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FAQ
Welcome to theFAQs page. We have compiled a list of the most common questions we receive from clients.
Please review these FAQs first before sending in your enquiry because we may already have an answer for your questions in here.
Alternatively, if you don’t find your questions answered in here, then please do leave us a detailed message on our Contact Us page.
PATTERN & SAMPLING
1, I'm not LOCAL TO LA, can we still work together? How does that work?
Yes! We work with fashion brands all around the world. If we are sourcing for you we make it very simple. Two identical fabric & trim books are created and well labeled. One is sent to you, and the second stays with us. Once you receive your materials, you’ll hop on the phone with our sourcing specialists to review and select your materials.
2, How long does product development take?
Product Development time can vary drastically depending on how much information the brand brings to us.
One way to increase speed and efficiency is to know exactly which styles you will be producing, have clear information on your desired fit as well as artwork files vectorized and ready to be sent for printing or label creation. If you have specific deadlines for your development, make sure to let us know and we will map out a timeline for completion together. Its best to be proactive and leave yourself with at least two months for development of a collection. Rushing something creative is never a good idea.
3, What does the program enrollment fee cover?
The Program Enrollment Fee covers constant communication with an on-call production manager as well as these items below:
Onboard Meeting, Discovery, Idea Consultation, Resource allocation
Review sample styles, construct BOM (Bill of Materials)
Consolidate fixed and variable costs to provide a forecasted production price per style.
Pattern review & directives for Pattern Maker
Continued project management & process facilitation with Company, Pattern Makers, Sample Makers, and Fabric Specialists.Access to lower Minimum Order Quantities (MOQ) for production. (<250 units/style)
Yes. Test dyeing is generally conducted on 1 kg of fabric. For digital or screen print testing, our manufacturers usually test 1m of fabric. You can request to have these test fabrics sent to you for review, just let us know.
5,Can you provide size grading for all my sizes?
Yes. Once a sample in one size is confirmed as correct, and you confirm your production, then the manufacturer will do your size grading.
6, Can I get a sample of my clothes made in every size？
No. Manufacturers produce one sample of each style in one size. Once you’ve reviewed and approved the samples, their sizes will be graded in preparation for mass production.
MASS PRODUCTION & QC
1, What are your control methods?
We and our manufacturers conduct QC on a weekly basis during any project. Most of our manufacturers QC every completed garment, whereas a few of our manufacturers QC 75% of completed garments by choosing garments randomly within each batch.
2, What if one or more of my pieces has errors, what can I do ?
If you notice any of your pieces have errors, you need to contact us within 7 days of receiving your shipment. The first thing you need to do is send us images or a video showing the errors in detail. From this, our manufacturers can determine whether you require a repair or full replacement of the specific piece(s).
3, Can you conduct an audit of my completed clothing even if you wasn't the company that made my clothes?
Yes, we understand that sometimes you just want an unbiased set of eyes to review the work of your manufacturer. We have a special service designed just for these situations, operated by our meticulous staff. Visit our Quality Control page for more information.
4, If you conducts an audit of my manufacturer's work, how will I know the outcome?
At the end of every audit, your QC Project Manager will send you an in-depth report and analysis of our findings. These detailed reports include the total number of pieces reviewed, measurements to match against your technical specifications, number of pieces with errors, images of each error uploaded to Google Drive, and a final written assessment.
5, I want to work alongside your manufacturers, can I do this?
No. Our manufacturers are some of the busiest in the region and their preference is not to work alongside designers. Also, other designers can easily be exposed to the risk of design theft, called “design exposure”. In an effort to mitigate this risk, Our project managers work on your behalf.
6, How are my clothes going to be packaged?
Our manufacturers provide clear plastic sleeves to individually pack garments. We’re also proud to provide recycled eco-sleeves that can be printed on and are biodegradable, compostable, and disposable. Visit our Shop page to learn more.
7, Does you only make clothes for humans or can you produce clothes for pets?
At this time we and our manufacturers only produce clothing for humans.
