At least once a day, 365 days out of the year, I get an email that goes something like this. Hey, I want to start a legging brand. Can you help me with sourcing and manufacturing? And that quick email without very many details tells me everything I need to know. This person has no clue what they are getting themselves into. They probably think that because of Instagram and social media, starting an manufacturing leggings is simple, and if they can just find the right factory it’s going to be easy money… And, while it can be profitable, it’s going to require a lot more hard work than just findi ..read more

Streetwear startups have become increasingly popular over the years. And although I am not personally super into streetwear, I have a lot to offer in terms of industry expertise. In this article, I will give you a comprehensive understanding of streetwear branding, some pros and cons of starting streetwear branding in general, and my top recommendations with over 15 years of experience on how to start a streetwear brand. Let’s get into it!    WHAT YOU’LL LEARN What is a streetwear brand?  Pros and cons of starting a streetwear startup Accessibility of starting a streetwear br ..read more

A few weeks ago, I shared a post that takes you inside a fabric dye lab and teaches you all about how lab dips are made in a dye house. Now, this week, I’m going to tell you all about what goes on inside a fabric dye factory after the lab dip approvals, and the order moves to bulk.  Dye houses are one of my favorite stops in the textile manufacturing supply chain for 2 reasons! The first, they are a spectacle. Imagine an entire warehouse of different machines bigger than 16-wheelers. And, the second, dye houses are also a place where art meets science. It is where we create color, but to ..read more

Recycled fabric suppliers disrupted the fashion scene around 2017 for good reason. They provided a sustainable manufacturing solution that performance brands had been craving. For years, the green advice was to switch from petroleum-based synthetics like polyester and nylon to more natural fibers like cotton and hemp - bonus points if organic. But those fibers don’t hold up for swim, winter jacket, and yoga brands in wet, harsh conditions. Recycled polyester finally offered a sustainable alternative without sacrificing quality. However, if you have been keeping up with the news, you’ll know th ..read more

Wondering how to start a baby clothing line? You’ve come to the right place. With nearly nonstop demand (there are always kids being born), the baby clothing market can be a lucrative one. But be careful, there is still a lot of hard work to do because kids' clothing brands have their own unique set of challenges.  One of those is the stringent safety laws to adhere to - particularly if your target market is in the US. But, don’t worry - I’ll get to all of that soon enough.  The thing about creating a baby clothes line, is that, unfortunately, it’s not as simple as launching general ..read more

I have been in the apparel manufacturing industry for a long time. I went to college for Textile Engineering and have worked for nearly 15 years in mills and factories worldwide. I’m not saying this to brag, but I know a lot at this point in my career. So, when an opportunity comes up for me to learn about something I know almost nothing about, I grab it. Last summer, I got to spend a month traveling around Italy, learning all about different types of manufacturing. Today, I am going to share the two days I spent literally making my own pair of shoes. So, if you have been wanting to start your ..read more

Once you’ve designed your clothing line, created a tech pack, put together a garment spec sheet, and found a factory you want to use, you’re ready to start the garment sampling process. Garment samples are where your designs come to life. They are the factory’s physical interpretation of all your instructions and sketches.  Similar to your tech pack, samples are a work in progress designed to be refined, corrected, and adjusted until you have a garment you are happy to take to mass production.  There are 12 types of samples in the product development and production lifecycle. While t ..read more

If you didn’t already know, color is THE most important factor in fashion industry. Every good apparel merchandising team knows that the first thing that pulls a customer into a store is the color. Basically, when we shop, we are like tropical birds; pretty colors draw us in. Then we start to care more about things like cut and fit after that initial attraction. So, today I am going to teach you all about how custom colors are made and matched through the product development lab dip process, or l/d for short. If you didn’t know lab dips are tiny fabric samples, so small they almost looks like ..read more

Spanx… Glossier…. Nasty Gal. These are all mega brands started by creative, driven people who had little to no experience when they first got their start. And you know who else was scared they didn’t have enough experience (even after working in the fashion industry for 7 years) to start their company? Me. So, today I am going to share with you my blueprint for how to start a clothing line with no experience.     HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: One of the biggest mistakes I ever made in my (professional) life The secret to creating an iconic brand that doesn’t get lost in the noise H ..read more

One of my favorite quotes from a past student who created a Made in Canada clothing brand was, “My supply chain is so Canadian they drink Tim Horton’s (IYKYK) in the factory.” The quote during a live group coaching call literally made me lol as images of maple syrup and poutine crept into my mind. At this moment, I also realized that Canada clothing manufacturers are an often overlooked supply chain option. So I decided to write this post to help anyone that is considering making their products in the great snowy north.  While many larger brands with bloated overhead are forced to move th ..read more