Cómo iniciar una línea de ropa: su guía completa para el diseño, el muestreo, la producción y el empaque

Comenzar una línea de ropa puede ser una experiencia muy gratificante para un emprendedor creativo con una visión. Ya sea que esté buscando crear una línea simple de ropa estampada o si desea crear una colección completa de corte y costura con varias piezas y adiciones de temporada, esta publicación le mostrará cómo comenzar una línea de ropa.

Dependiendo del tipo de línea de ropa que desee crear, es probable que haya muchos pasos diferentes involucrados en el proceso. Cuanto más involucrado quiera estar en el abastecimiento y la producción de su línea, más tiempo, esfuerzo y dinero tendrá para invertir. Si solo está interesado en comenzar algo rápido y fácil, también hay opciones para eso. En esta publicación, le mostraremos paso a paso cómo puede comenzar su propia línea de ropa, ya sea que tenga un presupuesto de $ 100 o más de $ 10,000 para invertir.

Si alguna vez ha estado pensando en iniciar una marca de ropa, no busque más. Este artículo ha estado en proceso durante casi un año y, a lo largo del camino, hemos incluido el conocimiento y la experiencia de decenas de emprendedores y empresas de la industria de la confección. Este conocimiento de la industria abarca desde:

• Una pequeña marca que logró lanzar una exitosa campaña de crowdfunding que recaudó $ 300,000 que destinaron a la fabricación de su línea de ropa de lana merino de alta gama.
• Un mayorista de marca privada de ropa en blanco que se dirige al mercado B2B
• Un creador de patrones y diseñador de paquetes de tecnología que trabaja con aspirantes a creadores de líneas de ropa para ayudarles a dar vida a sus visiones.
• Y finalmente, hemos ido directamente a la fuente para obtener información de una fábrica que tiñe hilados y teje textiles.

Hay muchas cosas en juego cuando se trata de comenzar tu propia línea de ropa, así que vamos a entrar en ella.

Decidir sobre los productos de ropa que desea vender

Tienes muchas opciones cuando se trata de crear ropa y productos de moda.

Si siempre ha querido comenzar una línea de ropa, es probable que ya tenga una buena idea de los productos particulares que desea crear y vender. Para otros, crear una marca de ropa puede representar una oportunidad única e interesante para diseñar un producto que represente su estilo personal, pero es posible que no esté seguro de qué productos vender.

Independientemente de la categoría en la que se encuentre, es importante considerar cuidadosamente todas las prendas y las opciones de ropa antes de decidir avanzar en una de ellas.

Algunos productos de ropa y vestuario que puede considerar para su marca son:

• Camisas de manga corta
• Camisas de manga larga
• Sudaderas con capucha
• Pantalones / Leggings
• Vestidos
• Lencería / Ropa interior / Calcetines

Cada uno de estos productos de ropa presenta sus propias oportunidades y desafíos cuando se trata de construir una marca de ropa a su alrededor, por lo que es importante considerarlos detenidamente. Tenga esto en cuenta a medida que avance en este artículo.

A continuación, analizaremos algunos de los modelos comerciales de líneas de ropa más comunes para tener una mejor idea del trabajo, el tiempo y la inversión monetaria que se requieren para cada uno.

Elegir un modelo de negocio de línea de ropa

Si está listo para comenzar su marca de ropa, tendrá que tomar algunas decisiones importantes en este momento.

Hay varias direcciones que puede tomar para crear su propia marca, las cuales son bastante diferentes entre sí. Y lo más importante, la dificultad, los costos y el tiempo de entrada varían drásticamente entre cada opción.

Echemos un vistazo a las opciones más comunes:

• Imprime a solicitud
• Línea de ropa de marca privada
• Línea de ropa de corte y costura personalizada

Analicemos las ventajas y desventajas de cada uno a continuación.

Opción n. ° 1: línea de ropa de impresión bajo demanda

La primera y más fácil opción para comenzar su propia línea de ropa consiste en imprimir sus diseños o logotipo en prendas estándar en blanco.

Esta es una opción atractiva para personas con un presupuesto bajo (menos de $ 1,000) y aquellos que desean beneficiarse de poder establecer un negocio casi completamente automatizado. El mayor inconveniente de este tipo de modelo de negocio son los márgenes de beneficio más bajos y la falta de capacidad para diferenciar su producto en cosas como el material, las costuras y el ajuste, ya que utiliza ropa al por mayor estándar.

El proceso de impresión a pedido o directo a la prenda utiliza una impresora de chorro de tinta digital especial para imprimir tinta directamente sobre la ropa y la ropa. Estas impresoras digitales pueden producir imágenes a todo color en prendas de vestir con extrema precisión.

La impresión bajo demanda produce prendas impresas de alta calidad de forma rápida y eficiente. Debido a esto, no hay costos de instalación, a diferencia de la serigrafía. Esto significa que es fácil y rentable imprimir pedidos pequeños (incluida solo 1 unidad).

Pros

• Sin costos de instalación
• Impresiones de alta calidad
• Opciones de color ilimitadas
• Perfecto para pedidos de cantidades reducidas o puntuales
• Muchas opciones de ropa (camisas, leggings, calcetines, vestidos, etc.)

Contras

• No rentable para grandes tiradas de producción
• Generalmente no hay descuentos por volumen
• Selección limitada de productos de impresión
• Opciones de acabado limitadas (etiquetas, etiquetas, etc.)

Opción # 2: Línea de ropa de marca privada / al por mayor

Cuando compra productos de ropa a través de proveedores mayoristas o de marcas privadas, esencialmente está comprando productos de ropa de otras marcas y luego vendiéndolos a los clientes de su propia tienda. Cuando obtenga productos de ropa de esta manera, comprará piezas a granel de un proveedor a un precio con descuento y luego venderá los artículos a sus clientes con un margen de beneficio.

Con esta opción, no fabricará sus propias prendas de vestir desde cero, sino que seleccionará una selección de prendas que se adapten a los gustos de sus clientes. No podrá personalizar cada pieza de ropa como lo haría si estuviera fabricando prendas de vestir, pero tampoco tendrá que pasar por el largo y costoso proceso de fabricar sus propias prendas de vestir. Sin embargo, la principal desventaja de esta opción es que debe comprar muchas unidades de almacenamiento (SKU) de prendas de vestir a granel y por adelantado, lo que significa que necesitará flujo de efectivo.

