Cara Memulai Lini Pakaian: Panduan Lengkap Anda untuk Desain, Pengambilan Sampel, Produksi & Pengemasan

Memulai bisnis clothing line bisa menjadi pengalaman yang sangat berharga bagi seorang wirausahawan kreatif yang memiliki visi. Baik Anda ingin membuat garis sederhana dari pakaian cetak atau Anda ingin membuat seluruh koleksi potong dan jahit yang menampilkan berbagai potongan dan tambahan musiman, posting ini akan menunjukkan cara memulai lini pakaian.

Tergantung pada jenis pakaian yang ingin Anda buat, kemungkinan akan ada banyak langkah berbeda yang terlibat dalam prosesnya. Semakin Anda ingin terlibat dalam pengadaan dan produksi lini Anda, semakin banyak waktu, tenaga, dan uang yang harus Anda investasikan. Jika Anda hanya tertarik untuk memulai sesuatu dengan cepat dan mudah, ada juga opsi untuk itu. Dalam posting ini, kami akan menunjukkan kepada Anda langkah demi langkah bagaimana Anda dapat memulai lini pakaian Anda sendiri apakah Anda memiliki anggaran $100, atau jika Anda memiliki lebih dari $10.000 untuk diinvestasikan.

Jika Anda pernah berpikir untuk memulai merek pakaian, tidak perlu mencari lagi. Posting ini telah berjalan selama hampir satu tahun dan dalam perjalanannya, kami telah menyertakan pengetahuan dan pengalaman dari puluhan pengusaha dan perusahaan dari industri pakaian. Pengetahuan industri ini berkisar dari:

• Sebuah merek kecil yang berhasil meluncurkan kampanye crowdfunding yang sukses yang mengumpulkan $300.000 yang mereka gunakan untuk memproduksi lini pakaian wol merino kelas atas mereka
• Grosir label pribadi pakaian kosong yang menargetkan pasar B2B
• Pembuat pola dan perancang paket teknologi yang bekerja dengan calon pembuat lini pakaian untuk membantu mewujudkan visi mereka
• Dan akhirnya, kami langsung ke sumbernya untuk mendapatkan wawasan dari pabrik yang mewarnai benang dan menenun tekstil

Ada banyak hal yang terlibat dalam memulai lini pakaian Anda sendiri, jadi mari kita masuk ke dalamnya.

Memutuskan Produk Pakaian yang Ingin Anda Jual

Anda memiliki banyak pilihan dalam hal membuat produk pakaian dan fashion.

Jika Anda selalu ingin memulai lini pakaian, Anda mungkin sudah memiliki ide bagus tentang produk tertentu yang ingin Anda buat dan jual. Bagi orang lain, membuat merek pakaian mungkin merupakan peluang unik dan menarik untuk merancang produk yang mewakili gaya pribadi Anda—tetapi Anda mungkin tidak yakin produk mana yang akan dijual.

Terlepas dari kategori mana Anda termasuk, penting untuk mempertimbangkan dengan cermat semua pilihan pakaian dan pakaian sebelum memutuskan untuk beralih ke salah satunya.

Beberapa produk pakaian dan pakaian jadi yang mungkin ingin Anda pertimbangkan untuk merek Anda adalah:

• Kemeja Lengan Pendek
• Kemeja Lengan Panjang
• hoodie
• Celana/Legging
• gaun
• Lingerie/Pakaian Dalam/Kaus Kaki

Masing-masing produk pakaian ini menghadirkan peluang dan tantangannya sendiri dalam hal membangun merek pakaian di sekitarnya, jadi penting untuk mempertimbangkannya dengan cermat. Ingatlah hal ini saat Anda melanjutkan artikel ini.

Di bawah ini, kita akan melihat beberapa model bisnis lini pakaian yang paling umum untuk mendapatkan pemahaman yang lebih baik tentang pekerjaan, waktu, dan investasi moneter yang diperlukan untuk masing-masing model.

Memilih Model Bisnis Clothing Line

Jika Anda siap untuk memulai merek pakaian Anda, Anda akan memiliki beberapa pilihan penting untuk dibuat pada saat ini.

