Looking to build your own clothing line?? Let us help you! Consider your options. Will you need to hire help to work on your clothing line? Consider what sort of assistance you'll need, how many hours per week you'll require, and what you'll be able to pay. If your production is at boutique level, you may be able to do all the cutting, stitching, and hemming yourself. If you plan to start a bit bigger, you'll definitely need to hire production help. Do you want your clothing to be produced locally? Organically? Are you willing to have it manufactured abroad for less money (and lower quality)? These questions will all affect who you decide to hire. Will you want a retail location? If so, you may want to hire help.
Begin to build your brand. Now it's time to make some fun aesthetic decisions! How you set up your brand will define what people associate with your clothing line, so choose wisely. Choose a name. What name will represent your clothing line? You could use your own name (as did Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs), a word you coin yourself (such as Rodarte or Marchesa), a word from another language (for instance, Escada means staircase or ladder in Portuguese), or words whose aesthetics you like (such as Iceberg, Mulberry or Imitation of Christ). Whatever you pick, make sure it's unique and recognizable. Your brand name and company name can and should be different. Your company name, for example, can be your initials or a variation of your own name, while the name of the collection (the clothing line) should be something more creative and representative of the style you're going for.
Design the clothes. This is the fun part for many people, but it's only 10-15 percent of the process! Make sketches, get feedback, and decide which ones will constitute your first collection. Pick out fabrics and materials that are cost effective and current. Ask whoever is producing your line whether there are any restrictions, such as if they can't print certain colors. If you are designing a T-shirt line, get the following information from the printer: size specifications (specs) of the design (how big it can be), the type of shirt you want to print on, and the weight/quality of the fabric (for example, choose thinner, less expensive fabric for summer clothing lines). Detail is everything. When you do your sketches, create a layout that shows every detail clearly and uses the proper terminology. If you don't know what the terminology is, find a photo and show it to the manufacturer and ask what they call it. Learn the jargon and be prepared to properly identify the fabric you wish to use by weight (yield), content, and construction.
Produce the designs. Bring your sketches to a seamstress, manufacturer, or screen printer. Typically, a prototype or sample is created so that you can be sure that the clothing is going to be produced the way you want it to be. No matter what, be sure to ask lots of questions, and always get everything agreed upon in writing. Find your manufacturers. Do an Internet search for "Euphoric Colors" www.euphoriccolors.com Many people use garment manufacturers overseas because the costs are lower. Keep in mind that many overseas manufacturers only do large quantities, so ask about minimums before proceeding. Shop around, and ask for turnaround times and how fast you can get samples sent to you (they should provide samples before your designs are finalized for production). Bear in mind the conditions of manufacture — consumers are much more conscious about "sweat shop labor" than in the past and will penalize clothing lines that use it. If you know how to sew, you may be able to create the patterns and prototypes yourself. Consulting with someone who's an expert at sewing apparel is also an option. Promote your line. These costs can run into the thousands for just one year. Here's what you can do to get your brand out there: Write a press release, send it to local newspapers and magazines. Purchase ads in papers and on websites that people in your target audience read. Sponsor events that cater to your target audience. Get a celebrity endorsement, or get the most popular person you know to wear your stuff by giving it to them for free. Use social media, such as Twitter, Facebook and your own blog, to spread the word. Make sure you have a good LinkedIn profile too.
Euphoric colors can help you with all of these needs just give us a call at anytime 800 775 7227