Pros

• No es necesario que fabrique sus propios artículos
• Puede mantenerse al día con las tendencias cambiantes más fácilmente
• Obtenga su propia gama de productos
• Descuentos por volumen
• Potencial de buenos márgenes de beneficio
• Puede marcar artículos con sus propias etiquetas colgantes, empaques, etc.
• Cuando se trabaja con un proveedor de etiqueta privada, usted será capaz de personalizar las etiquetas de la ropa con su propia marca

Contras

• Cuando trabaje con un mayorista, no podrá personalizar las etiquetas de la ropa con su marca.
• Por lo general, las cantidades mínimas de pedido comienzan en ( al menos) 10 unidades por color / tamaño, si no 100 o 1,000 unidades
• Tendrá que administrar el inventario y el envío usted mismo
• Necesitará flujo de caja para comprar muchos productos por adelantado

Opción # 3: Línea de ropa de corte y costura personalizada

Cortar y coser ropa a medida significa que estás haciendo todo. Estamos hablando de diseñar bocetos, convertirlos en patrones, obtener telas y fabricantes y pagar por una producción completa (que podría ser de miles de unidades).

Hacer tu propia ropa no es para los débiles de corazón. Puede ser un proceso intensivo que puede tardar meses (como mínimo) en ponerse en marcha. Deberá encontrar un fabricante, deberá trabajar con un creador de patrones, tendrá que crear paquetes de tacómetros, tendrá que obtener y probar la tela, y probablemente también tendrá que crear y probar muchas muestras antes incluso de acercarse a un producto terminado.

Dependiendo de las prendas de vestir exactas que desee producir, solo para obtener algunas muestras, ya que los productos terminados pueden costar miles.

Una vez que tenga un producto terminado, también deberá producir una ejecución completa con su fabricante, deberá almacenar su inventario e incluso desarrollar una estrategia de envío para llevar su ropa a sus clientes.

Pros

• Obtendrás un producto 100% personalizado
• Potencial para un mayor valor percibido por parte de los clientes
• Potencial para mayores márgenes
• Tendrás el 100% del control de la marca

Contras

• Costos de inicio muy altos
• Es un proceso complejo que involucra varias partes móviles.
• El lanzamiento puede llevar meses o más

Los elementos de una marca de ropa exitosa

Las grandes marcas de ropa son geniales por una razón. Por lo general, hacen una cosa muy bien y, a veces, hacen varias cosas muy bien. Antes de comenzar su propia línea de ropa, hay cuatro factores importantes para una marca exitosa que debe considerar:

• Nicho
• Diseño
• Calidad
• Marca

Profundicemos un poco más en cada uno de estos elementos a continuación:

Seleccionar un nicho de marca de ropa

Seleccionar un nicho específico es importante, y muchas veces vital, para el éxito en la industria de la confección y la confección. Intentar ciegamente apuntar a grandes grupos de personas te dejará con una marca que no le habla a nadie.

Centrarse en un grupo específico de personas tiene varios beneficios importantes:

• Es más fácil de comercializar (ya que puede enfocarse en su mercado objetivo de manera más específica)
• Puede ser más asequible (ya que no se dirige a las audiencias equivocadas)
• Existe la posibilidad de menos competencia (cuanto más nicho, más pequeño se vuelve su grupo competitivo)
• Puede atraer una mayor lealtad de los clientes (porque su audiencia sabe que está enfocado en ellos)

Por ejemplo: “La ropa con lemas divertidos” o las “sudaderas con capucha para hombres” son demasiado amplias para atacar ya que los mercados están muy desarrollados. Niching down lo ayudará a orientar mejor su mercado, le permitirá llegar a ellos más fácilmente y ser capaz de crear más valor para ellos. Entonces, en lugar de "ropa con eslóganes divertidos", podría dirigirse a un mercado específico y apasionado como "ropa con eslóganes para enfermeras o bomberos". O, en lugar de "sudaderas con capucha para hombres", podría concentrarse en fabricar sudaderas con capucha ultra gruesas / cálidas para personas en climas fríos.

Diseños de ropa

Sus diseños, ya sean impresos, bordados o el diseño de la propia prenda, son fundamentales. Sus prendas de vestir no solo deben verse bien, sino que también deben verse bien específicamente a los ojos de su mercado objetivo.

En última instancia, usted será el que pierda si los diseños de su ropa no son estéticamente agradables y atractivos para sus compradores. Sus diseños no necesariamente tienen que ser complejos; de hecho, muchos de los diseños de ropa más vendidos son muy simples; sin embargo, deben conectarse con su audiencia / nicho específico.

Calidad de la ropa

Puedes engañar a alguien una vez, pero no puedes engañarlo dos veces. Un patrón que se desvanece y se agrieta con el tiempo o una pieza que se deshace en las costuras después de un lavado no creará fanáticos delirantes que volverán y volverán a comprar.

No toda la ropa es igual, puede haber grandes variaciones en la calidad de las prendas. La calidad y composición de los materiales que elijas afectarán cómo se usa la ropa, cómo se lava, cómo se desvanece, se encoge y, en última instancia, cuánto tiempo dura. Como mencionamos anteriormente, la calidad es primordial para su marca y su éxito, por lo que es importante que se eduque y elija los materiales con cuidado.

Siempre será tentador sacrificar la calidad por márgenes de beneficio más altos, pero debe considerar cómo la calidad afectará las decisiones del cliente de compartir su marca con otros y recomprarla a largo plazo.

Marca de ropa

Muchas empresas de ropa se basan en una marca sólida. Más allá de la ropa en sí, una marca fuerte alienta y refuerza su mercado objetivo para comprar, representar, compartir y recomprar sus prendas de vestir. Su marca se extiende mucho más allá del producto en sí y abarca lo que representa la marca y el estilo de vida asociado a ella.

Diferenciando su línea de ropa

Las industrias del diseño de prendas de vestir y la confección son algunas de las industrias más saturadas en las que estar. Para competir de manera efectiva, necesitará tener un punto de diferenciación que lo distinga en el mercado del resto.

Trabajar en una fábrica también me ha dado una visión por adelantado de cuántas personas ingresan a esta industria sin la menor idea de lo que se necesita para construir una marca que sea remotamente exitosa. Culpar a la ignorancia no es del todo justo ... Tampoco teníamos ni idea de lo difícil que sería. Sin embargo, comenzamos Stock con una razón clara de lo que nos diferenciaba, por qué la gente estaría interesada en comprar nuestras cosas y cómo haríamos para vender. Este es un paso que veo que muchos aspirantes a fabricantes se saltan. - Jim Snediker | Stock Mfg. Co.

La buena noticia es que hay varias formas de diferenciarse de la multitud ...

Diseño

Si planea tener gráficos o imágenes en sus prendas de vestir, los diseños (el estilo de los diseños y la calidad de los diseños) pueden ayudarlo a diferenciarse de los demás.

Ejemplo: Blackmilk Clothing dio a conocer su nombre y se convirtió en uno de los comerciantes más grandes de Shopify al crear leggings de diseño único, al mismo tiempo que se asoció con las principales marcas, en el siguiente caso, Dr. Who:

Ajuste / Estilo

Si planea crear su propia ropa desde cero, el ajuste y el estilo reales de la ropa pueden ser un punto importante de diferenciación.

