When you are starting an activewear brand, finding a manufacturer is paramount. You want to be able to liaise with a manufacturer who can provide you with the products, and the quality that you require. Not all manufacturers can meet your requirements or your needs, so creating a shortlist in this process is key to the longevity and success of your activewear brand.
Reach Out Locally and Further Afield
To begin your search, you need to look locally as well as further afield. Some manufacturers of sportswear or activewear may be based locally and close to your business premises. However, this does not mean that you should choose a manufacturer simply based on location. You may find that locations further afield, perhaps even in another state can offer you greater lead times, and more competitive prices per unit. To find manufacturers, you need to use search engines, but you also need to use networking. At networking events, you can often find out about manufacturers and providers that you may have never even heard of before.
Look for Experienced Professionals
Not all manufacturers you contact or reach out to will be able to help your activewear brand. You may find that they are not experienced or specialist providers, and this is what you should be seeking to ensure your brand has a positive reputation. To make your search quicker, you need to focus on finding activewear apparel manufacturers because these will have the knowledge and expertise to get your ideas turned around and made into reality. Manufacturers that have been in business for more than a few years are going to be more aware of market conditions, and of issues arising in the processing or production of your activewear.
Look at the Quality of The Product
As you are getting together a shortlist of manufacturers, it is vital that you look at the quality of the product/s on offer. Seeing a sample, or seeing some of the manufacturer’s previous work will help you establish if the quality of the product is good enough for your activewear brand. If you can pay a visit to a manufacturer, or even get samples sent to you then this would be beneficial to your search. It is sometimes very hard to gauge the quality of a product or piece from a picture.
Consider More than Just the Cost
As you are creating a brand, you want to get good value for money – when you are starting out, it can feel like the cost is the only thing you must focus on. However, the cheapest price doesn’t always get you the best quality of fabric, material or production. Getting accurate costings from manufacturers, and then seeing what you get for your money is important. You don’t want to cut quality just because you want to keep costs low. When you get prices and costs from a manufacturer see what this cost covers. You may find that it covers more processes than you initially realized.