8, Can you customise clothing as and when my customers buy them from my website?
No. This is called “on-demand” production. Our manufacturers only produce via MOQs (minimum order quantities) which you must meet.
LEAD TIME
1, What is a lead time, what does it mean for me?
Lead Times are the length of time you’ll need to wait in the manufacturer’s production cue before your production can begin. Your specific lead time will begin from the moment your payment is received. We currently works with 53 ethical-verified clothing manufacturers which means there are over 50 different production cues with their own lead times. We’ve seen lead times hover anywhere from 2.5 weeks to 6 weeks. January through March is generally slow, and for the rest of the year everyone is swamped. Get started today!
2, What do I need to consider when determining my production timeframe?
A production timeframe between 1 to 4 weeks is not realistic.
All reputable clothing manufacturers like those in us network are busy as they have other clients that are already producing before you. We often see enquiries coming in with “Urgent” in the subject line. This doesn’t change the fact that your production must be assessed, quoted on, paid for, wait in the existing production cue, then sampled, tested, approved by you, mass produced, quality controlled, bagged and tagged, and finally shipped to you.
There are several factors that impact your production timeframes. These factors include the back-and-forth communication with you regarding your production requirements, time to research and obtain quotes, your speed of providing payments to secure your productions (bank-to-bank transfers can take days), the chosen manufacturer’s lead times, your speed of providing approvals to move production stages forward, pattern making, samples production and testing, the time for mass production and quality control, tagging, bagging, and finally shipping to your location.
We recommend planning well in advance of contacting manufacturers and also allotting extra time for the completion of each stage in your production cycle.
3, What is the average time it takes to make a line of clothing?
Its not easy to answer this question because every production is unique. The complexity of your garments’ styles, the total number of pieces in your order, and the availability of fabrics and materials will all impact your production timeframe. You also need to consider a variety of other factors that can impact your production timeframes, which is highlighted in one of the other FAQs. We’ve had productions range from 1.5 months to 4 months. The only way to know for sure is to send us your tech packs or samples and allow us to calculate your production timeframes.
GLOBLE SHIPPING
1, How do you ship my finished clothes to me?
Your finished clothes are safely packaged in clear plastic/recycled sleeves, then packed into boxes and prepared for shipment. To order recycled organic sleeves, please visit this Shop page.
2, How do you ship my finished clothes to me?
There is no way to know the answer to this question without first seeing how many boxes, dimensions, and total weight you have to ship. Also, each freight forwarder has its own fees and you need to calculate other factors such as insurance, duties, and taxes which will impact your shipping costs. With sea freight, your minimum volume must be at least 3 cubic metres.
3, How long does it take to ship my finished clothes to me?
It depends on where you live, and which shipping method you need to use. Air freight is faster than sea freight. To give you an example, our clients receive their packages usually between 4 to 10 business days from the shipping date. The fastest we’ve seen is 48 hours door-to-door. Sea freight can take months.
4, Do you offer FOB, CIF, CNF, or Drop-Shipping?
No. Once your second production payment is finalised and your clothes are packed, we will help you arrange your shipping where you must pay directly to the agency you choose. This is called Ex-Works in the shipping industry.
5, I already have a shipping account with DHL / TNT, can I use my account for shipping?
Yes, that’s perfect. All we need is your account number and your shipment details, and we can even arrange your shipment for you.
6, What happens if my shipment gets lost or my garments are damaged during transport?
We guarantees that your garments are securely packed and sent with your chosen shipping company but we do not maintain any responsibility once your packages are out of our premises. It’s highly recommended that you add insurance to your shipments for this exact reason. You’ll need to speak with your shipping agent or freight forwarder for further details about your shipments.
PRINGPRINTING & Dyeing
1, What is your MOQ for printing?
MOQs for printing vary depending on your choice of fabrics. The MOQ ranges from 30m to 1,000m or higher.
2, What is your MOQ for dyeing?
MOQs for dyeing vary depending on your choice of fabrics. The MOQ ranges from 30m to 1,000m or higher.
