How can designers find production for small orders and samples?

AH, production, a pain in the bum for everyone, I cringe whenever I get asked this sort of question (which is very often) because there is NO straightforward answer and I am a retired ‘production wizard’!

This may be your biggest challenge in getting your business off the ground, long before you need to worry about styles, fabrics, customers, PR.....if you can’t get your samples made, you are in trouble!

You will need to source small production factories (CMTs) in the UK if you are actually producing more than 10 pieces per style. Small run designer level production does not travel well with much hand finishing required prior to delivery to your customers.

THE CHINESE CAN MAKE ALMOST EVERYTHING BUT NOT SMALL DESIGNER PRODUCTION. Their factories are just NOT geared up for small quantities.

You will need to source seamstresses and tailors if you need to produce 1 to 10 pieces per style. If you are offering Bespoke Services or Made To Measure you will definitely need the services of an individual with very good hand skills to make everything you require. It is always preferable that whoever makes your samples should make any larger orders for you.

There MAY be little CMT factories dotted around the UK but they are very difficult to find and are often beholden to major brands. FashionCapital have a very useful “Production Capacity Register” which lists details of some small quantity producers based around the UK, I have details of a few small factories producing top quality designerwear in London.

Can you cut the fabric yourself and then give out to be assembled? Would be great if you can, or do you know someone maybe from college
who can cut for you? if not you will have to rely on the machinists to cut for themselves, if they can.

Twenty years ago, the UK had many clothing producing areas, even though many of those businesses have moved their production overseas, there are still hundreds of very skilled seamstresses at home, some still work many don’t, but all have much capability, you must find a way of finding these important people and getting them to make for you. Where are they and how do you contact them? This must be a major research project for you and must search whenever and wherever you can.

I assume that you do not sew yourself or do you? Have you spoken to every college and tutor that you know, who makes the samples at your
college?

The local papers might run adverts for people offering made to measure services or alterations, even the people sitting on machines in dry cleaning shops could be right for you. Start Up businesses will often be about making 3 to 12 garments per style, not too big for people like these to handle. You probably won’t be making 50 per style,if you are you will definitely need a CMT factory.

Many large, historic manufacturers now closed around the UK, some ran more than 100 years, still ex staff associations around, try to find
them, they will be in touch with retired staff.

Many specific religious groups and immigrant communities have been involved in clothing production, many have the skills you are looking for, in London it is the most successful way of finding production staff.

The Greek and Turkish communities were heavily involved in clothing/tailoring, go visit your local Greek Orthodox Church and Turkish Mosques, see if you can place a small advert in their members’ newsletter.

Remember, you are offering a chance to these mature workers of making something beautiful, something to be proud of and NOT some mass
produced ‘bit of tat’, you could give them pride in their own work again.

We do have some fantastic Pakistani tailors in the UK, their families made army uniforms for the British Raj army in India and have passed
those skills down through the generations. Find them at the big mosques, may be able to get a message read out at prayer time. Check out the many Muslim community support organisations, they may have details of tailors within their membership.

All the incoming Eastern Europeans communities are the current ‘favourites’ of mine, many very talented seamstresses, tailors and machinists are now living in the UK. Try to find the Polish community support organisations that are springing up every where, they will have details for you.I know that the Lithuanian community is setting up their own churches across the UK, other Eastern European nationalities are also becoming established with their own business associations and community organisations, these might be a potential source for you if you have any locally.

Foreign language newspapers in the UK could help you find who you need, maybe they would like to give you some editorial about your
search for staff and your business, you could run some kind of light hearted competition for the “Best Eastern European machinist in Yorkshire” or “X Factor for Seamstresses in South London” or  ”Who is the BEST machinist in Kent”, something like that, gets you publicity and hopefully skilled helpers.

Anyone who makes wedding dresses can make for you, thousands of online bridal services based up north, check out their websites to see if
they actually make their own, if so do they have any spare production for you?

So you can see that there are many places to search for the very elusive ‘top machinists’ that everyone now needs to work with.
Spend the time to find these people, they could make all the difference to your business. Talk to them, try to get references from previous employers, ask them to make you sample toiles, make sure their quality standard is what you want. Don’t rush into an agreement, make sure everything suits you.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR SEARCH

If you need a production strategy tailor-made to your business or circumstances please email me at:

michael@designerhelp.co.uk