Someone came up with this idea to do an article from a manufacturers perspective. I have been doing custom manufacuring for over 4 years and will discuss what I think are important issues when deciding to get your private clothing line custom made.

I do not claim to know everything, so by all means, if anyone would like to add, let me know.

First, let’s discuss what information is needed by a manufacture:
· Type of garment (t-shirt, hoodie, pants…etc.)
· Fabric content (cotton, poly, bamboo…..etc.)
· Weight (in GSM please! If you don’t know, ask!)
· Washes, treatments, finishing (please know the name of the treatments you need or have pictures. Sometimes it’s best to send a sample of what you want to be accurate when producing)
· Size and measurement chart (if you don’t have one, sending a sample and having sizes graded is the best method, especially if you don’t know how to take measurements)
· Pantone color codes for dying fabrics
· Quantities chart by color, size, cut and design is best. Honesty is best- be up front about your specific needs. Some manufacturers are set up for small orders so they have ways to reduce costs. Some manufacturers are set up for large orders and if they take your small order, they may be too booked to take your next small run.
· An artwork tech pack- which can include mock ups (or print files) of each design, how it should be printed, colors, design size and any other info you can think of that is important in achieving the desired look.
· Artwork files for prints, labels, and hangtags. You should always ask if you are not sure what you should put on your labels.

Next, I am going to give you a guided tour into the world of custom manufacturing…… from start to finish! (I will edit this article to include this section when I have all the photos put together.)

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http://www.highstyleproductions.com
custom apparel manufacturing for small companies