Ejemplo: Sharp Casualwear ofrece ropa de lujo para hombres de 5'8 ”o menos que buscan prendas básicas elegantes que les queden bien. Quizás la marca original en línea que se hizo famosa y conocida por encajar mejor es Bonobos. Bonobos decidió que querían crear un pantalón de hombre que le quedara mejor. Su mejor ajuste ayudó a establecerlos desde el principio y convirtió su marca en una empresa de 100 millones de dólares.

Marca

Si todo lo demás sigue igual, es más probable que las personas compren de una marca cuya historia puedan relacionarse más. Además, una marca fuerte por sí sola que se conecta con los consumidores puede permitirle exigir un precio más alto, incluso si la calidad es relativamente la misma que la de otras marcas comunes o menos costosas.

Ejemplo: Billionaire Boys Club a principios de la década de 2000 vendió camisetas por casi $ 100 que simplemente decían "Billionaire Boys Club". Aunque podría decirse que sus camisetas eran de la misma calidad que cientos de otras en el mercado, los consumidores compraron la marca joven y urbana y su historia.

Nicho

El nicho en el que elige operar y su mercado objetivo (si se define lo suficientemente bien y si está insuficientemente atendido) puede ser en sí mismo un punto de diferenciación.

Ejemplo: See Ya Never se dirige a nómadas digitales que trabajan de forma remota y viajan por el mundo. Incluso con miles de marcas de ropa en el mercado, hay muy pocas, si las hay, dirigidas a este grupo de personas en particular.

80s Tees vende diseños exclusivos de películas y programas de televisión de los 80. Los diseños no solo son atractivos y nostálgicos, sino que muchos de los diseños tienen licencia, lo que los hace exclusivos y casi imposibles de encontrar en otros lugares.

Finalmente, Canada Threads se enfoca en ropa y accesorios que resuenan de manera única con los canadienses, incluidos diseños relacionados con la amada Canadian House Hippo.

Rendimiento / Material / Calidad

El tipo de material juega un papel importante en la diferenciación de sus prendas de vestir del resto. Cómo se comportan para el usuario (son cómodos, pican, restringen, son cálidos, ligeros, aireados, se arrugan fácilmente, etc.) y su calidad general (incluidas las costuras, los botones, el peso de la tela, etc.) todos juegan un papel en la satisfacción de sus clientes.

Ejemplo: Unbound Merino realizó una exitosa campaña de financiamiento colectivo recaudando $ 300,000 y están construyendo su marca en función del rendimiento de su ropa: ropa informal hecha de 100% lana merino súper suave que tiene una transpirabilidad superior y una capacidad de bloqueo de olores, lo que permite esta línea de viaje. ropa para usar muchas veces sin lavar.

Desarrollar un plan de negocios para su línea de ropa

Con algunos de los conceptos básicos fuera del camino, el siguiente paso es que desarrolle un plan de negocios básico (pero crítico) para trazar sus decisiones y la dirección de su empresa de ropa.

Algunos de los elementos principales que querrá considerar al armar su plan de negocios de comercio electrónico son:

• Tu modelo de negocio
• Personas del cliente
• Fortalezas y debilidades de la competencia
• Costos y márgenes

Bono: Recomendamos nuestro exclusivo Plan de negocios de comercio electrónico de una página para ayudarlo a construir su plan de negocios y estrategia para su línea de ropa. Incluyendo una hoja de trabajo de página completa y un libro electrónico de 40 páginas, el Plan de negocios de comercio electrónico de una página está formulado para guiarlo a través de las 12 áreas principales de la base de su negocio para que no se pierda ningún paso importante o pase por alto números importantes.

Creando una marca para su línea de ropa

El siguiente paso es desarrollar una marca para su nueva empresa de ropa.

Crear una marca para su nueva empresa de ropa es primordial. Con tantas empresas y marcas de ropa, necesitará diferenciarse. Tu marca será una gran parte de eso.

En última instancia, cada negocio tiene una marca y cada nuevo negocio tendrá una marca. La creación de su marca por adelantado le brinda la oportunidad de definir y comunicar mejor su mensaje e historia.

Si está planeando crear una línea de ropa de corte y costura personalizada, es posible que desee considerar la posibilidad de contratar una agencia dedicada a la creación de marcas para que lo ayude a crear su marca. Si está planeando una impresión bajo demanda o una marca privada donde su inversión y presupuesto son mucho menores, desarrollar su propia marca puede ser una opción rentable y que valga la pena.

En esta etapa, debe identificar:

• Quien es tu mercado
• ¿Qué marca hablaría mejor en este mercado?

A continuación, le presentaremos rápidamente varios elementos clave para el desarrollo de la marca de su empresa de ropa; sin embargo, para obtener un desglose completo de todos los elementos de la marca, así como la guía y las hojas de trabajo para definir todos los elementos de su marca, consulte nuestra guía de marca, A Mejor marca.

Definiendo su mercado

Definir su mercado es importante para cualquier marca, pero especialmente para las marcas en el mercado de ropa y confección porque está extremadamente saturado. Al dirigirse ampliamente a grandes grupos de personas, se está preparando para el fracaso desde el principio. Lo que quieres hacer es nicho y crear segmentos.

Algunas preguntas críticas que debe hacerse en esta etapa son:

• ¿Qué tipo de ropa y productos de indumentaria quiero hacer?
• ¿Quién va a comprar mis productos?
• ¿Qué valor específico aportará mi producto o mi marca a estas personas?
• ¿Qué será único en mi producto?
• ¿Quién es mi competencia?

Creando los pilares de su marca

Los pilares de la marca son algunas palabras clave o atributos (generalmente de 3 a 4) que encarnan de qué se trata su marca y sirven como punto de partida para desarrollar la personalidad de su marca. Posteriormente, estas palabras se utilizan como punto de control frente a la mayoría de las actividades de la marca. Por ejemplo, al crear su sitio web, un anuncio o incluso una conversación con su cliente, debe compararlo con los pilares de su marca. Pregúntese: ¿Mi diseño / sitio web / anuncio / conversación representa la esencia detrás de las palabras pilares de mi marca?

Los pilares de su marca actúan como una herramienta simple para mantener su marca consistente en todas sus actividades y sirven como base para su marca.

Desarrolle las imágenes de su marca

Las imágenes de su marca son los elementos comunes de la marca en los que muchas personas piensan inmediatamente cuando piensan en una marca en particular. Esto incluye el logotipo de su empresa, los colores de la marca y las fuentes, así como el diseño general y la estética de la fotografía.