Ada beberapa petunjuk yang dapat Anda ambil untuk membuat merek Anda sendiri yang semuanya sangat berbeda satu sama lain. Dan yang paling penting, input kesulitan, biaya, dan waktu sangat bervariasi di antara setiap opsi.

Mari kita lihat opsi yang paling umum:

• Cetak Sesuai Permintaan
• Jalur Pakaian Label Pribadi
• Garis Pakaian Potong & Jahit Kustom

Mari kita gali kelebihan dan kekurangan masing-masing di bawah ini.

Opsi #1: Lini Pakaian Print-on-Demand

Pilihan pertama dan termudah untuk memulai lini pakaian Anda sendiri melibatkan pencetakan desain atau logo Anda pada pakaian kosong standar.

Ini adalah pilihan yang menarik bagi orang-orang dengan anggaran rendah (kurang dari $1.000) dan mereka yang ingin mendapat manfaat dari kemampuan mendirikan bisnis yang hampir sepenuhnya otomatis. Kelemahan terbesar dari model bisnis jenis ini adalah margin keuntungan yang lebih rendah dan kurangnya kemampuan untuk membedakan produk Anda pada hal-hal seperti bahan, jahitan, dan kecocokan karena Anda menggunakan pakaian grosir standar.

Proses pencetakan print-on-demand atau direct-to-garment menggunakan printer ink-jet digital khusus untuk mencetak tinta langsung ke pakaian dan pakaian. Printer digital ini mampu menghasilkan gambar penuh warna pada item pakaian dengan akurasi ekstrim.

Pencetakan berdasarkan permintaan menghasilkan pakaian cetak berkualitas tinggi dengan cepat dan efisien. Karena itu, tidak ada biaya pemasangan, tidak seperti sablon. Ini berarti mudah dan hemat biaya untuk mencetak pesanan kecil (termasuk hanya 1 unit).

kelebihan

• Tidak ada biaya pengaturan
• Cetakan berkualitas tinggi
• Pilihan warna tak terbatas
• Sempurna untuk jumlah pesanan rendah atau sekali pakai
• Banyak pilihan pakaian (kemeja, legging, kaus kaki, gaun, dll.)

Kontra

• Tidak hemat biaya untuk produksi besar
• Umumnya tidak ada diskon volume
• Pilihan produk cetak terbatas
• Pilihan finishing terbatas (tag, label, dll)

Opsi #2: Jalur Pakaian Label Grosir/Pribadi

Saat mencari produk pakaian melalui pemasok label grosir atau pribadi, Anda pada dasarnya membeli produk pakaian dari merek lain dan kemudian menjualnya kepada pelanggan dari toko Anda sendiri. Saat Anda mencari produk pakaian dengan cara ini, Anda akan membeli barang dalam jumlah besar dari pemasok dengan harga diskon, dan kemudian menjual barang tersebut kepada pelanggan Anda dengan markup.

Dengan opsi ini, Anda tidak akan membuat item pakaian Anda sendiri dari awal, tetapi Anda akan membuat pilihan pakaian yang sesuai dengan selera pelanggan Anda. Anda tidak akan dapat menyesuaikan setiap bagian pakaian seperti yang Anda lakukan jika Anda membuat item pakaian, tetapi Anda juga tidak harus melalui proses yang panjang dan mahal untuk membuat item pakaian Anda sendiri. Kerugian utama dengan opsi ini, bagaimanapun, adalah Anda harus membeli banyak stock-keeping unit (SKU) item pakaian dalam jumlah besar dan dimuka, yang berarti Anda memerlukan arus kas.

kelebihan

• Tidak perlu membuat barang sendiri
• Dapat mengikuti perubahan tren dengan lebih mudah
• Dapatkan untuk mengatur berbagai produk Anda sendiri
• Diskon volume
• Potensi margin keuntungan yang baik
• Anda dapat memberi merek barang dengan hangtag, kemasan, dll.
• Saat bekerja dengan pemasok label pribadi, Anda akan dapat menyesuaikan label pakaian dengan nama merek Anda sendiri

Kontra

• Saat bekerja dengan grosir, Anda tidak akan dapat menyesuaikan label pakaian dengan nama merek Anda
• Biasanya, jumlah pesanan minimum mulai dari ( minimal) 10 unit per warna/ukuran, jika tidak 100 atau 1.000 unit
• Anda harus mengelola inventaris dan pengiriman sendiri
• Anda memerlukan arus kas untuk membeli banyak produk di muka

Opsi #3: Lini Pakaian Potong & Jahit Kustom

Pakaian potong dan jahit khusus berarti Anda melakukan segalanya. Kita berbicara tentang merancang sketsa, mengubahnya menjadi pola, mencari bahan dan pabrikan, dan membayar produksi penuh (yang bisa mencapai ribuan unit).

