One of the first things you need to do when creating a great clothing line is selecting the right materials for your clothes. The material you choose can make or break your clothing line and you need to order different brands to get a feel for comfort, softness, durability, and whether sizes run big or small. You don’t want to sell stiff shirts or tight pants that customers will find uncomfortable. Your brand's longevity, reputation, and profitability depend on the quality of the fabric you choose. With so many options available, selecting the right fabric might seem like an overwhelming task, but ordering samples will help eliminate the worry that you’re sending a product that you don’t know what the fabric feels like. But don't worry, we’ll give you some tips on how to source the best quality fabrics for your clothing line.
Find The Right Supplier
One of the first things to do when sourcing materials for your clothing line business is to find a reliable supplier or an on-demand printing company. The quality of your materials will depend on the quality of your supplier. You'll want to find suppliers who can provide quality materials at a reasonable cost. Look for a supplier with a wide range of fabrics that suit your clothing line. Some on-demand drop shipping and printing companies you can check out are: Printful, Printify, Teelaunch, and CustomCat.
Consider Your Brand
When selecting materials for your clothing line, you need to consider the brand image you want to project. Evaluate your brand and determine what type of materials align with your brand's image. For example, if your brand reflects sustainability, you may want to consider using environmental-friendly materials. On the other hand, if your brand exudes luxury, you may need to use premium quality materials. Ensure that your materials resonate with your brand's vision and core values. For our products, we use BELLA+CANVAS, Gildan, District Clothing, Cotton Heritage, and Next Level Apparel.
Know The Different Types of Materials
When owning a clothing line, it's essential to be familiar with the different types of materials available in the market. Different materials have varying quality, texture, drape, durability, and color dyeing capabilities. Familiarize yourself with fabrics such as cotton, linen, polyester, rayon, and nylon. Also, understand the different blends of these fabrics and their pros and cons. Knowing these materials will help you make well-informed decisions on the best material to use for a hoodie versus a tank top.
Test The Quality
Again make sure you order samples of each product you’re going to sell to test the durability, quality, color saturation, and feel of the material regardless if you’re doing drop shipping or buying in bulk. You need to see how your images print on the fabric you have chosen. Don’t just rely on the mockup to make a decision. You want to give your customers the best quality product possible so that they don’t return it and they keep purchasing from you because your product is so amazing!
Price Vs. Quality
As a business owner, you're always looking for ways to reduce costs, but compromising quality for cost isn't the way to go. Choose quality over affordability, as quality materials pay off in the long run with satisfied customers. Quality materials often come with a higher price point, but remember, your brand's reputation depends on the quality of your final products. You don’t want to have stiff starchy clothing, but soft, comfortable clothes that people want to wear all day and night!
The fabric you source for your clothing line can make or break your brand. Find reliable suppliers or drop shipping companies, check their reviews, get samples of the different kinds of fabrics, and choose quality. With these tips in mind, you're well on your way to sourcing the best fabrics for your clothing line.
Check out some of the fun clothing such as the Outdoorsy collection, Summer Fun collection, Matching Family Outfits, and more!