• Cree un tablero de estado de ánimo : un tablero de estado de ánimo es una manera perfecta de comenzar a reunir el estilo visual que está buscando. Básicamente, un panel de estado de ánimo es una colección de imágenes, fotos, diseños, colores y cualquier otro fragmento de multimedia que encuentre en la web y que sirva de inspiración para su marca. Si bien hay muchas herramientas disponibles en línea para ayudarlo a recopilar estos elementos, la forma más fácil tiende a ser utilizando Pinterest o Instagram.
• Seleccione una paleta de colores: el siguiente paso en el proceso de creación de marca es reducir la paleta de colores que se utilizará. Seleccionar una paleta de colores por adelantado ayudará a que su marca se vea consistente en todos los canales. Deberá comenzar prestando especial atención a los colores dominantes utilizados en su panel de estado de ánimo, ya que es probable que sean colores que le llamaron la atención de inmediato. A partir de ahí, también le sugerimos que use una herramienta como Adobe Color para revisar otras paletas de colores inspiradas y votadas por la comunidad para obtener algunas ideas adicionales. Finalmente, Adobe también ofrece una herramienta para ayudarlo a elegir y refinar su paleta de colores, compruébelo aquí.
• Cree un logotipo: cuando se trata de crear un logotipo para su empresa, querrá un logotipo que no solo represente bien su marca, sino que también se dirija a su grupo demográfico objetivo. Si bien siempre recomendamos trabajar con un diseñador de logotipos respetado para crear el logotipo perfecto para su marca, aquellos con un presupuesto más pequeño pueden comenzar por casi nada con una herramienta como Looka.

Bonificación: consulte nuestra Guía de marca de comercio electrónico para ayudarlo a desarrollar todos los componentes críticos de su marca, incluida la personalidad de su marca, así como todos los elementos visuales de su marca, como su moodboard, paleta de colores, logotipo y estilo de fotografía. Esta guía incluye un libro electrónico en PDF, así como hojas de trabajo para ayudarlo a crear la marca perfecta para su línea de ropa.

El proceso de desarrollo de productos para su línea de ropa

Para cualquier persona que sea completamente nueva en el negocio de la moda, es importante saber que este es un paso muy importante en el proceso de iniciar y ejecutar una línea de ropa de corte y costura. En este punto, le recomendamos encarecidamente que considere asociarse con un profesional que sepa lo que está haciendo y cómo hacerlo correctamente.

Los profesionales como los fabricantes de patrones, los creadores de paquetes de tecnología, los socios de diseño, los socios de materiales y los socios de producción tienen una gran experiencia en sus respectivos campos y su trabajo es hacer realidad su línea de ropa de la manera más eficiente posible. Sin la ayuda de profesionales, cosas como la creación de patrones y los paquetes de tecnología pueden ser una pesadilla no solo para usted, sino también para el futuro fabricante con el que planea trabajar.

Sin embargo, aquí es donde la investigación anticipada de su fabricante vale la pena. Algunos fabricantes ofrecen servicios de desarrollo de productos profesionales, algunos solo fabricarán para usted si han realizado el desarrollo de su producto ellos mismos, y otros no brindan estos servicios, pero tienen socios con los que prefieren trabajar. Toda esta información se resumirá en el sitio web del fabricante o comunicándose con ellos directamente.

Cuando se trata del desarrollo de productos de su línea de ropa, generalmente habrá un camino común a seguir con una terminología común sin importar qué tipo de productos de ropa esté desarrollando. First, we will look at what the general process of clothing product development looks like, then we will discuss the process in more detail.

• Designs: This generally refers to the initial design concept and is usually represented as sketches either on paper or digitally. While your patterns might start out as concept sketches, eventually you'll likely turn them into digital sketches using a program like Illustrator.
• Tech Pack: A tech pack is essentially a blueprint for your apparel product, providing a manufacturer with all the details and technical specifications for production. This includes the designs, measurements, materials, and any accessories (zipper, buttons, etc.).
• Pattern Making & Grading: Pattern making is the process of turning your technical drawings into patterns that can be used for production. Grading is the process of taking a single pattern and grading the pattern up or down to create the additional patterns for all the other sizes in your apparel line.
• Sourcing: Sourcing involves finding, communicating, vetting, and working with multiple manufacturers to determine which one is best suited for the full production of your particular products.
• Samples: This involves manufacturers producing a one-off or small batch of samples to provide you with a proof of concept, as well as for you to identify potential issues or improvements prior to a full production run.
• Production: A full product run is the mass production of your apparel products. Depending on the products and the manufacturer, this can be hundreds of units, thousands of units, or even hundreds of thousands of units.

Below, we will go into greater detail about each of these steps in the process and provide you with more content and resources to get you started. However, it's important to note that there are other resources available that will guide you through the full process, helping you at each step of the way.

Some of the most popular ones are:

• Maker's Row
• Sqetch
• FactoryFinder
• Sewport
• CALA

Step 1: Design Your Clothing Line Concepts

Your clothing line will begin as sketches—most likely simple sketches in a notebook. This is usually the best route to get the ideas out of your head. As you begin sketching your clothing pieces, also think about adding any specific notes or unique ideas you have, as well as any special features or functionality. These notes will likely be part of tech packs later.

The initial goal is just to start developing your ideas and bring them to life.

Furthermore, the benefit of sketching out your ideas is that they can be shared. This is important because unless you're a professional clothing designer, you're going to likely need to enlist the help of a fashion designer or illustrator to help you pull together and refine your sketches into something more realistic and thought out.

Step 2: Create Patterns & Develop Tech Packs

You will need to enlist the help of a qualified pattern maker to take your idea and turn it into an actual pattern that can then be turned into an actual piece of clothing. A pattern can then be used to help create a tech pack.

A tech pack is essentially a blueprint for each garment. Your tech pack tells your manufacturer all the information required to transform your design into a final product. A proper and complete tech pack will reduce errors in production, save you money, prevent miscommunication, and ultimately, bring your product to life exactly how you envisioned it.

Your tech pack should include all possible details about your product, including (but not limited to) the:

• Diseño
• Tejidos
• Mediciones
• Podar
• Stitching
• Artwork
• Label & Tag Information
• Packaging Instructions

Here's an example of a tech pack for a better understanding:

(Source: Michael Smith Design)

Here are some pattern makers and technical designers who have been vetted and provided by Maker's Row, to get you started:

• The Pattern Makers
• JLD Studios
• Nicole Melendez
• Clothier Design Source

Additional places to hire freelancers to help produce your tech packs:

• Personas por hora: paquetes tecnológicos
• Upwork - Freelancers de Tech Pack

Step 3: Research Clothing Manufacturers

The next step in this process is to research potential clothing manufacturers.

Find out things like their location, capabilities, heritage, reputation, and what other brands they've worked with to get an idea of what they can offer you. It's important at this stage to really be thorough as small things such as location can have a massive impact on communication, turnaround time, and shipping when it actually comes to working with a manufacturer.

Not every manufacturer provides the same services so it's important to know the pros and cons of as many manufacturers as possible so you can find the services you're looking for without compromising on your brand values.

• Maker's Row : Maker's Row has nearly 10,000 factories to explore, including over 3,000 in apparel, all based in the USA.
• Sourcify: Sourcify has relationships with hundreds of Chinese manufacturers and will work with you to find and vet the right one for you.
• Sqetch: Sqetch is similar to Maker's Row but focuses on connecting you with European manufacturers.
• FactoryFinder : FactoryFinder can help with material selection, samples, and production by connecting you with the right clothing manufacturer.

