Finding the right luxury clothing manufacturers is essential to your success, whether you want to become the next big fashion entrepreneur or just sell everyday clothing online.
Major brands with large budgets, endorsements from celebrities, and decades of experience dominate the clothing industry, which is extremely competitive.
However, there is no reason why you can’t succeed online as a fashion entrepreneur thanks to the rise of eCommerce and boutique clothing lines.
If you’re reading this, your idea for a clothing business probably has a good deal of development already. You have a target market in mind and, possibly, some ideas for clothing designs or products you want to sell.
However, you are unsure of where to begin or who to rely upon when it comes to manufacturing your clothing.
I want to reassure you that locating a clothing manufacturer need not be difficult or frightening. In fact, this article will introduce you to some excellent clothing manufacturers.
Let me walk you through the process of locating high-quality clothing manufacturers so that you can turn your ideas into reality. I can appreciate why this part of your business journey may seem daunting.
How to Start a Clothing Business
It can be hard to imagine how to start a clothing business. However, it is doable! A brief step-by-step guide to assist you on your way to success is provided below.
1. Choose a niche:
Picking a niche is an essential first step in any business. It is essential to ask yourself: How will I stand out and who will my clothes be aimed at? Yoga leggings are a must-have for busy moms. T-shirts that depict particular aspects of a country?
Black Milk is a good illustration. They started out making leggings that were one-of-a-kind, and while they have since expanded their product line, the prints they use still stand out and appeal to customers who aren’t afraid to stand out.
Naturally, when choosing your niche, you will need to limit the kinds of clothes you sell. And the specific and distinctive design or the material you’ll use.
2. Foster your image:
When creating your brand, there are a lot of things to consider. Identifying your target market, products you want to produce, distinctive viewpoint, logo, colors, etc., are just a few examples. During this step, it’s a good idea to make a business plan!
3. Investigate your rivals:
It’s a smart move to investigate your rivals and consider how you can set yourself apart now that you have a pretty solid idea of the clothes you will sell. Start by looking at how they are promoting their clothing and the tone and voice of their brand. It will help you understand how you can set yourself apart.
4. Establish a budget:
It’s important to know what to expect when you start your own clothing line. Consider all of the costs involved. For instance, costs associated with working with your manufacturer, shipping, legal fees, website costs, and so forth.
5. Know what your legal obligations are:
There are distinct requirements for each nation. For additional details, consult the regulatory body for business licenses in your nation or region.
6. Create your own clothing:
A lot of manufacturing companies have in-house designers with whom you can collaborate. You could work with a designer of your choice or use one of these. Alternatively, check out design software like Adobe Illustrator or enroll in a course.
7. Collaborate with the manufacturer:
This alone is a significant step. To ensure that you work with the manufacturer that is best suited to you and your products, you should communicate with several different manufacturers.
Keep in mind that manufacturers can provide Cut, Make Trim (CMT) or Full Production Package (FPP) packages.FPP means that they will be there for you every step of the way, from designing the patterns to making the final garment.
Make sure to take into account the information presented in this article when working with your manufacturers, such as communication, minimum order quantities, samples, and timeframes. Additionally, you probably need to give them a tech pack!
8. Bring your garments to the market:
You should begin marketing your clothes once you are satisfied with your test product and have committed to a full production run!
List of luxury clothing manufacturers
Lefty Production Co
Best Overall
Printful
Best For MEN
CustomInk
Best For KIDS
American Stitchco
BesT For WOMEN
The Evans Group
Best Unisex Clothes
Runway Kit
Suits Everyone
Lefty Production Co
Lefty Production Co. is a reputable manufacturer of apparel and accessories with its headquarters in Los Angeles, California, USA. The business has worked with some of the most well-known fashion brands, including Rosetta Getty, Christian Siriano, Nordstrom, and Neiman Marcus, among others.
When you work with Lefty, you get a one-stop OEM/ODM service that covers everything from designing, sketching, finding fabric and trim, making patterns, branding, sampling, marking and grading, cutting, and producing, and shipping.
