In this article, we will explain how to effectively design garments in small batches to minimize unit costs. As with many new fashion brands, you may not be planning to mass produce your clothing. So if you want to produce your own low-cost clothing line and save money at the same time, this article is for you.
Designing with less fabric makes a difference.
If a garment is smaller and uses less fabric, then it should be cheaper, right? However, this technically only applies to same-color orders of 100 or more pieces. For small production runs, the amount of fabric used has a big impact on the unit price.
Why?
Because low MOQ clothing manufacturer don’t stock inventory. Instead, they purchase fabrics from multiple, reliable fabric suppliers for each design. It would be impractical and unprofitable to stock thousands of fabrics just in case someone decides to use them in a design. A fabric supplier is one that has at least one roll of each color of fabric in stock with a minimum order quantity (MOQ). A roll of fabric is usually 100 meters long.
This means that if you are designing a small product and the MOQ is less than 100 pieces, you will have to pay extra to process the fabric and distribute each piece. Therefore, the smaller the minimum order quantity, the higher the actual unit cost.
Solution: Smart Garment Design
When making low-cost garments, the best way to reduce the amount of fabric used is to use all the fabric and sew multiple garments in the same fabric/color. Designing the most affordable garments requires some knowledge.
As mentioned above, there are many basic garment designs that can be easily sewn using the same fabrics. Our technique kits and construction classes will help you make garments in the most economical way possible!
In order to make the most efficient use of fabric and reduce unit costs, you should sew multiple garments using the same fabric/color. For example, sew sweatshirts, pants and sweatshirts in the same fabric, or vests and t-shirts in the same fabric. This will avoid waste and reduce costs!
Technique packages are essential
It should be noted that a good technique pack is the cornerstone of a good clothing line. A tech pack is the cornerstone of a good clothing line. Choosing the right tech pack from the start can save a lot of time, frustration and money. Click here for a handy guide on how to get it right. If you need expert help creating a tech pack, feel free to contact me.
To summarize
Careful design is essential if you want to make a small batch collection of garments and minimize the cost per garment. Using the same fabric across multiple garments can reduce costs and minimize waste.
If you would like advice on your next clothing line, huilinfashion is happy to help you as a startup to find the best clothing manufacturers for startups.