Step 4: Determine Your Budget

Budgeting out product development and production costs is something you need to determine prior to selecting a factory to work with. You need to understand your budget availability and limits so you can map out all aspects of production, such as what fabric you'll be able to use and whether producing overseas or in your home country is your best option.

Costs to consider in your budget include:

• The price of professional product development services such as pattern making, tech packs, design development, etc.
• The cost of making samples (bearing in mind that more than one sample is usually made)
• The cost of materials such as fabric, buttons, zippers, hardware, and any other pieces used in the construction of your garments
• The cost of transportation between you and the factory for meetings/visiting the factory
• The cost of labor (determine the difference in labor cost between your home country and overseas labor cost requirements)
• The cost of shipping between you and the factory and the cost of shipping the necessary materials to the factory
• The cost of production and actually creating the clothing items themselves

After considering these factors, you'll be able to communicate your budget to your future manufacturer and find one that fits your requirements.

Pricing out all of these costs is also helpful in determining whether or not producing in an overseas factory is more realistic for your business—bearing in mind that while the cost of labor may be cheaper, the cost of shipping between you and the factory will increase; as will turn around time. Nonetheless, understanding the cost of product development and production helps you and your future manufacturer make the best choices for your business.

Step 5: Select Clothing Manufacturers

Once you've researched a bunch of different manufacturers and have an idea of what's out there, make a shortlist of manufacturers who seem like they'll be a good fit for your clothing brand.

Maybe there are some manufacturers who specialize in the kinds of clothing products you want to produce, maybe some operate out of your local area, maybe some have raving reviews from past or current clients, or maybe some fit into your budget range better than others. Whatever is important to you in a manufacturer, narrow down your shortlist to ones who seem like they check off some of your most important boxes.

Step 6: Contact Clothing Manufacturers

By now you should have been able to narrow down a long list of potential clothing manufacturers into a shorter list of manufacturers who meet your needs when it comes down to what you require in terms of professional services, which manufacturers are actually able to create your future garments, manufactures in an accessible location, or ones who meet your budget requirements.

Now is the time to contact your potential manufacturers, but that may be easier said than done. Response rates for manufacturers differ, but producing a well-thought-out initial email can increase your chances of actually receiving a response back from potential manufactures.

Here are some general DOs and DON'Ts when it comes to contacting a manufacturer:

• DON'T come across as a “tire-kicker.” If your interest in manufacturing doesn't seem to be serious or genuine you may not get a response. Manufacturers don't want to waste their own time working with people who aren't serious when they could be working with people who actually want to build and grow their business.
• DO be polite. You and your manufacturer will be working together in this process—they don't solely work for you—so treat them with respect and be mindful of their requirements, services, and processes.
• DO be clear. In the best interest of yourself and your future manufacturer, it's best practice to be clear about what you're looking for, the services you require, your timeline, etc. Be upfront about what you need and don't leave any room for ambiguities in the event that it will create more confusion down the road.
• DO follow up. It's okay to follow up after your initial email to ensure the factory received and read the message, so be prepared to send up to three follow-up emails spaced apart by a week or so to prompt a response from a factory. This will make you seem eager and serious to the factory which, if you're new to this process, is what you want.
• DON'T give them too much information. Introduce your company, the products that you're looking to create with them, what services you're looking for, and ask what further information they need from you. Give them enough information to know your intentions and that you're serious about the inquiry, but don't overload them with your brand goals, material choices, and timelines yet.

Click here to learn more about how to construct the perfect initial contact email.

Step 7: Screen Potential Factories

If you're lucky, by this step you'll have received responses from some of the factories you've contacted and now it's time to narrow down your search.

Even if you only received a response from one factory, it is still important to make sure it's the right fit for you. At this step, you should communicate further with the factories and learn more about how they conduct business and the quality of their products. You should be looking to evaluate whether or not you will get along with them personally and professionally in order to gauge your potential for success as colleagues.

These are things to look out for:

• How they prefer to communicate with their clients (by email, phone, or personal visits)
• Ask for references from other clients (to get a first-hand evaluation of what they are like to work with)
• Ask for samples of products they've made (to judge if the quality of their products is at the level you're looking for)
• Understand how they charge for samples, services, and what constitutes extra charges
• Get a feel for their timeline and availability

Now is the time to learn more about the factory, see their workspace in action, and communicate further with the manufacturer. This stage will give you an initial glimpse of what it will be like to work with this factory in the long run so it's important to identify your respective strengths and weaknesses now so you can reduce the possibility of headaches and potential miscommunications in the future.

This is also now the right time to let the manufacturer in on your brand goals, where you see your brand starting off, what you see your brand scaling to, and let them know how you want them involved in that process. All the time you spent defining your brand in the first step should be communicated to the manufacturer to see if they understand where your brand is going and if they can get excited for your brand, too.

Step 8: Get Samples Made

Now that you can see yourself manufacturing your clothing line with a factory or two, it's time to get some samples made so you can truly experience what your potential product will be like.

No matter how well-designed your patterns and tech packs have been, there are always opportunities for adjustments and corrections so it's strongly encouraged that the sampling step is never skipped. It can be easy to want to jump straight into production—especially when time and money are on the line—but in the end, a whole line of garments that don't fit properly will cost you more than just having a few samples done right from the start.

At this stage, it is appropriate to have more than one factory make samples of your garments. Feel free to shop around so you're absolutely sure the factory you pick will be producing the garments you want at the quality level you want!

Step 9: Start Full-Scale Production

The final step of the manufacturing process is really just the first step of building your own clothing brand.

This is the time to work with your manufacturer and get your garments produced! At this stage, it's important to stay five steps ahead of everything:

• Make sure deadlines are adhered to
• Be available to answer any questions your manufacturer may have for you
• Be diligent with quality control

Once production for one season of garments starts, the planning for the next season begins—this is only just the beginning! But now that you have the right manufacturer for your business, let their skills and services help you build your clothing brand to where you want it to be.

Step 10: Brand Your Clothing & Packaging

The branding of your clothing line has everything to do with how you'll be perceived by your customers. Branding tells the story of your company and your packaging is one of the few parts of your brand—besides your clothing items themselves—that your customers will actually be able to touch, feel, and see. It engages your customers, it can make them feel valued, and it can even increase the perceived level of quality your customers associate with your brand and your clothing items.

This is why it's important to seriously consider how you package and present your clothing items, no matter what items you're selling.

There are plenty of different ways to enhance your brand's packaging and presentation and to make it unique and true to your brand.

Let's learn more…

Step 11: Branded Packaging Options

There are two different types of options when it comes to branding your packaging: The actual elements that you use for the packaging itself, and the additional extras you can include with the package to elevate the unboxing experience.

