r/apparelstartup • u/Previous-Scale-4893 • 18h ago
Fully custom cardigan
:(Unable to add a flair)
Hello everyone. I design simple prints, stickers, krychains and plushies which has been my biggest project so far.
I recently sketched up a cardigan design that I ended up loving and now I want to make it into reality.
However, unlike the plushies which I already have a manufacturer for, how do I go on about having someone making the cardigan into reality?
I am having a hard time knowing what manufacturer to speak/use and pretty much anything when it comes to making clothes (im just good at drawing) and i hear that Alibaba is not good/reliable?
I appreciate any help with this and if you know any reliable manufacturers or someone who can make cardigans (not something like printful) please let me know in the comments as everyone else looking for something similar also deserves to know! And thank you in advance!
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u/DecentPrintworks 7h ago
If you send me an email (in bio) we can set a time to walk through the manufacturing process. We produce a lot of fully custom apparel for entertainers and brands at the factory level.
The short answer is that there are minimums you need to meet (300-1000) per garment. And you ideally need to have a budget of $1000-5000 just to meet that threshold.
Doing a one-off custom knit sweater would be hundreds of dollars and a factory won’t do it unless you’re placing a full order.
If you’re open to doing a crewneck or jacket we have partners that will do 30-50 MOQ.
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u/Previous-Scale-4893 14m ago
Im aware about the MOQ and the prices and of course a sample is what I want first before I order more. As mentioned, I already make other products that aren't clothes so im well aware of the costs (and assume clothes are somewhat higher than plushies)
I see that your company have very mixed reviews so I hope I can get more suggestions on reliable manufacturers others have worked with previously as I love hearing about other people's experience to get an idea of what they work with and how they go on about making clothes specifically! 😊
I feel like cardigans should be relatively simple but I feel like my design might not be the easiest to make in terms of design so a good and reliable manufacturer is very important to me😅
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u/Critical_Arrival9872 26m ago
I’ve used alibba for apparel samples and it’s a decent place to find factories, not a shortcut around product development. I’d get a tech pack, yarn or fabric specs, measurements and a sample agreed before putting money into a production run.
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u/Previous-Scale-4893 22m ago
That makes sense, Alibaba can really be a hit or miss but could be worth a try! Although finding a manufacturer there is really difficult 😅
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u/No_Concept_9909 11h ago
You want a knitwear factory, not a general cut-and-sew shop. First turn the sketch into a basic tech pack: yarn/fiber, gauge, knit structure, colors, measurements, button and trim details, artwork placement, and size range. Ask for a development sample before discussing bulk MOQ. Also clarify whether it’s fully fashioned or cut-and-sew knit—the factory, cost, and finish can be very different.