Membuat pakaian sendiri bukan untuk menjadi lemah hati. Ini bisa menjadi proses intensif yang bisa memakan waktu berbulan-bulan (minimal) untuk bangun dan berjalan. Anda harus menemukan pabrikan, Anda harus bekerja dengan pembuat pola, Anda harus membuat paket tach, Anda harus mencari dan menguji kain, dan Anda juga mungkin harus membuat dan menguji banyak sampel bahkan sebelum Anda mendekati produk jadi.

Bergantung pada item pakaian yang ingin Anda produksi, hanya untuk mendapatkan beberapa sampel karena produk jadi bisa berharga ribuan.

Setelah Anda memiliki produk jadi, Anda juga harus memproduksi secara penuh dengan pabrikan Anda, Anda harus menyimpan inventaris Anda, dan bahkan mengembangkan strategi pengiriman untuk mengirimkan pakaian Anda ke pelanggan Anda.

kelebihan

• Anda akan mendapatkan produk kustom 100%
• Potensi peningkatan nilai yang dirasakan dari pelanggan
• Potensi peningkatan margin
• Anda akan 100% mengendalikan branding

Kontra

• Biaya awal yang sangat tinggi
• Ini adalah proses kompleks yang melibatkan beberapa bagian yang bergerak
• Diperlukan waktu berbulan-bulan atau lebih untuk diluncurkan

Elemen Merek Pakaian yang Sukses

Merek pakaian yang bagus bagus karena suatu alasan. Biasanya, mereka melakukan satu hal dengan sangat baik, dan terkadang mereka melakukan banyak hal dengan sangat baik. Sebelum memulai lini pakaian Anda sendiri, ada empat faktor penting untuk merek yang sukses yang ingin Anda pertimbangkan:

• Ceruk
• Desain
• Kualitas
• Merek

Mari selami masing-masing elemen ini sedikit lebih banyak di bawah ini:

Memilih Niche Merek Pakaian

Memilih ceruk tertentu adalah penting—dan seringkali, vital—untuk sukses di industri pakaian dan pakaian jadi. Mencoba membabi buta untuk menargetkan sekelompok besar orang akan meninggalkan Anda dengan merek yang tidak berbicara kepada siapa pun.

Berfokus pada sekelompok orang tertentu memiliki beberapa manfaat utama:

• Lebih mudah untuk memasarkan (karena Anda dapat mengasah target pasar Anda secara lebih spesifik)
• Itu bisa lebih terjangkau (karena Anda tidak menargetkan audiens yang salah)
• Ada potensi persaingan yang lebih sedikit (semakin Anda ceruk, semakin kecil kumpulan kompetitif Anda)
• Anda dapat menarik loyalitas pelanggan yang lebih besar (karena audiens Anda tahu bahwa Anda fokus pada mereka)

Misalnya: “Pakaian dengan slogan-slogan lucu” atau “hoodie untuk pria” keduanya terlalu luas untuk diserang karena pasarnya sangat berkembang. Niching down akan membantu Anda menargetkan pasar dengan lebih baik, memungkinkan Anda menjangkau mereka dengan lebih mudah, dan dapat menciptakan nilai lebih bagi mereka. Jadi, alih-alih "pakaian dengan slogan-slogan lucu" Anda mungkin melayani pasar yang spesifik dan penuh gairah seperti "pakaian dengan slogan-slogan untuk perawat atau petugas pemadam kebakaran." Atau, alih-alih "hoodie untuk pria", Anda dapat berfokus pada pembuatan hoodies ultra-tebal/hangat untuk orang-orang di iklim dingin.

Desain Pakaian

Desain Anda—apakah itu dicetak, disulam, atau desain pakaian itu sendiri—sangat penting. Pakaian Anda tidak hanya perlu terlihat bagus, tetapi juga harus terlihat bagus secara khusus di mata target pasar Anda.