The package elements are the more functional items that are required to actually ship your clothing pieces, whereas the added extras enhance the experience and help to make your customers feel valued.

Elements of a Branded Package

These are the functional parts of a shipping package that you'll need in order to ship your items from you to your customers. You won't need every single one of these items, but they're all options that you can use depending on what you want your packaging to achieve.

Cajas de envío

Depending on the clothing items you sell, you may have to ship them to your customers in a shipping box. Shipping boxes are sturdy and are a good option for shipping heavy or bulky items (such as coats) or delicate items that need to be protected throughout the shipping process (such as beaded clothing pieces, or items with 3D applique).

Shipping boxes, however, can add weight and size to your package making it more expensive to ship, but if it will protect your clothing items while they're on their way to your customers, it's a small price to pay upfront that should decrease the potential of damaged items and returned products in the future.

Keep in mind that your shipping boxes don't have to be boring cardboard boxes. There are plenty of services available to entrepreneurs and small businesses that can create custom boxes for your products at competitive prices, whether you're looking for something sleek, simple, and plain or something colorful, bold, patterned, and vibrant.

You can also use these services to get your brand name printed onto the box itself for a more professional unboxing experience.

Where to Source Shipping Boxes:

• Refinar el embalaje
• Pakible
• Packwire
• Lumi
• Wolfpack Packaging Inc.
• Arka
• Caja Geek
• Custom Boxes & Packaging
• Custom Boxes Now
• eSupplyStore
• Fast Pack: Boxes
• Instabox (Canada)
• PakFactory
• Papermart
• ValueMailers

Poly Mailers

Another great alternative for shipping clothing items is shipping bags—otherwise referred to in the industry as poly mailers.

These are an ideal option because unlike shipping boxes, they don't add much weight or bulk to your package, so you won't be adding extra shipping costs to your package. They are less sturdy than a box though, so they're a good option if you're shipping clothing pieces that aren't easily damaged and can be bent and folded throughout the shipping process. They do come in plenty of sizes too, so whether you're shipping one item or a few at a time, you should be able to source a selection of different sized poly mailers to meet your customer's needs. Plenty of brands ship clothing items to their customers in poly mailers, so it is an appropriate method for the industry.

There are plenty of places online where you can get custom poly mailers made for your business so you're able to add your logo, brand colors, or fun patterns to make it more exciting for your customers.

Where to Source Poly Mailers:

• Etiqueta engomada de la mula
• Pakible
• Lumi
• Uline: Poly Mailers
• eSupplyStore: Poly Mailers

Bubble Mailers

If your clothing items need a bit more protection but you don't want to completely upgrade from a poly mailer to a full-on shipping box, you have another option: Bubble mailers. As the name would suggest, they're like poly mailers but they have a layer of bubble wrap included on the inside of the mailer which helps protect whatever's inside.

They don't offer the same sturdiness that shipping boxes do, but they help to cushion the contents of the mailer throughout the process and are less bulky than shipping boxes.

Where to Source Bubble Mailers:

• Pakible
• Uline: Bubble Mailers
• eSupplyStore: Bubble Mailers
• Fast Pack: Bubble Mailers

Tissue Paper

If using packing peanuts and crinkle paper isn't your style, or if your products don't need additional protection, or even if you're using a poly mailer, tissue paper may be an ideal option to enhance the unboxing experience for your customers.

Tissue paper makes the unboxing experience feel more like a gift, which can make your package seem thoughtful and your customers feel valued.

Tissue paper is also an easy way to add to your packaging without adding any extra bulk or weight, and you can have it printed with your logo or choose colored or patterned paper to add some extra flair to the package. Use an everchanging assortment of patterns, colors, and styles to keep repeat customers interested.

Where to Source Tissue Paper:

• Uline: Retail Cushioning
• Uline: Industrial Tissue Paper
• JAM Paper: Tissue Paper
• eSupplyStore: Tissue Paper
• Fast Pack: Tissue Paper
• Papermart: Tissue Paper

Packing Tape

Depending on your brand's style, using packing tape that's colorful, patterned, or printed with your logo may be an interesting way to decorate your shipping box or package. Not only is it decorative, but packing tape is functional and adds another layer of security to keep box openings sealed throughout the shipping process.

Where to Source Packing Tape:

• Selva de cinta
• Uline: Tape
• JAM Paper: Packaging Tape
• eSupplyStore: Packing Tape

Stickers

If you don't need something as heavy-duty as packing tape to seal your boxes or mailers shut, stickers can be an alternative option that can also add to the branded packaging experience. Get your logo printed on them, your brand's tagline, mission statement, fun facts about your brand, or any other piece of info you want to share with your customers for an added layer of personalization. Alternatively, use stickers to brand plain shipping boxes or mailers, or include them inside your package for customers to use or share as they please.

Stickers are super versatile, so think about how you can use stickers to enhance your unboxing experience!

Where to Source Stickers:

• Pegatina Gigante
• Etiqueta engomada de la mula
• Pegatina usted
• Mugir

Include Extra Branded Material

These aren't necessary to include, but if you're interested in elevating your unboxing experience, making it memorable for your customers, and making them feel valued, then including one or two of the following options can help you to start out in a positive way.

Promotions, Discounts & Deals

Including packing inserts that notify your customer of an upcoming promotion, or share a discount code or deal they can use for themselves or share with a friend is a pleasant surprise your customers will likely appreciate when opening their package. It shows thought and care from your end, and it's also likely to encourage them to purchase from you again, which is advantageous for you.

Business Cards

If you want your customers to remember you, refer you to a friend, or send you feedback about their experience with your business or your products, consider including your business card so they can hold onto it or pass it on to others. It's a small token, but it shows that you value their input and experience.

Custom Notes/Personalized Messages

This is the ultimate way to make your customers feel valued and shows an immense amount of consideration and thoughtfulness.

Custom, handwritten notes with personalized messages are a great way to connect with your customers and make them feel appreciated. While it likely won't be possible to include a handwritten note for all of your customers, consider including them for your very first customers, your most frequent purchasers, for customers who leave glowing reviews on your website, or ones who have taken the time to send you valuable feedback. Your customers will likely feel very touched by your effort and will likely also share their experience with their peers or on their social platforms, which is positive exposure for your brand.

Gifts or Samples

Who doesn't love to receive a gift?! Using gifts as a way to thank your customers for their purchase is a surefire way to capture their attention and make them feel valued. It doesn't have to be anything big (some companies include candy bars to treat their customers) as you just want it to be an addition to the package, but something small can be just as appreciated by your customers.

If you don't want to gift an item from another company, consider including a sample of one of your own products. Again, it doesn't have to be anything big, but something that complements their purchase could be appreciated.

Step 12: Brand Your Clothing Items

Beyond the packaging of your clothing items, you can also add additional touches of branding to your clothing items themselves to ensure they're as seemingly high-quality as possible and are presented in the most thought out way possible. The best way to do this is by adding custom labels and tags.