3, Can you provide organic dyes or eco-inks?
Yes. Our manufacturers are able to naturally dye fabrics. These are generally used for natural fibre textiles such as cotton or rayon or linen etc. Prices for using organic dyes or eco-ink are higher than conventional dyes but we do not have prices, we can only tell you your exact costs during quoting. Check out this post from our Instagram page about natural dyes.
4, What types of printing methods can your manufacturers do?
Our manufacturers produce amazing print quality through screen printing, digital printing, sublimation, hot press, discharge, reactive or pigment printing, and more. Send us your graphic design files along with your tech packs and we will recommend the best option for you.
5, How many colours can you print?
For screen printing, the maximum number of colours is 8. For digital printing, it’s nearly unlimited.
6, How long does it take to print my clothes?
There’s no way to answer this question without seeing your detailed tech packs and your graphic design files. There are two possible scenarios, depending on what you’re producing. Either the fabric needs to be printed first before making your clothes or your clothes need to be made before your printing is completed. Both scenarios come with varying timeframes.
7, What are acceptable file formats to send my designs in?
We accept Adobe Illustrator, PDF, JPG, or PNG file formats. If you’re printing an image on a section of your garments (ie: logo on the chest) then you need to send your file with the exact dimensions set to scale. If you want an all-over printing of the entire fabric, we need your files saved for yardage printing or repeat printing. This means we need your image dimensions in centimetres to represent exact scale.
8, Do you conduct dye or print tests?
Yes. Test dyeing is generally conducted on 1 kg of fabric. For digital or screen print testing, our manufacturers usually test 1m of fabric. You can request to have these test fabrics sent to you for review, just let us know.
9, Are there any setup costs for printing or dyeing?
Some of our manufacturers charge a nominal setup fee during samples production for digital printing, embroidery, screen printing, or dyeing.
10, What are the cost of screens for screen printing?
Costs of screens vary depending on the size of the screens needed for your specific designs. Prices can range from $25 USD to $250 USD. Keep in mind that each new colour in your design requires a separate screen. The great thing about screens is they can be reused hundreds of times in future productions.
Service
1, I need manufacturers and suppliers, can you tell me their contact details?
No. The manufacturers we work with ,they prefer to stay hidden from being accessible by everyone – almost none of them have websites.
2, I want cheap but quality clothes, can you help?
There’s no such thing. The words “cheap” and “quality” should never be used in the same sentence in the fashion manufacturing industry. Cheap can mean unethical, low quality, and bad business ethics. We only works with ethical high quality manufacturers that produce high quality garments consistently.
3, How can I ensure my designs aren't stolen or copied?
We only share your tech packs with the ethical manufacturers in our network whom we trust implicitly. When you’re not in production, your intellectual property is stored off-site for protection against design exposure.
4, Do you work with NDAs and contracts for production?
Yes. If you would like us to sign an NDA, please email it to usand our Director will review it. When you start working with us, we will provide you with a working contract that highlights all roles, responsibilities, and terms.
5, I already have fabrics / materials, can I simply get my clothes made through you?
Yes. We can collaborate to ensure you have all the correct amount of materials for your production, then we can have one of our ethical manufacturers make your clothes for you
6, What is the form of payment you accept?
For all productions, we only accept Bank Transfer, PayPal, Western Union, Money Gram, Transfer Wise. For sampling and production value lower than 3000 USD, payment should be fully charged. For production value over than 3000 USD, we accept 50% deposit and balance before shipping.
Quotes
1, How can I receive a production quote?
The only way to receive a production quote is by sending us your detailed tech packs or sending us physical samples of garments you want to replicate.
2, How long does it take to get a production quote?
If manufacturers aren’t that tied up, it can take less than a few hours. But if it’s peak production season, it can take a few days. Also keep in mind that the more accurate your tech packs are, the easier it is for us to provide you with quotes. If you’ve sent samples, we will need to physically take your samples from one manufacturer to another, this can take over a week.
3, How long is my quote valid for?