In terms of categories, this US clothing manufacturer can assist you in producing hair accessories, leather goods, handbags, home textiles, men’s wear, women’s wear, children’s wear, lingerie, swimwear, activewear, and athleisure.
Pros
- Deliver to the USA, UK, Canada, Denmark, Switzerland, and France
- Pay with credit/debit cards
Cons
- A MOQ of 300 pieces
- Not deliver globally
Printful
Printful, which was founded in 2013, is one of the cheapest dropshipping companies in the United States that lets you make clothes with your own designs and artwork. Then, depending on where you are in the world, you can have them delivered to you or blind drop ship to your customers.
Printful has successfully served over 362 thousand customers, delivered 33.2 million items worldwide, and generated more than $795 million in sales with a staff of over 1,400 employees spread across North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
Printful lets you design and sells mugs, phone cases, bedding, blankets, wall art, and other interesting products in addition to clothing.
Pros
- No MOQ (No minimum order quantity)
- Worldwide delivery within 15 business days
- 2-7-day fulfillment times
- Low shipping fees
Cons
- No full OEM/ODM service
CustomInk
CustomInk is the subsequent one. This clothing manufacturer with headquarters in the United States has been named to the “Inc. 500” list of America’s fastest-growing private companies by Inc. Magazine and Washingtonian Magazine as a “Great Place to Work.”
CustomInk is committed to making it as simple and flawless as possible to bring your passions and ideas to life with cutting-edge tools and a team of artists.
You can begin customizing a wide range of clothing here. A few examples include polo shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, hoodies, polo pants, workwear, uniform, team jerseys, hats, and face masks.
Pros
- No MOQ on the majority of items
- International delivery
- Free standard shipping
- Pay with credit/debit cards and checks
Cons
- No full OEM/ODM service
American Stitchco
American Stitchco is a large manufacturer of uniform shirts, blouses, sport coats, vests, pants, skirts, dresses, lab coats, camo jackets, hunting vests, and heated jackets in Arkansas, USA. It has over 300 employees and has been in the business for over 30 years.
Additionally, it can assist you in the production of reusable diapers for babies, pillows, industrial cleaning supplies, commercial watering mats, sporting equipment, automotive covers, and a wide variety of other specialty products (such as cargo bags for the International Space Station).
Pros
- Large-scale OEM/ODM service
- Short sampling and production times
Cons
- High MOQ
The Evans Group
The Evans Group has been a dependable American manufacturer of over 2,000 emerging and high-end fashion clothing brands since its founding in 2005.
It provides both factory-level production with low minimums of 50 pieces per style and studio-level production on a small scale with no minimums.
You will be paired with a dedicated team that will guide you through the entire process when you work with The Evens Group. This team includes a project manager, an expert in design and sourcing, a master patternmaker, and a seasoned seamstress.
Pros
- OEM/ODM service with low MOQ
- International shipping
- Professional consulting service
- Support all garment categories
Cons
- 4-8-week turnaround times
Runway Kit
Runway Kit is another fashion clothing manufacturer based in New York, USA. It helps fashion startups and established independent brands design, sample, and produce activewear as its area of expertise.
It has successfully developed a sustainable and ethical production system that maximizes water conservation, recycling, and reforestation with over 30 years of experience from its parent company, MAS Holdings.
Runway Kit also provides a tailored solution that enables you to customize its trending activewear silhouettes—yoga pants, sports bras, capri pants, leggings, etc.—for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to immediately start a clothing line or rapidly expand an existing range of products. With a variety of styles, colors, and fabrics in just five easy steps.
Pros
- Fast international shipping
- 5-6 weeks of production times for ready styles
- Accept credit/debit cards
Cons
- MOQ starts from 300 pieces per style
Final Thoughts
Luxury clothing manufacturers have a responsibility to the environment and to the people who make their clothes. They need to be transparent about their supply chains and ensure that their workers are treated fairly. Consumers also have a role to play in ensuring that the fashion industry is more sustainable. We can do this by supporting brands that are committed to sustainability and by making responsible choices when we shop.
