A proper development process is the critical foundation you are building to grow your apparel brand on. If you try to skip important steps, not only will you end up with a low quality product, you will most certainly have to go back and repeat some or all of the steps properly to be able to move forward with production.
Sourcing is one of those critical steps in the development process that you just can’t cut corners on. Your project manager is responsible for the sourcing of all of the materials (fabrics & trim) and applications (think printing, embroidery) that will be used to construct your garments. Our project managers (PMs) have decades of experience in product design, sourcing, and production. They have a vast knowledge of fabric properties, suppliers, costs, specialty vendors, and how to negotiate to get you the best prices (which pays dividends for the life of your product!).
Many entrepreneurs wrongfully assume they don’t need a professional for sourcing and try the DIY approach only to lose time, money, and still not end up with the right fabric, trims, and vendors for their design. A project manager knows who the players are in the industry, which textile vendors have a good reputation and ship on time, which ones offer the best rates for comparable fabrics, how to negotiate for bulk discounts (you have to know what market value is before you can even begin to negotiate!), and ultimately, know how all of the parts of your design need to work together as a whole.
Real talk… (we always give it to you straight)
It is easy to get taken advantage of and end up spending exponentially more money because you tried to do it yourself, didn’t know what prices you should be asking for, didn’t know how to check for quality construction, and didn’t know the right partners to work with. What seemed like a few dollars saved in the beginning, has now cost you in frustration, lost time, improper materials, and overcharged pricing. Don’t go there!
Your Indie Source project manager has worked with dozens of brands intimately and you are benefitting from all of that experience, knowledge, and guidance when you work with them. That is invaluable. Your PM also uses all of this knowledge and access to greatly expedite the development process (which will always save you money).
As the liaison between your vendors, the pattern makers, and the sample makers, your PM ensures that everything stays on track, that all updates are being shared with you, and that quick pivots are executed when needed to maintain your vision. And on top of that? You are receiving their expert consulting about all aspects of your project to ensure you are creating a product that is up to industry standards of excellence (and customers levels of – WOW!).
If you are ready to start your apparel brand and partner with our project managers, book a Development Kick Off Meeting with Indie Source. During this meeting, we will take you through the development process and how working with a manufacturer and a project manager can help you and your brand succeed.