Quotes are valid for 30 days from the day we send your quote to you. Once you approve your quoted production costs, our manufacturers will honour this production cost for up to one year.
4, Are there any setup costs for printing or dyeing?
Some of our manufacturers charge a nominal setup fee during samples production for digital printing, embroidery, screen printing, or dyeing
Design
1, Can you work with digital pattern-making software?
Yes some of our manufacturers can however almost all the manufacturers in our network create their own patterns on paper. They can create patterns from your tech packs.
2, I have paper patterns, should I send them to you?
Yes. Paper patterns can easily be replicated from and it can speed up the time it takes to produce your samples.
3, How much do patterns cost to make?
The costs to create patterns can vary between manufacturers. Some manufacturers include the pattern making costs as part of the sampling cost, while other manufacturers may charge a flat fee of $30 USD or more per pattern.
4, Do you offer size grading and how much does it cost?
Size grading is completed free of charge after your samples are completed and your production is confirmed.
5, I love Hurley's board shorts, can you copy them for me?
Yes and No. As long as you alter at least 30% of their original style, the shorts can be replicated. But if you want to copy their style, their features, and designs, then we cannot work on this because it is illegal.
Sourcing
1, Can you source fabrics and materials for me?
Yes. We can source just about anything you need.
2, Can you provide care labels, woven labels, and swing tags?
Yes. Simply lets us know in your tech packs what you need, the dimensions, graphics design files, etc. and we’ll source and project manage the production of your labels and tags for you.
3, What is the range of fabrics you have access to?
We have access to most fabrics that are available in the world.we can source fabrics asyour requirements
4, Are you able to source sustainable fabrics such as Tencel?
Yes. There are a variety of sustainable fabrics available through our suppliers. Please let us know what you’re looking for.
5, Are you able to source Carvico's recycled Lycra?
Yes. We currently already work with the region’s only verified supplier that stocks Carvico’s Vita Xtra Life Lycra and a few other types of their fabric.
6, Can you send me fabric swatches from your suppliers?
Yes. Suppliers charge for swatches. If you would like swatches to be sent to you, we will need you to tell us what fabric you need, send us supporting images for inspiration, and provide your address. We will prepare an invoice that covers the costs of the swatches and shipping for you.
7, I only want to print fabric, can you do this for me?
Yes. We can source your fabric and project manage the printing as well.
8, Can you help produce a specific fabric or blend for me?
Yes. Fabric production happens in the main textile mills across . If you want a producer to make a specific fabric or blend for you, we can project manage this for you but expect your MOQs to start at 3,000 kgs.
Tech Packs
1, What are tech packs and why do I need them?
Tech packs are the blueprint of your garments and your gateway to accurate production information. Manufacturers use tech packs to calculate fabric consumption, dyeing needs, printing needs, materials needs, styling, fit, and sizing. All of these impact your production costs so without them, you’re leaving your production open to risk of failure in the samples production phase. Also if you don’t have tech packs, you can be cheated when prices are being communicated.
2, Can you make tech packs or technical drawings for me?
No.our network of manufacturers don’t offer any design services. It’s also best if you understand the blueprint of your own garments.
3, I have images of what I want, is that enough to get a quote?
No. We and our manufacturers require detailed tech packs or physical samples sent to us in order to provide you with production costs.
4, I'm not sure how to use TechPacker, can you help?
Our friends at TechPacker have an awesome support team and love helping their customers. Before you contact them directly, have a look through the TechPacker Documentation page for loads of great tips and how-to’s.
5, I don't have tech packs but I do have sketches of my designs, what do I do now?
You’ll need to turn your sketches into clearly drawn supporting images for your tech packs, with corresponding seam measurement lines. But you can still use them.
6, I don't have tech packs but I do have physical samples, what do I do now?
You can either send us your physical samples (with any alteration instructions) or you can take pictures of your samples and edit these images to include your seam measurements, then include them in your tech packs. Once you send your physical samples to us, we will use them to obtain production costs for you. This will take longer than if we have your tech packs but it does make things much easier if you are looking to replicate your samples.