Pada akhirnya, Anda akan menjadi pihak yang dirugikan jika desain pakaian Anda tidak estetis dan menarik bagi pembeli Anda. Desain Anda tidak perlu rumit—pada kenyataannya, banyak desain pakaian terlaris sangat sederhana—namun, mereka perlu terhubung dengan audiens/ceruk khusus Anda.

Kualitas Pakaian

Anda bisa membodohi seseorang sekali, tetapi Anda tidak bisa membodohi mereka dua kali. Pola yang memudar dan retak seiring waktu atau bagian yang terlepas pada jahitannya setelah dicuci tidak akan membuat penggemar mengoceh yang akan kembali dan membeli kembali.

Tidak semua pakaian sama, bisa jadi ada perbedaan besar dalam kualitas item pakaian. Kualitas dan komposisi bahan yang Anda pilih akan mempengaruhi bagaimana pakaian itu dipakai, bagaimana mencuci, bagaimana memudar, menyusut, dan pada akhirnya berapa lama itu bertahan. Seperti yang kami sebutkan di atas, kualitas adalah yang terpenting untuk merek Anda dan kesuksesannya, jadi penting untuk mendidik diri sendiri dan memilih materi Anda dengan hati-hati.

Akan selalu menggoda untuk mengorbankan kualitas demi margin keuntungan yang lebih tinggi, tetapi Anda perlu mempertimbangkan bagaimana kualitas akan memengaruhi keputusan pelanggan untuk membagikan merek Anda kepada orang lain dan membeli kembali dalam jangka panjang.

Merek Pakaian

Banyak perusahaan pakaian dibangun di atas merek yang kuat. Di luar pakaian itu sendiri, merek yang kuat mendorong dan memperkuat target pasar Anda untuk membeli, mewakili, membagikan, dan membeli kembali pakaian Anda. Merek Anda jauh melampaui produk itu sendiri dan mencakup apa yang diperjuangkan merek dan gaya hidup yang terkait dengannya.

Membedakan Lini Pakaian Anda

Desain pakaian dan industri pakaian jadi adalah beberapa industri yang paling jenuh untuk dimasuki. Agar dapat bersaing secara efektif, Anda harus memiliki titik diferensiasi yang membedakan Anda di pasar dari yang lainnya.

Bekerja di pabrik juga memberi saya pandangan awal tentang berapa banyak orang yang masuk ke industri ini tanpa tahu apa yang diperlukan untuk membangun merek yang bahkan sukses dari jarak jauh. Menyalahkan ketidaktahuan tidak sepenuhnya adil… Kami sama sekali tidak tahu betapa sulitnya itu. Namun, kami memulai Stock dengan alasan yang jelas tentang apa yang membedakan kami, mengapa orang tertarik untuk membeli barang-barang kami, dan bagaimana kami akan menjualnya. Ini adalah langkah yang saya lihat banyak calon pembuat lewati. – Jim Snediker | Saham Mfg. Co.

Berita baiknya adalah ada banyak cara untuk membedakan diri Anda dari keramaian…

Desain

Jika Anda berencana untuk memiliki gambar atau gambar pada pakaian Anda, desain (gaya desain dan kualitas desain) dapat membantu membedakan Anda dari yang lain.

Contoh: Blackmilk Clothing membuat namanya dikenal dan menjadi salah satu merchant terbesar Shopify dengan menciptakan legging yang didesain unik, sekaligus bermitra dengan merek-merek besar, dalam kasus di bawah ini, Dr. Who:

Cocok/Gaya

Jika Anda berencana untuk membuat pakaian sendiri dari awal, kecocokan dan gaya pakaian yang sebenarnya bisa menjadi poin pembeda yang penting.

Contoh: Sharp Casualwear menyediakan pakaian kelas atas untuk pria 5'8” ke bawah yang mencari staples bergaya yang pas. Mungkin merek online asli yang menjadi terkenal dan dikenal lebih cocok adalah Bonobos. Bonobo memutuskan bahwa mereka ingin membuat celana pria yang lebih pas. Kecocokan mereka yang lebih baik membantu membangun mereka sejak dini dan mengubah merek mereka menjadi perusahaan 100 juta dolar.