Clothing Labels & Tags

Clothing labels are a piece of fabric that's attached to the inside of clothing items that typically include the brand's logo. While it's required in most countries for clothing items to have care and size labels, brand labels aren't necessary but they add a thoughtful touch to the clothing piece. They also often help customers to remember where the clothing item is from once they've integrated it into their wardrobe, and they can add to the overall feel of the clothing piece.

Some labels can be scratchy and uncomfortable for the wearer, which can make the garment seem cheap, while others can be well sewn into the garment and made of a cloth material that's much more high quality. Think about how you want your brand to be perceived and choose a type of label that fits accordingly.

Clothing Label Material Options:

• Damask Woven Labels
• Satin Woven Labels
• Taffeta Woven Labels
• Woven Patches
• Cotten Twill Labels
• Canvas Printed Labels
• Nylon Printed Labels
• Satin Printed Labels
• Silicon Clothing Labels
• Leather Labels
• And much more

It's also important to consider which label types exist and where they can be located on the garment.

If you want to increase your brand's awareness, you may want to consider placing brand labels on the outside of your clothing items such as on hems or cuffs, but if you want to maintain relatively inconspicuous brand placement, you may just want to include the labels on the inside of your garments.

The types of clothing labels you can include on your garments include:

• Manhattan Fold Labels: These are quite similar to Center Fold Labels in their appearance, except that the top of the label is folded over to give a more finished and high-quality look. This type of label is typically sewn into the collar of a garment.
• The End Fold Labels: These have more of a finished and high-quality look to them because the edges are tucked in at the sides. These types of labels are typically printed with brand logos and they're quite small.
• Straight Cut Labels: These have no folds at all, which means they're typically sewn on flat—straight onto the garment. They're commonly also placed on the outside of a garment as a decorative patch, usually with a brand logo printed on them.
• Center Fold Labels: These are the most common type of apparel labels. They're usually made of woven materials and commonly attached to the inside of garment collars.
• The Mitre Fold Label: These are similar to the End Fold Label as they're quite small, shaped like a thin rectangle, and are typically printed just with a brand logo. This type of label, however, hangs down a bit farther than the End Fold Label instead of going straight across.
• Loop Fold Labels: These labels are commonly sewn on the inside of garments, typically close to the hemline in shirts or the waistband in some trousers. This type of label is usually reserved for care and size information, not brand logos.

Clothing Tags

Where to Source Clothing Labels and Tags:

• Custom Labels 4 U
• Uline: Hanging Tags

Step 13: Create Your Online Clothing Store

If you're serious about building a brand or learning more about digital marketing, search engine optimization, and conversion rate strategies, you need to build your clothing store on a customizable ecommerce platform. We can't recommend Shopify enough. Not only is Shopify one of the easiest platforms to get started with, but its app store is the most robust and has a host of print-on-demand clothing printers and dropshippers if you choose to go that route (read our Shopify Review to learn more about why we recommend it so highly).

Shopify enables you to build your own online clothing store wherever you are, with the ability to sell to customers all over the world. Setting up your store with Shopify is easy, and you don't have to worry about your website's security so you can be sure that you and your customers' sensitive information is protected when shopping on your site.

Overall, Shopify is the most recommended ecommerce platform out there, and it's your best option when it comes to starting your own clothing store online.

When setting up your clothing store on Shopify you'll want to take your brand into consideration and make use of all your brand visuals. Implement your color palette, use your logo, take effective product and lifestyle photos of your garments, and create a glowing “About Page” so your customers can learn more about who your brand is and what you stand for.

These are the types of things that will make your clothing store stand out to your customers, so they'll be more trusting when it comes time for them to make a purchase. You want your website to install confidence in your customers, so take that into consideration when setting up your online clothing store.

Bonus: Still not sure about which ecommerce platform to choose? Check out our exclusive Ecommerce Platform Recommendation Tool. This tool will ask you a series of questions to help you narrow down and choose the best ecommerce platform for your specific needs.

Your Store's Theme

Another aspect of your online clothing/apparel store to take into serious consideration is your store's theme. Themes are the general outward look and feel of your website, and depending on the products you sell, some themes may display your products better than others.

Since you'll be starting a clothing/apparel store, you'll want a theme that shows off your garments to their full potential so choose a theme that enables you to post lots of images.

Shopify offers plenty of free and premium themes to choose from (see them all in action on the Shopify Theme Store) but if you're looking for more theme options, Out Of The Sandbox creates premium Shopify themes and they are one of the best, if not the best, place to get them.

Step 14: Create a Shipping Strategy for Your Clothing Company

Figuring out how to ship your products to your customers can be a confusing and daunting process if you've never done it before as there's a lot to take into consideration.

What should you charge for shipping? How much does shipping cost? What about returns? What shipping carrier should you use? Should you start off with a shipping and fulfillment warehouse? Will your customers get charged duty and customs fees? What about shipping labels? What about tracking and insuring your packages?

All these questions, and more, are valid questions to be asking yourself—and we'll dive into them now:

How to Charge Your Customer for Shipping

Estas son tus opciones:

• Charge Your Customers the Exact Shipping Fee: This means that your customers will be made aware of the shipping costs while they're checking out and they'll have to pay the exact amount it costs to get their order shipped to them.
• Charge Your Customers a Flat Shipping Fee: This means that you can instate a flat shipping fee such as $6 for domestic orders and $12 for international orders, no matter how many items each customer orders and no matter where they're located domestically or internationally. Some orders will cost you more to ship and some will cost you less, but if you budget it correctly it should even out.
• Offer Your Customers Free Shipping Over a Certain Threshold: For example, you could offer all customers free shipping if they spend over $100. This encourages customers to purchase enough products to meet that amount so they don't have to pay for shipping. By making sure they spend a certain monetary amount, it makes it more worthwhile for you to ship their package for “free” because the cost of shipping is absorbed into your profit margin on the order. Check out our article on How to Offer Free Shipping & Calculating Your Free Shipping Threshold for more information.
• Offer Your Customers Free Shipping Based on their Location: In this case, you could offer free shipping for all domestic destinations and any international locations will have to pay a calculated rate or a flat fee. This encourages your local customers to purchase from you without having to pay any shipping fees and depending on your domestic shipping rates you should be able to absorb the cost in your profit margin, assuming you price your items accordingly. For international customers, however, you'll be able to fund the shipping cost fully or in part by their calculated or flat rate fee.
• Offer Your Customers Free Shipping on Any Order: Some businesses choose to offer free shipping to all customers because it's easier for them to calculate, more attractive to customers, and results in fewer cart abandonments. The cost of shipping will be absorbed by your profit margin, so take that into consideration when pricing your items.

Shipping is never free. No matter what it says on any website, “free shipping” is not free for the business—the cost is just being absorbed in some other way. It's also no secret that shipping costs are one of the most likely reasons for shopping cart abandonments, so in order to combat that, many ecommerce stores offer free shipping to decrease shipping cart abandonments.

