Starting a Baby Boutique & Clothing Line

Tips for sourcing fabrics and finding textile suppliers

October 7th, 2007

I’m starting to work through some of the email questions. Since I’ve received a few questions about how to source fabrics and find textile suppliers, I’ll try to give as many tips as I can (and please, everyone jump in with what I miss!).

How to locate suppliers that carry the types of fabrics you are interested in:

• Attend a textile show - you can touch and feel all the fabrics, learn about upcoming trends, and meet the reps in person. You also leave with a trade show directory, a virtual gold-mine for suppliers. This is pretty much how I’ve found all of my suppliers.
• Go to a fabric district - I’ve had some luck this way, but not much.
• Purchase directories of suppliers.
• Search for suppliers online.

Next, call potential suppliers and ask them to send you HEADERS, or swatch cards, and ask if they have a price list and / or website:

• If they don’t have a price list, you can call them back after you have the headers in-hand and talk to them about prices for each.
• They should send you cards with fabric swatches attached to a tag that contains the style numbers, care instructions, and fiber content.
• The headers are important - so that you can see and feel the different options they have before making a
• purchase. They can often inspire your collection.

Purchase sample cuts before placing a production order:

• After you select a few fabrics you’d like to try, you will call them back and ask for “sample cuts for testing”. - get enough to make at least two samples.
• Be very open with them about what you are making (and what price point you were hoping for) - they might have recommendations and options you don’t even know exist.
• Find out the availability of the fabric, some are a standard part of the suppliers line, some are seasonal. This will affect your design decisions, especially as a startup.
• Ask about their minimums, policies, payment terms, and method of shipping.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions!!!!

Before you actually go to market with production samples, make sure that you have verified the availability of the fabric. Just because a lot was available when you ordered the sample cut, doesn’t mean a lot will be available when it’s time to produce the actual garments (Oh, yes, I’ve learned this one the painful way).

Entry Filed under: Designing Fashion & Accessories, Product Development, Sourcing