Merek

Dengan semua hal lain yang sama, orang lebih cenderung membeli dari merek yang kisahnya paling dapat mereka hubungkan. Selain itu, merek yang kuat saja yang terhubung dengan konsumen dapat memungkinkan Anda untuk menuntut titik harga yang lebih tinggi, bahkan jika kualitasnya relatif sama dengan merek lain yang umum atau lebih murah.

Contoh: Billionaire Boys Club sepanjang awal 2000-an menjual t-shirt seharga hampir $100 yang hanya bertuliskan “Billionaire Boys Club.” Meski bisa dibilang, t-shirt mereka memiliki kualitas yang sama dengan ratusan kaos lainnya di pasaran, konsumen membeli merek urban muda dan ceritanya.

Ceruk

Ceruk yang Anda pilih untuk beroperasi dan target pasar Anda (jika didefinisikan dengan cukup baik dan jika kurang terlayani) dapat dengan sendirinya menjadi titik diferensiasi.

Contoh: See Ya Never menargetkan pengembara digital yang bekerja dari jarak jauh dan berkeliling dunia. Bahkan dengan ribuan merek pakaian di pasaran, sangat sedikit, jika ada, yang menargetkan kelompok orang tertentu.

80s Tees menjual desain eksklusif dari film dan acara TV tahun 80-an. Tidak hanya desainnya yang menarik dan bernostalgia, tetapi banyak dari desain yang dilisensikan sehingga membuatnya eksklusif dan hampir tidak mungkin ditemukan di tempat lain.

Terakhir, Canada Threads berfokus pada pakaian dan aksesori yang secara unik beresonansi dengan orang Kanada, termasuk desain yang terkait dengan Kuda Nil Rumah Kanada yang dicintai.

Performa/Bahan/Kualitas

Jenis bahan berperan dalam membedakan pakaian Anda dari yang lain di luar sana. Bagaimana kinerjanya untuk pemakainya (apakah nyaman, gatal, membatasi, hangat, ringan, lapang, mudah kusut, dll.) dan kualitas keseluruhannya (termasuk jahitan, kancing, berat kain, dll.) akan semua berperan dalam kepuasan pelanggan Anda.

Contoh: Unbound Merino menjalankan kampanye crowdfunding yang berhasil mengumpulkan $300.000 dan membangun merek mereka berdasarkan kinerja pakaian mereka: Pakaian kasual yang terbuat dari 100% wol merino super lembut yang memiliki kemampuan bernapas dan memblokir bau yang unggul, memungkinkan lini perjalanan ini pakaian yang harus dipakai berkali-kali tanpa dicuci.

Mengembangkan Rencana Bisnis untuk Lini Pakaian Anda

Dengan beberapa dasar-dasarnya, langkah selanjutnya adalah bagi Anda untuk mengembangkan rencana bisnis dasar (tetapi penting) untuk memetakan keputusan Anda dan arah untuk perusahaan pakaian Anda.

Beberapa elemen utama yang ingin Anda pertimbangkan saat menyusun rencana bisnis e-niaga Anda adalah:

• Model Bisnis Anda
• Persona Pelanggan
• Kekuatan & Kelemahan Pesaing
• Biaya & Margin

Bonus: Kami merekomendasikan Rencana Bisnis E-niaga Satu Halaman eksklusif kami untuk membantu Anda membangun rencana dan strategi bisnis untuk lini pakaian Anda. Termasuk lembar kerja satu halaman penuh dan ebook 40 halaman yang menyertainya, Rencana Bisnis E-niaga Satu Halaman diformulasikan untuk memandu Anda melalui 12 area utama fondasi bisnis Anda sehingga Anda tidak melewatkan langkah penting apa pun atau mengabaikan angka penting apa pun.

Membuat Merek untuk Lini Pakaian Anda

Langkah selanjutnya adalah mengembangkan merek untuk perusahaan pakaian baru Anda.

Membuat merek untuk perusahaan pakaian baru Anda adalah yang terpenting. Dengan begitu banyak perusahaan dan merek pakaian di luar sana, Anda harus membedakan diri Anda sendiri. Merek Anda akan menjadi bagian besar dari itu.

