We make clothing for brands every week, and a lot of them are first orders. The founders who get their first run right usually aren’t the ones with the biggest budget. They’re the ones who decided a few things early: who they’re selling to, what the first range is, and what it will cost to get it made and shipped.
This is the order we’d do it in, from the factory side.
1. Decide what you’re selling, and to whom
“Clothing” is too wide. Pick a lane you can explain in one sentence: women’s gym wear for lifting, running kit for trail runners, streetwear hoodies for a local scene, team kit for a sport you play. The narrower the customer, the easier every later decision becomes, from fabric to photos.
Look at what your customer already buys and what they complain about. A gap in fit, size range, fabric or price is a better start than a logo.
2. Work out your numbers before you design
Before anything is drawn, list what the first run will cost. The usual items:
- samples, and their shipping;
- the production run, at the factory’s minimum per style;
- shipping and import duties;
- labels, hang tags and packaging;
- photos, a website and the first ads;
- money held back for a reorder of whatever sells.
Most first ranges are small: two or three styles in two or three colors. That keeps the cash tied up in stock low while you find out what sells.
3. Pick a name and check it
Check that the name is free as a web domain and on the social platforms you’ll use. Then search your country’s trademark register for clothing. Registering the trademark early protects the name you’re about to spend money building. This isn’t legal advice, and a trademark attorney can tell you what applies where you sell.
4. Design the range and make a tech pack
You don’t need to be a designer, but someone does need to draw the garments. Many founders hire a freelance designer for the first range. We don’t offer a design service, so the design has to come from you or your designer.
A tech pack is the document a factory makes your garment from. It covers flat drawings of the front and back, the measurements for each size, the fabric, the colors, where each logo goes, and the labels. Our guide on how to find a clothing manufacturer goes through what goes in one.
If you don’t have a tech pack yet, a clear reference image and notes are enough for us to start a sample.
What private label means
Private label means a factory makes the garment and it’s sold under your brand. Your labels, hang tags and packaging go on, and the factory’s name doesn’t appear anywhere.
You’ll also see “white label” and “blank” offers. White label usually means a factory’s own design with your logo added. Blank means a finished plain garment you decorate yourself. We only work the first way: every piece is made from the buyer’s own design. We don’t sell our own designs or keep stock.
Choosing a manufacturer
The right factory depends on what you’re making. A maker of cotton tees may not be the one for leggings, and a sportswear factory may not be the one for tailoring. Look for one that already makes your kind of garment, at a minimum you can afford.
Ask every factory the same questions: the minimum per style, the sample cost and time, the production time, the payment terms and the shipping terms. Compare the answers side by side. Our guide to clothing manufacturers in Pakistan covers what to check if you’re looking overseas.
5. Order samples and test them properly
The sample is where most problems get caught. Wear it, wash it a few times, and have people of different sizes try it. Check the fabric, the stitching, the print and the fit against your tech pack.
Expect at least one round of changes. We make samples in about 7 days and ship them to you, and they’re charged separately. Bulk production starts only after you approve the sample.
6. Plan the first production run
Decide the colors and the size split for each style. For a first run, put most of the stock in the middle sizes and less in the smallest and largest, then adjust on the reorder once you see what sells.
Our minimum is 50 pieces per style, and sizes can be mixed within those 50 at no extra cost. Production takes 10 to 12 business days after the deposit clears.
7. Labels, tags and packaging
These are part of the product, not an extra. A woven neck label, a care label with the fabric content, a hang tag and a polybag are the basics. Check the labelling rules where you sell. Many countries require the fabric content on the garment, and some require care instructions too.
8. Shipping and duties
Find out who pays the import duties before you order. Bulk orders from us usually ship DDP (delivered duty paid), so duties and taxes are paid before delivery and there’s nothing to pay at your door. We confirm shipping terms on every quote. Delivery takes 8 to 10 days by DHL, FedEx or UPS.
9. Get ready to sell
Most new brands sell from their own website first, with social media sending people to it. Good photos matter more than almost anything else on the site. Shoot the samples while the bulk order is in production, so the shop is ready when the stock lands.
Some brands also sell wholesale to local gyms, clubs or shops. That brings in bigger orders but at a lower margin.
10. Reorder what sells
Watch which styles, colors and sizes sell fastest, and reorder those. Drop what doesn’t move. Your second range will be better than your first because it’s based on sales, not guesses.
A realistic timeline
Once the design is ready, a first run usually takes six to ten weeks from first message to stock in hand: about a week for the sample, plus shipping and any changes, then 10 to 12 business days of production and 8 to 10 days of shipping. Allow more if the sample needs a second round.
Questions
How much does it cost to start a clothing brand?
It depends on the garments, the fabric, the number of styles and the quantity. Use the list in step 2 to build your own budget, and ask a few factories for quotes on the same tech pack to compare.
Can I start a clothing brand with no experience?
Many do. The parts you can’t do yourself, like design, photos or a website, you can hire for. The decisions in steps 1, 2 and 6 are the ones to make yourself.
What’s the smallest first order?
With us, 50 pieces per style, sizes mixed. Other factories set their own minimums, and cut-and-sew factories rarely go much lower.
Do I need a registered business?
In most countries it’s sensible before you sell, and it makes import paperwork simpler. Check the rules where you live.
How long until my first stock arrives?
Six to ten weeks is typical once the design is ready, as set out above.
When your design is ready, send it to us for a price and lead time. You can see the activewear we make on our leggings, hoodies and sports bras pages.
