How To Find a Clothing Manufacturer

A crucial step in your journey to starting a clothing label is finding the right manufacturer. Whether you’re aiming for a local Australian production or considering going offshore, navigating the world of clothing manufacturing can be a daunting process. Even more so if you’re a start-up or small fashion brand, where it can be incredibly difficult to get your foot in the door with a reputable, quality manufacturer.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about finding the perfect clothing manufacturer for your fashion label, including key considerations such as onshore vs offshore manufacturing, cost factors, and essential questions to ask to ensure your brand is safe and in the right hands.

How to find a clothing manufacturer

Setting up a relationship with a factory is a two-way street; while you are looking for trustworthy, reliable, ethical manufacturing, the factory is looking to establish a connection with repeat clients with ongoing production. Knowing where to find these partners is something we here at Visionise specialise in, with a number of reputable and ethical partners who are happy to support new brands with low MOQs.

Likewise, attending trade shows and industry events can also provide valuable opportunities to network with manufacturers and also offer you the chance to view their products firsthand without the overheads of travel and things like accommodation and time off work. 

Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of referrals – reach out to fellow industry entrepreneurs and professionals, and local business associations for recommendations and insights. A personal introduction can go a long way and is something Visionise can help you with. We believe in transparency when it comes to the garment production process and compared to most other agencies, we ensure all clients have full access to their manufacturing partners for complete peace of mind.

By casting a wide net and being diligent in your search, you’ll be well on your way to finding the perfect clothing manufacturer to bring your fashion designs to life. 

Once you’ve compiled a list of prospective manufacturers, make sure you do your due diligence by reviewing their credentials, requesting samples, and asking detailed questions about their production processes and capabilities (we’ve listed a few of these below!).

Onshore vs. Offshore Manufacturing: Which is Right for You?

One of the most common questions we’re asked by new designers is whether or not they should work with local onshore partners or look to offshore manufacturing for their designs.

The answer to this largely comes down to you and your brand. Depending on the products you want to make, the skills and expertise needed as well as the time, money and resources you have available at your disposal.

Onshore manufacturing, which involves producing garments locally within Australia, offers benefits such as faster turnaround times, easier communication, and adherence to Australian regulations and ethical standards. However, it often comes with a higher price tag due to the shortage of skills and expertise and likewise, the import costs when it comes to the materials you use. There’s also a lot of travel involved, where you’ll be responsible for sourcing and ordering all fabrics and trimmings and ensuring your samples and bulk orders get transported from one maker to the next.

On the other hand, offshore manufacturing, typically in countries like China, Vietnam, or Bangladesh, offers lower production costs with everything from pattern making, sourcing, sewing and labelling all available in-house. However, it can present challenges such as longer lead times, language barriers, and potential quality control issues not to mention post-covid, where we’ve seen a huge increase in freight charges. 

When choosing what is best for you, make sure you consider factors like production volume, budget constraints, and your commitment to ethical sourcing. Remember, just because it’s made locally in Australia doesn’t always mean it’s made ethically so do your due diligence.

How Much Does it Cost for a Clothing Manufacturer?

The cost of clothing manufacturing can vary widely depending on factors such as the complexity of your designs, the materials used, production volume, and the location of the manufacturer. 

In Australia, onshore manufacturing costs are generally higher due to higher labour wages and operating expenses. Offshore manufacturing may offer more competitive pricing, but you’ll need to factor in additional expenses like shipping, customs, tax, and quality control visits.

When producing off-shore, as a general guideline, expect to pay anywhere from $15 to $50 per garment for small-scale production runs, with costs decreasing as production volume increases. However, when producing onshore, depending on the style, fabric and make of the garment, you can expect to pay anywhere from $40 to $200 per item. 

When working with your suppliers, always request detailed quotes from multiple manufacturers and carefully review the breakdown of costs to ensure transparency and avoid unexpected expenses. 