Pada akhirnya, setiap bisnis memiliki merek dan setiap bisnis baru akan memiliki merek. Menyusun merek Anda di awal memberi Anda kesempatan untuk mendefinisikan dan mengomunikasikan pesan dan cerita Anda dengan lebih baik.

Jika Anda berencana membuat garis potong dan jahit pakaian khusus, Anda mungkin ingin mempertimbangkan untuk menyewa agen merek khusus untuk membantu Anda membuat merek Anda. Jika Anda merencanakan merek print-on-demand atau private label di mana investasi dan anggaran Anda jauh lebih kecil, mengembangkan merek Anda sendiri bisa menjadi pilihan yang berharga dan berbiaya rendah.

Pada tahap ini Anda perlu mengidentifikasi:

• Siapa pasar Anda?
• Merek apa yang paling cocok untuk pasar ini?

Di bawah ini, kami akan segera memperkenalkan Anda ke beberapa elemen kunci dalam mengembangkan merek perusahaan pakaian Anda, namun, untuk rincian lengkap semua elemen merek, serta panduan dan lembar kerja untuk mendefinisikan semua elemen merek Anda, lihat panduan merek kami, A Merek yang Lebih Baik.

Menentukan Pasar Anda

Mendefinisikan pasar Anda penting untuk merek apa pun, tetapi terutama untuk merek di pasar pakaian dan pakaian jadi karena sangat jenuh. Dengan menargetkan kelompok besar orang secara luas, Anda menyiapkan diri untuk kegagalan sejak awal. Apa yang ingin Anda lakukan adalah niche down dan membuat segmen.

Beberapa pertanyaan penting untuk ditanyakan pada diri sendiri pada tahap ini adalah:

• Jenis pakaian dan produk pakaian apa yang ingin saya buat?
• Siapa yang akan membeli produk saya?
• Nilai spesifik apa yang akan diberikan oleh produk atau merek saya kepada orang-orang ini?
• Apa yang unik dari produk saya?
• Siapa pesaing saya?

Membuat Pilar Merek Anda

Pilar merek adalah beberapa kata kunci atau atribut (biasanya 3-4) yang mewujudkan tentang merek Anda, dan pilar tersebut berfungsi sebagai titik awal untuk mengembangkan persona merek Anda. Kemudian, kata-kata ini digunakan sebagai pos pemeriksaan terhadap sebagian besar aktivitas merek. Misalnya, saat membuat situs web Anda, iklan, atau bahkan percakapan dengan pelanggan Anda, Anda harus memeriksanya dengan pilar merek Anda. Tanyakan pada diri Anda: Apakah desain/situs web/iklan/percakapan saya mewakili esensi di balik kata-kata pilar merek saya?

Pilar merek Anda bertindak sebagai alat sederhana untuk menjaga merek Anda tetap konsisten di seluruh aktivitas Anda dan mereka berfungsi sebagai fondasi untuk merek Anda.

Kembangkan Visual Merek Anda

Visual merek Anda adalah elemen merek umum yang langsung dipikirkan banyak orang ketika mereka memikirkan merek tertentu. Ini termasuk logo perusahaan Anda, warna merek, dan font, serta keseluruhan desain dan estetika fotografi Anda.

• Buat Papan Mood: Papan suasana hati adalah cara sempurna untuk mulai menyatukan gaya visual yang Anda inginkan. Pada dasarnya mood board adalah kumpulan gambar, foto, desain, warna, dan potongan multimedia lainnya yang Anda temukan dari seluruh web yang berfungsi sebagai inspirasi untuk merek Anda. Meskipun ada banyak alat yang tersedia online untuk membantu Anda mengumpulkan elemen-elemen ini, cara termudah cenderung menggunakan Pinterest atau Instagram.
• Pilih Palet Warna: Langkah Anda selanjutnya dalam proses branding adalah mempersempit palet warna yang akan digunakan. Memilih palet warna di awal akan membantu menjaga merek Anda terlihat konsisten di semua saluran. Anda akan ingin memulai dengan memberi perhatian khusus pada warna dominan yang digunakan di papan suasana hati Anda karena ini kemungkinan warna yang langsung menarik perhatian Anda. Dari sana kami juga menyarankan Anda menggunakan alat seperti Adobe Color untuk meninjau palet warna lain yang terinspirasi dan dipilih oleh komunitas untuk mendapatkan beberapa ide tambahan. Terakhir, Adobe juga menawarkan alat untuk membantu memilih dan menyempurnakan palet warna Anda, lihat di sini.
• Buat Logo: Saat membuat logo untuk bisnis Anda, Anda pasti menginginkan logo yang tidak hanya mewakili merek Anda dengan baik, tetapi juga yang berbicara dengan target demografis Anda. Meskipun kami selalu menyarankan untuk bekerja dengan desainer logo yang disegani untuk membuat logo yang sempurna untuk merek Anda, mereka yang memiliki anggaran lebih kecil dapat memulai hampir tanpa biaya dengan alat seperti Looka.

