Hi, just wondered if anybody here works in the clothes production industry? Looking for general advice on the best place to get prototypes made and cheapest, but fair trade, country to source from? Tax costs? Things to think about? Basically I’m looking to get prototypes made, test them and then consider small cheap batches being made, any advice?

How about in the UK ?

There are lots of small companies making stuff here.

That’s pretty “fair trade” I would have thought ?

Hi
I work for a small trouser manufactuer and all of our garments are one offs, our website is in my profile.

Nige

How about in the UK ?

God bless you. 🙂

I work for a small trouser manufactuer

That’s quite specialist…I’ve got long legs so wouldn’t be able to use small trousers.

I answer to the thread though, I could ask my Dad, he’s retired and worked in the import/export of textiles and chemicals etc to make textiles to the far east.

I could ask him if he knows the contact number of a sweat shop in Cambodia or something.

Damn you McHamish…..

Damn you McHamish…..

Ha…type like the wind in case someone gets there first!

For small production runs of many things, UK manufacture can be pretty price competitive, especially when you bear in mind some of the somewhat comedic quality control from overseas apparel manufacturers! If you’ve ever wondered why clothing sizes are so random, it’s quite common for manufacturers to cut everything small to save on fabric costs – then when it arrives with the retailer they have to shift everything down to the next size, so instead of S-XL correctly sized you end up with oversized XS-L.

Ha, I was thinking cambodia myself to be honest.. Any excuse to return to that beautiful place. Am not too worried about the small run of prototypes here in the UK but then the bigger runs offshore to keep cost down, so wanted to get an idea how the tax things work, like I said its an idea I want to gently pursue and take baby steps with. So if anybody can tell me the import / export deal, that would be fab???

My missus might be able to point you to a couple of factories. Technical clothing?

Import/export isn’t really something you can make baby steps with, it relies on scale to make it worthwhile and exchanges rates, fuel prices and increased living standards are making it less worthwhile even then. Unless you are targeting the lower/mass end of the market it’s probably cheaper to manufacture here and if you are going cheap you haven’t got a hope with competing with the existing players.

Import taxation and administration is quite complex so I doubt you’ll get the info you need on a bike form, better off paying someone to do it for you, but then that points to UK manufacture as well.

Am not too worried about the small run of prototypes here in the UK but then the bigger runs offshore to keep cost down, so wanted to get an idea how the tax things work, like I said its an idea I want to gently pursue and take baby steps with. So if anybody can tell me the import / export deal, that would be fab???

At this stage, and with your lack of experience I’d be finding a UK based manufacturer to partner with. Get your proto’s made and then consider where to go from there – in fact they’ll probably have far better contacts/contracts in place, to ensure you get the right quality/price ratio. You need to watch this progamme:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17952023

Hora – yep, tech gear , any help gratefully received.

My original thread was a while ago and I have largely followed the advised path, I have prototypes out being tested right now, patterns based on their feedback are being made and the pattern cutter has plenty of contacts got small batch UK production, so will next week give me some production prices. Some it will be based on piece work rather than a factory and she will look after quality control if I go that way… Next steps are to get this info and work out if there’s a profit to be made, it’s not a charity but I know what price points I have to try and get to.

Next I also need to get a website up and running with nice pics of the final product and sales! My aim this year is to sell one item, lol. What I mean is a real sale. Hopefully more than one obviously.. But a sale is my goal.

🙂

seriously

two pieces of advice

1. get it made in whichever country is cheapest and wont ruin any reputation you hope to achieve for quality

2. dont expect any kind of help from the government or its quangos who “advocate and encourage UK development or manufacturing” making it in britain you will get f-all from them but they will want a pat on the back if your a success even though they are more of a hinderance to your every move hence ,expect to jump through hoops also to get nowhwere therefor go back to 1 .

unless you have the money to do it all on your own in the UK dont bother send it offshore

Small batch, small investment, all my own money… Just taking little baby steps into doing this and won’t be asking for government help this year. First batches will be low numbers and UK made I think so I can work closely with them, maybe offshore if/when expand, if, lol. Good advice.