1. Minimum Order Quantity
For a start-up business, the minimum order size is the most determining factor. Many factories with a particular scale have specific requirements for the minimum order quantity of a single product style. Although many factories have implemented flexible small-batch production customization and have low requirements for a single type, businesses should pay attention to the cost. After all, clothes need to meet the market’s demand. If the volume is not high and the per-unit cost is low, your products in the market lack competitiveness.
2. Quality Control and Marketing
Now we can send the drawings to the custom clothing manufacturers for the sample, but generally, we need to know the designer’s plan. Ordinarily, our garment factory can accept drawing samples for customers with a long-term partnership, but we dare not directly make orders with only one image for new customers. Even if they work in the same company, and the stylist and production division meet every day, they still cannot understand some things. Let alone the clothing manufacturers and people from different places and businesses.
Now many shop owners are young college students. They don’t know much about manufacturing clothes. They often send a picture to the garment factory and think that the custom clothing manufacturers can produce the clothes according to the image. In fact, this is not a guaranteed practice. The thinking of designers is not the same as that of pattern makers. Why designers and pattern makers often complain about each other because the direction of understanding is different.
Designers are mostly more perceptual, while production division is relatively rational. In addition, many designers do not know their craft, and the design they draw may not be able to carry out mass production. But designers who don’t know how to make patterns are not good designers. Some designs are complex and not suitable for mass production. Hence, understanding the whole structure is important to come up with different and plenty of versions. I had years of working on other versions. And I deem designers must be familiar with the process. When I deal with designers, I usually start by teaching them the craft and procedure.
In terms of quality control, one must find a licensed factory when looking for custom clothing manufacturers. Some garment factories cannot make some types of clothes. Some clothing manufacturers in China that make shirts will not make pants, while a factory that makes suits will not make sweaters.
What Clothes Need to be Produced？
You have to find suitable clothing manufacturers.
When you go to a garment factory, you need to examine if the surrounding is clean and tidy. When I accompanied a Japanese client to inspect the factory, he did not go to the workshop to check the quality of the clothes first, but he first explored the toilet. The factory that cleans the bathroom regularly is equivalent to the strong sense of quality the boss has. The quality of clothes from such clothing manufacturers can be better.
Another way is to help the garment factory deliver goods. The clothing manufacturers in China will handle any return or exchange of goods with quality problems, and all the expenses incurred will be borne by the as agreed. In this way, factories will take the initiative to focus on quality.
As for the sellers, they are free from tedious production procurement functions. They only need to concentrate on good sales. The delivery model is an easy way for the seller to let the factory deliver the goods and reduce the cost of warehouse inventory. At present, we cooperate with shop merchants for an easier process.
3. Payment Schedule
The payment schedule for the order is also a key factor in the agreement with the clothing manufacturers. For big brands, their standard contract is they usually have two or three months to pay. Because of the brand endorsement, the garment factory can agree to this but note that the risk is also not small.
Many custom clothing manufacturers may not be amenable to longer payment terms for general shop merchants or small sellers. So, these clients, must of them need to hand over their payment upon delivery. Of course, if the partnership lasts for a long time, you can discuss payment plans with the garment factory.
If the business wants to find the right clothing manufacturers in China, it needs to operate with the garment factory and not just ask to process it. If you just take the factory as your processing unit as small businesses generally do not understand most clothing manufacturing procedures, this will often cause conflicting differences. We need to reach an amicable cooperation agreement regarding minimum order quantity, quality follow-up, payment method, etc., for a solid and productive relationship.
The impact of the epidemic on the garment manufacturing industry
The outbreak has divided many garment factories into “three categories”:
First is what we call being passive and accepting downfall where several factories can’t stand the loss and hence directly closed down;
Second is the transformation to the production of masks, wherein the boss made an investment and saw the return in two months which is equivalent to a year’s profit;
The third is to keep the clothing manufacturing business, but that will not be much better.
With the epidemic’s effect, this year’s spring clothes are basically unmoved. And this kind of spring clothes was produced in the second half of last year, but can only be sold as autumn clothes. And summer clothing is just “catching up with the tail,” for winter clothing. I also said not to be optimistic. After all, with last year’s warm winter, the winter clothing inventory is aplenty. For a long time, those who have been clothing manufacturers in China understood that it is hard to see a significant improvement this year.
Some of the basic changes have to do with a short-term band cargo or to bring the cargo host broadcast cooperation. As our factory is mainly for domestic sales, many anchors find us in the later stage. In the past, custom clothing manufacturers in China can still receive some foreign orders when it is not busy, but this year, foreign trade orders also suffered from the shortage.
It is a good year for clothing manufacturers in China to thrive
This year’s outbreak has had a notable impact on the garment industry. This is the reason many custom clothing manufacturers are suffering.
How to find the perfect clothing manufacturers for long-term partnerships after the epidemic
Although the epidemic has impacted the clothing industry, we should also recognize that some good things benefited from it. For example, during the epidemic, sellers do live videos to sell their products. With a short video of these sellers, their sales did not decrease but increased. These success stories bring light and hope to us.
This is also an opportunity for businesses looking for the right clothing manufacturers in China
I believe garment factories will unlikely make a price increase this year, although no price reduction is sound. But, the costs should be more controllable this year. As a matter of fact, many foreign trade factories’ manufacturing capacities are very strong. Several custom clothing manufacturers in China producing orders for famous foreign brands have a severe shortage of orders, which means it is an excellent opportunity for many small businesses.
The shops that are still looking for the right clothing manufacturers in China, with a big or small factory as they grow, following where the big brands go won’t go wrong. Although we have experienced the epidemic’s impact this year, we need to know how to turn crises into opportunities and learn to identify business opportunities amid uncertainty. For novice companies, because clothing manufacturers are in a challenging period, this is an ideal time to seize some perfect deals from the factory.
Conclusion
- The difficulties encountered in the initial stage of entrepreneurship.
The main problems to expect are the payment schedule, orders, and staff deficiencies. In particular, we should focus on the supply chain and the basic security of employees.
2. Assessing the quality of a factory
1 It cannot be determined just by the size of the factory.
2 Understand the customer orientation of the factory
3 The credibility of the boss
4 Organizational structure and staffing
3. Online shops or wholesale retailers must consider these factors:
1 For a start-up business, the minimum order quantity is the most critical factor. When looking for a factory, find one with a license.
The most important thing you need to observe when you go to a garment factory is if the surrounding is clean and tidy.
2 Negotiating with the factory for services. The payment schedule and method are also essential.
3 The clothing manufacturers will produce, deliver, and take the initiative to pay attention to the quality of every product; The sellers are now free from the tedious production process and can concentrate on sales.
4. Impact of the epidemic on the garment manufacturing industry
The epidemic has undoubtedly shown a downward trend in the consumption power of Chinese people as a whole. This year, garment factories are affected by the epidemic, which mainly divides them into three groups:
○ Being passive and accepting the downfall
○ Turning to mask production
○ Maintain the clothing business
The impact of the epidemic on garment factories is not as bad as people assume. Although, custom clothing manufacturers in China still have to face a shortage of orders.
5. After the epidemic, how to find the best clothing manufacturers and have a long-term partnership
When looking for clothing manufacturers in China, clothing merchants can find a small factory to grow with or follow the big brands. Either way, both options will work.