Bonus: Lihat Panduan Pencitraan Merek E-niaga kami untuk membantu Anda mengembangkan semua komponen penting merek Anda termasuk persona merek Anda serta semua visual merek Anda seperti papan suasana hati, palet warna, logo, dan gaya fotografi. Panduan ini mencakup ebook PDF serta lembar kerja untuk membantu Anda membuat merek yang sempurna untuk lini pakaian Anda.

Proses Pengembangan Produk untuk Lini Pakaian Anda

Bagi siapa saja yang benar-benar baru dalam bisnis fesyen, penting untuk mengetahui bahwa ini adalah langkah yang sangat penting dalam proses memulai dan menjalankan lini pakaian potong-dan-jahit. Pada titik ini, kami sangat menyarankan agar Anda mempertimbangkan untuk bermitra dengan seorang profesional yang tahu apa yang mereka lakukan dan bagaimana melakukannya dengan benar.

Para profesional seperti pembuat pola, pembuat paket teknologi, mitra desain, mitra bahan, dan mitra produksi sangat berpengalaman di bidangnya masing-masing dan tugas mereka adalah membuat lini pakaian Anda menjadi kenyataan dengan cara yang seefisien mungkin. Tanpa bantuan profesional, hal-hal seperti pembuatan pola dan paket teknologi dapat menjadi mimpi buruk tidak hanya bagi Anda tetapi juga bagi produsen masa depan yang Anda rencanakan untuk bekerja sama.

Di sinilah meneliti pabrikan Anda terlebih dahulu terbayar untuk Anda. Beberapa produsen menawarkan layanan pengembangan produk profesional, beberapa hanya akan memproduksi untuk Anda jika mereka telah melakukan pengembangan produk Anda sendiri, dan yang lain tidak menyediakan layanan ini tetapi mereka memiliki mitra yang mereka sukai untuk bekerja sama. Semua informasi ini akan diuraikan di situs web produsen atau dengan menghubungi mereka secara langsung.

Ketika datang ke pengembangan produk lini pakaian Anda, umumnya akan ada jalur umum untuk diikuti dengan beberapa terminologi umum tidak peduli apa jenis produk pakaian yang Anda kembangkan. 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:

• Desain
• kain
• Pengukuran
• Memangkas
• 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:

• Orang Per Jam – Paket Teknologi
• Kerja keras – Freelancer Paket Teknologi

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.

kotak pengiriman

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:

• Perbaiki Kemasan
• Pakible
• Packwire
• Lumi
• Wolfpack Packaging Inc.
• Arka
• Geek Kotak
• Custom Boxes & Packaging
• Custom Boxes Now
• eSupplyStore
• Fast Pack: Boxes
• Instabox (Canada)
• PakFactory
• Toko kertas
• 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:

• Stiker Bagal
• 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:

• Hutan Pita
• 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:

• Stiker Raksasa
• Stiker Bagal
• Stiker Anda
• Melenguh

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

Ini adalah pilihan Anda:

• 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
• Solusi Bisnis UPS
• Akun Bisnis DHL
• Pusat Bisnis FedEx
• Canada Post Business Account
• Akun Bisnis Online Kerajaan Inggris Mail
• Akun Kredit Bisnis 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:

• Pergudangan & Pemenuhan Cetak
• Jaringan Pemenuhan Shopify
• Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
• Fulfillrite
• pemenuhan.com
• Pemenuhan Rusa Merah
• 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.

Kesimpulan

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.