacturer for You
There are many reasonable alternatives, whether you are a small company looking to manufacture in small numbers or a large shop looking to mass-produce. However, it used to be difficult for a small business to find a manufacturer before, there is now a variety of them willing to help young artists.
A clothing business’s first step is to choose the correct type of manufacturer. As a result, finding a manufacturer that can support the concepts, is the next stage after a company has a factory-ready Tech Pack on hand and a clear picture of a design they want to build.
The services provided by a factory are the most important consideration while selecting one. Meanwhile, there’s something to think about: are you looking for a factory that will create your product directly from your Tech Pack and Spec Sheets, or do you need a comprehensive production solution from product creation through construction?
Manufacturers of clothing fall into two categories:
- Clothing production using CMT (cut, make, trim). This type of manufacturer is suitable for advanced brands with factory experience.
- Full production package (FPP). It’s an ideal package for new brands. FPP will have the resources to handle all stages of product creation including pattern making, fabric sourcing, and manufacturing.
Share the Tech Pack with the Manufacturer
The designer will share the Tech Pack and supporting documents with the manufacturer after the right type of manufacturer we have chosen. This step informs a garment maker of the type of garment that we have made, the fabrics and trims that we used, and any other resources that we required for the project to go effectively.
The Tech Pack may be simply shared if the designer adds the manufacturer to their product development platform.
Handling the Agreement
By establishing a clear manufacturing agreement, many potential issues we can avoid. Whenever producing in another country, the procedure might become extremely complicated. Both parties will save time and resources by clearly laying out the deliverables, including as many specifications as feasible, and establishing payment arrangements.
Payment conditions we agreed upon between a designer and an apparel manufacturer during the pre-production stage. Designers will be able to ask the clothing maker for a price quote. Because each agreement is unique and is based on the preferences of the designer and factory, it is critical to include every detail in the clothing manufacturing agreement to minimize delays and disappointments. To keep the production process on track, both sides benefit from a clear mutual understanding.
Communication Between Designer and Manufacturer
It is essential for the project’s success that the designer and the clothes manufacturer remain in constant communication once the partnership has begun. As a result, it’s critical to keep track of what’s being said. Without a fundamental knowledge of the textile industry language, effective communication is impossible.
Searching through your mailbox for emails and updates can take a long time. Important messages can potentially get lost in the spam bin or advertising emails. Keeping track of conversations between designers and manufacturers has been a breeze since Techpacker’s manufacturer platform launched!
Approval of the Pre-production Sample
The sample approval stage is crucial in the apparel manufacturing process. It’s also the last stage before bulk production starts. A designer can get a sense of how the final garment will appear and feel by making a sample. It is a way for a company to demonstrate its capabilities and begin a connection with a client. The sample we must have examined and authorized before the final manufacturing run. Factory samples are usually much more expensive than the finished product’s unit cost.
Many changes to the original design may occur before the final sample we have made. Fabric type, trimmings, sizing, and patterns are all examples of modifications. It’s critical to keep track of every modification made during the sample creation process.
Clothing Manufacturing Process
Managing the Production Process
The production planning includes:
- Scheduling each task.
- Execution.
- Delivery of products.
Garment producers must ensure that everything runs smoothly; they cannot afford to waste time or materials. Missed opportunities might occur as a result of poor planning. If the manufacturer fails to meet the client’s expectations, the client will swiftly change companies and manufacturers. The garment sector operates in a highly competitive market.
Fabric accounts for 60-70 percent of the garment’s cost. The capacity of the garment manufacturer to order the required amount of fabric for each run is critical to effective production management. To keep mistakes to a minimum, the cutting room processes must be tracked. Each piece that goes into production needs to have planned as precisely as possible.
Handling Payments
In the garment sector, payment terms vary. The manufacturer traditionally receives between 60 and 70 percent of the total order value. This sum would be used by the maker to purchase raw materials and trims for the production run. Sometimes a buyer will offer the manufacturer a Letter of Credit, which guarantees the payment of a certain seller to a specific buyer. Increasingly, garment manufacturers are using sales contracts as a payment method. A clothes producer uses this approach to rely on the buyer’s Purchase Order. Clothing industry payments are changing significantly as the world moves forward.
Timely Delivery
Early and late deliveries might cause issues, such as a lack of storage space. Clothing producers who can meet short lead times have an advantage over their competitors. To avoid production delays, the clothes manufacturer monitors each step of the production process on a daily basis.
Collaboration between a designer and a manufacturer of garments is a difficult task. For manufacturing to work properly, it requires on-time and ongoing communication on both sides. The following are essential parts of the procedure:
- Having a well-rounded, factory-ready Tech Pack on hand.
- Developing a positive relationship between the manufacturer and the designer.
- Managing the production procedures as well as the legalities.
From starting to making a complete tech pack to all other necessary steps for the overall manufacturing procedure, The Beautiful Connection Group would be the perfect option for you. Besides being one of the best clothing manufacturers in the USA, they provide all other necessary facilities to their customers. Especially new fashion business owners will have all the helpful guidelines from them.