JEANS MANUFACTURING

CHOOSING YOUR MANUFACTURING FACILITY

This is one of the most important decission which you will have to take in order to make your business succeed.

Many different factors will be involved before taking the right decission:

1. Geographical location. You must consider that the factory you will choose should be in a country that you can travel as often as needed. Keeping in mind that most of garment makers are present in developing countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, China,  Morroco, Mexico, Honduras, Dominican, Colombia, Brazil, Vietnam, Cambodia, Egypt, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Indonesia,  etc, it is important that first you locate your most suitable options. It is important that you visit some countries before taking  a decission.




2. Availability of fabrics for quick delivery time.
Check the mills available in the country that can supply the type of fabrics you will be using. It does not a lot of sense for a beginner to focus in a country where fabric constant availability is constrained. China, Pakistan, India and Turkey are top denim producers but there are more as well. You must also decide if you want to work with fully vertical manufacturers or non vertical manufacturers. Both offer advantadges and disadvantadges. vertical companies can suppy their own fabrics plus making the garments for your brand but with the limitation of usage of their own fabric in most of cases. By using a non vertical company, you can use   any fabric availables in the market from vertical companies or just by fabric suppliers. Depending on minimum quantities, prices, and lead time required, and after sales service, you must decide which to go.
It is important that you visit come countries and different companies before you take a decission.


3. Meet the company owners and the factory facilities

Personal relationships in garment business is a key to succeed. Take your time to meet and explain your targets and needs to manufacturers. If you want to develop your own brand or other requirements. These companies they will usually assigned a merchandiser to your product line. This person will take care of all the technical issues related to your product lines, fabrics, trims, washing issues, approvals, size sets, etc.
A good factory is a sympton of good products. Take your time to visit each company department before you take decission. Visit stiching lines, fabric storage, accesories storage, laundry, purchasing staff, etc.
You must also check current production to see what kind of products the manufacturer is involved.
While visiting the stiching line, check the number of lines and machines. This will determine the maximum daily capacity of the manufacturer. Note that some companies do use external stiching companies that are not within the company main manufacturing structure.

Laundry is also a key factor to success in denim business. Many garments manufacturers have their own laundry facilities. This is the last step in the production cycle and it is very important that you realize that the company is professional in this aspect. Visit the laundry, meet the managers, see their washing garment show room, and check the technology used in the laundry. Note that laundry is not just washing machinery. There are many gadgets, tools, dummies, lasers, grinding tools, cabinets, and other machines used in the laundry for making fashion denim products. Important that you check all these tools&machines to realize what the laundry can do for your product. Finishing the garment is the last step of the manufacturing process. Pressing, blowing and packing equipment is important. There are many good companies around the world involved in laundry equipment for denim and finishing machinery such as tools, gadgets, mannequins, dummies, grinding tools, spray equipment, etc. The level of automation in the laundry is relevant in a laundry. In European countries automation is needed due to high labor costs but in developing countries can vary from company to company. You must check carefully. A laundry working fully automated may give you a sense of product security but this does not mean that non-automated plants cannot accomplish same results. We have seen excellent products in non-automated plants. A case by case analysis is the best choice for you as some workers are reluctant to use a technology that they are not used to.

4. Price vs quality
Garment business is extremely competitive. Many companies around the world compete to each other to develop the best possible garment at the best possible price. Top brands do have a strong purchasing power due to their high volumen. You must decide what is the balance approach you will offer in your product line. A very cheap product does not mean that necessarily can sell in the retail shops neither a very expensive item with a very nice look. Inside big multination brands these decissions are taken by the combination of different experienced parties inside the company: marketing managers and researches that move around the globe, designers, buyers, and commercial staff.

Nowadays, garment business is global and quite open. Garment business is highly dependant on workers wages as this is a very labor intensive market niche. Countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, China, Pakistan, Cambodia, are one of the cheapest countries you can manufacture garments if you consider low wages as a main factor in your decission, therefore an "economical" garment. You must also keep in mind that prices in these countries may differ from company to company due to its size, overheads costs or company policy. Just to give you an idea, you can purchase garments in the range of 5 to 15 USD, depending on the garment itself, quantities, lead times, etc. This is a common product range in terms of pricing for denim products. If you need help to locate the right manufacturer for your product line, feel free to contact us at fashiontrendblogging@gmail.com