If you need help, our team of experts can help guide you and hold your hand through the entire production process to ensure you’re equipped with the skills and knowledge for future success.

Questions to Ask Your Clothing Manufacturer

When vetting potential clothing manufacturers, asking the right questions is key to finding a reliable partner for your fashion label. Some of the important questions you  should ask include:

• What is your minimum order quantity (MOQ)?
• What types of fabrics and materials do you work with?
• What is your production lead time?
• Can you provide samples or prototypes before bulk production?
• Do you have experience working with similar brands or designs?
• What quality control measures do you have in place?
• Are you certified or compliant with industry standards and regulations?
• Can you provide references or testimonials from past clients?

By asking these questions and thoroughly evaluating each manufacturer’s capabilities and offerings, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your brand’s goals and values.

Why work with a Visionise Manufacturer partner instead of finding your own?

Getting set up with a reliable and ethical manufacturer can be a daunting process. Here at Visionoise, we understand the importance of trust when building relationships with factories, which is why we do what we do. We understand you are a small fish in the ocean for many manufacturers, which is why Visionise was established. 

We want to give small start-ups the same opportunities as larger more established brands and we’ve been around for a long time and with that, comes trust with our manufacturing partners. They trust our processes and procedures and we trust their quality and standards.

Proven ethically run manufacturing

To ensure the words ‘ethical’ and ‘sustainable’ are not just buzz words used for marketing, we carefully check certifications and audits and follow up if anything is not in order. All our manufacturing partners in China and India hold globally recognised standard certifications and while the Balinese manufacturers are usually too small to afford the expensive certifications, we monitor these standards in other ways. We also have a very special relationship with our Bali partners (this is where Visionise was born with its first factory back in 2005!) and here the doors are open and our clients are always welcome to go and visit and meet the team behind their designs at any point. 

Transparency 

We believe all brands should know where their products are made which is why we provide full transparency to our clients. Once you have approved your quotation, you’re given all the details and information about the factory creating your garments where we can also help you arrange a visit in person as well.

Cost savings with quotations before investing in samples

Most manufacturers don’t like to provide a quotation before sampling however, because we at Visionise have long-standing relationships with our partners and can provide our manufacturers with high-quality, detailed tech packs, we’re able to source detailed estimates so you are fully aware of future costs, before committing to development.

Access to a large network of fabrics and trims

Finding the right material, colour, weight, quality, availability and for the right price, can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Luckily, that’s where we can help! Whether it’s through our vast in-house fabric library, or via our extensive global network of manufacturers and suppliers. If what you are searching for doesn’t exist, we can arrange custom milling designed only for you!

Full Production house

If you’ve ever tried to produce with a factory that doesn’t offer the whole end-to-end design and production process in-house, you would have most likely experienced being bounced around by all the separate parties such as pattern makers, cutting team, sample makers, suppliers, and the production team.

This process tends to create confusion, a breakdown in communication and a resulting lack of responsibility when something goes wrong which ultimately means a lot more work for you, and a far more costly experience. 

All our partners offer full-production manufacturing which means they can take care of everything in the design and development process from pattern making, sampling, grading and finally, to the finished bulk product, complete with labels and packaging delivered directly to your door.

Security and peace of mind

1. Visionise provides clients with a legal international Manufacturer Agreement. This outlines to all parties’ clear terms explaining all parties’ rights and responsibilities.

2. You won’t be treated like an insignificant small client to a big manufacturer. Visionise have the Industry experience to find creative ways around obstacles and make fair and reasonable outcomes for all parties involved.

3. You are not doing alone, you have a team of experts supporting you without the overheads of internal staff. You are in control of what you want help with and what you’re comfortable handling yourself. Our project management system provided to our clients, will prompt you to action the right tasks in the right order and right time. You will have resources and a designated senior designer and project manager to help with every step of the journey when you need it.

Ready to turn your fashion dreams into reality? Book your complimentary 10 minute discovery call and learn how we can help you find the ideal clothing manufacturer for your brand.