10 Things Every Fashion Brand Should know
Tehran ( SANATNAMA ) - You can spend a fortune designing new clothing ranges and building a brand but if the goods are not made up properly, or the fabric is of poor quality, or the shipment delayed, the goods won’t look right and they certainly won’t sell.
Lee Riad, MD of UK-based manufacturing company, Newtrino, who makes textile products for fashion brands that sell in the likes of Selfridges and Top Shop, gives his top tips that every fashion brand should know before appointing a manufacturer.
- Customer Service.
Everyone will say they offer great service, but what will this actually mean once you’ve signed an agreement. Does the company take the time to understand your business, produce free swatches and samples and offer a dedicated account manager? Who can you speak to quickly about your order and come back to you within a certain time frame?
- Production Flexibility.
Many factories and production facilities only specialise in one type of fabric or one technique. If you’re selling denim jeans in large quantities this could be a good thing, but many smaller companies want a factory that offers the capability and flexibility to carry out many different production processes and techniques, all under one roof.
- Low Quantities.
A flexible approach is needed in terms of minimum quantities too. Many small companies or new brands simply don’t have the orders to justify a big production run. Small runs are usually in the region of 200 pieces per item and per colour. Check to see if your factory is prepared to produce such a limited run and whether they will help provide sample runs too.
- Quality Control and Tolerance.
Once of the biggest areas of frustration (not to mention hidden cost) for fashion companies is faulty goods. Right from the outset it’s important to discuss and agree levels of tolerance in the production process, so you know what to expect and what is considered as “normal” for a manufacturing run. Stringent quality control and monitoring procedures are much better carried out on the factory floor before arriving as part of the shipment. Good companies will not only check goods on the production line but they may also have an independent QC (quality control) process just before the goods leave the factory.
- Added Value Services.
Quality manufacturing is always about much more than simply making up the goods. Does your appointed supplier offer additional services that might help your business develop? Professional advice on new product development; the best fabrics, colours or printing techniques to use, as well as packaging, labelling and financial planning can all prove invaluable in managing production costs and helping the business succeed
- Lead times and Commitment.
It’s no good having a production facility that can’t produce the goods within a suitable timeframe. A good, efficient company should be able to produce a limited run from confirmed order to shipment in as little as three weeks. It’s also a good idea to make sure that companies commit to and deliver to an agreed schedule.
- Costs and Payment Terms.
In setting up an agreement with a manufacturer, do check you’ve understood all the costs you will be charged for. Buying from the UK is very different from buying from abroad and carriage costs, VAT, currency fluctuations all need to be discussed and agreed. Dependent on order quantities, it is also worth asking suppliers if they would be happy to agree payment terms giving credit for a period of time, such as 30 days.
- Compliance
In today’s competitive market, the need to manage overheads and cut costs is never far away. And never more so than in the textile supply chain where in the drive to save margin, it is easy to overcome shortcomings in the production process. Good suppliers and manufacturers will endorse an accredited production process, such as that of WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) who have outlined 12 principles for factories and suppliers to follow in order to be fully, socially compliant. Read more here (Link to blog below).
- Contractual Agreement.
Whether you’ve been working with a supplier for a long time, or you are about to embark on a completely new partnership, always make sure you have a contractual agreement in place. This doesn’t have to be a hugely complex legal document but it should clearly state what is expected on both sides.
- Manage Your Suppliers
Any supplier, however good they are will always need to be managed. As a company owner the onus is on you to do this and make sure that suppliers are given direction and clear instructions about the job you want them to do. Having a clear agreement in place will help with this, but so too will regular communication. Wherever possible, do make sure you visit factories you are planning to work with, to meet people face to face and start building rapport.
Lee Riad is the MD of Newtrino, a textile supplier with offices in the UK, Europe and Egypt.
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