Take both of these things into consideration when pricing your products so you can gauge whether you'll need to charge higher prices for your items so you can afford to offer free shipping, or at least a subsidized shipping rate.

Calculating Shipping Costs

The cost of shipping depends on your carrier, where you're shipping to, and where you're shipping from. There are also other variables involved like the weight and size of the package as well, so your best bet is to use a shipping calculator to determine how much it would cost you to ship your packages. Many carriers have shipping calculators available on their websites so you can price out the cost of your packages on there.

• USPS Postage Price Calculator
• UPS Shipping Calculator
• DHL Shipping Calculator
• FedEx Shipping Calculator
• Canada Post Shipping Calculator
• UK Royal Mail Shipping Calculator
• Australia Post Shipping Calculator

How to Handle Returns

You basically have two options when it comes to handling returns for your customers: You can provide your customers with pre-paid postage in case they need to return an item, or you don't provide your customers with pre-paid postage and they will have to assume the responsibility to pay for postage in the event that they need to return an item to you.

Providing pre-paid postage for customers offers them a seamless shopping experience with your company, however not offering free returns can actually affect customer's decision to purchase from you at all.

Check out this blogpost from Shopify that discusses shipping returns in more detail to learn more about it and how it affects your business.

Which Shipping Carrier to Use

Most popular shipping carriers offer a business account program so businesses can get perks such as better order management, discounts on shipping, and/or free shipping supplies. Basically, it makes it a little bit easier and less expensive for you than just shipping packages without a business account.

Check out these popular shipping carrier's business accounts:

• USPS Customer Gateway
• Soluciones comerciales de UPS
• Cuenta comercial de DHL
• Centro de negocios de FedEx
• Canada Post Business Account
• Cuenta comercial en línea de Royal Mail del Reino Unido
• Cuenta de crédito comercial de Australia Post

Using a Shipping & Fulfillment Warehouse

Shipping and fulfillment warehouses can be a tricky service to use for clothing stores as there are usually many different SKUs (stock-keeping units) such as different sizes and colors for each item of clothing. Although shipping and fulfillment warehouses may be convenient services to use since they handle the entire picking, packing, and shipping service for you, there can be some drawbacks, including:

• Inability to Use Your Own Branded Packaging: Some warehouses require that you use their own shipping packaging, so you won't be able to use any boxes, poly mailers, tissue paper, stickers, etc. that have your own branding on them. It can also be difficult to add other extras such as promotional inserts, custom notes, samples, etc.
• Cost: Shipping and fulfillment warehouses can take the shipping process off your hands but at what cost? It costs you to store your SKUs on your warehouse's shelf space so depending on how quickly your product ships out to customers and how much product you're selling, it may or may not be a worthwhile cost for you.
• Handling Returns: Since your business is just one of many at a shipping and fulfillment warehouse, returned items may be handled in an inefficient manner, depending on the warehouse. Make sure you look into each warehouse's return policy before you work with them.

However, there are also advantages to using shipping and fulfillment warehouses:

• Shipping Costs: Shipping and fulfillment warehouses generally have to pay less to ship packages, so you'll likely pay less too.
• Simplified Process: No need to wait in line at the post office or deal with couriers to get your packages shipped.
• Saves You Time: All the time that it takes you to pick, package, and send packages can be put to other uses such as managing customer inquires, advertising, or just growing your business in general.

Generally speaking, if you're just starting your online clothing store: Handle the shipping and fulfillment process yourself, initially.

This gives you the chance to learn the best practices for shipping your own products, you can put your own personal touch on each package and you can use your own branded packaging materials. If you're just sending out a few parcels a day, it won't take up too much of your time to send them through post offices or couriers.

If you anticipate having a large customer base to start off with and predict that you may not be able to keep up with packing and shipping orders yourself, have a look into shipping and fulfillment warehouses to see what your options are.

Shipping & Fulfillment Warehouses:

These are some shipping and fulfillment options to consider, however, we encourage you to do your own research and due diligence:

• Almacenamiento y cumplimiento de Printful
• Red de cumplimiento de Shopify
• Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
• Fulfillrite
• Fulfillment.com
• Cumplimiento de ciervo rojo
• ThinkLogistics
• ShipFusion
• WSI Supply Chain Solutions

To learn more about why third-party logistics providers are advantageous for your business, check out our Ultimate Guide to Utilizing a 3PL Provider for Ecommerce Fulfillment article.

Duty & Customs Fees

It's important to be aware that you as a business are not in control of the duties and customs fees your international customers may be charged on their orders. Customs and duties fees are managed and imposed on your customers by their country itself, you don't have the power to prevent them or influence their cost.

You do, however, have the ability to warn your customers about potential customs and duties fees they may face so that they're not unpleasantly surprised when their order arrives.

On your shipping information page, include a section about customs and duties fees and let your customers know that they may be charged these fees by their county and that your business has no control over that.

For more information about customs and duties declaration, required forms, and policies, check out these pages:

• USPS Postal Exporter
• UPS Import/Export Regulations
• DHL Customs and Duties
• FedEx Guide to Customs Forms
• Canada Post Customs Requirements
• UK Royal Mail Customs and Duties
• Australia Post Customs Forms & Regulations

Shipping Tracking & Insurance

Many customers now expect to have their packages tracked and expect to receive email updates on the whereabouts of the packages. If you're interested in giving your customers a streamlined and professional shopping experience, look into what tracking options your shipping carrier has available. It almost always costs extra or will mean that you'll have to upgrade to a more expensive service, but it could be very worthwhile for both you and your customers.

Most shipping carriers offer some kind of insurance, but it may not cover the entire cost of your orders—depending on the price of your items. If you sell high-priced items or just want the peace of mind that you're insured for any lost parcels, it may be worth looking into a third-party shipping insurance provider such as Shipsurance or InsureShip.

It's important to be aware that the shipping process can be complex, and it can take a while to set up and get used to all the different steps, systems, and processes. It'll probably be a learning curve at the start, especially if you've never shipped a large number of orders before or if you're launching to an eager audience, so give yourself time to set up your shipping systems properly so it doesn't affect your business too much. Once you get a system going though you'll likely get the hang of it and be able to make small improvements or scale your processes as needed.

Conclusión

We hope this post has provided you with very clear insight into the steps, systems, and processes it takes to start a clothing line. It may seem overwhelming at first if this is all new to you, however, just focus on one step at a time and grow from there. No matter what kind of clothing line you want to create—whether it's just your own line of t-shirts or an entire collection of cut and sew garments—the information, tools, resources, and experiences provided in this guide should help you get where you want to go.

Before you launch your clothing brand, don't forget to run through our Launch Checklist to make sure you don't miss anything important, and once you've launched, use our 52 Week Marketing Plan to drive traffic to your store.