So, you’ve decided to commit and start your own swim line. Congratulations! It’s an exciting time, but it may seem overwhelming when you begin from absolute 0. You may have a great idea and need to find the right person and time to make your concept come to life. And you know it’s not going to be easy.
The fashion production process requires a few steps and many vendor partners you’ll be working with along the way. This article will look at four important steps you can take to produce your swim line brand successfully.
- Sketch your idea on a paper/ find a reference picture
- Turn Your Idea Into Quality Tech Packs
- Sampling Stage
- Final Production
Sketch your idea on a paper/ find a reference picture
First things first, start with sketching every little idea you have in mind. Starting from the shape to the motif designs. You can also find a reference paper if sketching isn’t your thing. Add or remove any bit as you wish to create your design.
Turn your idea into quality tech packs
Tech packs are the heart of your products, which is why it’s first on our list. Think of test packs as the instruction manual to put all the pieces of your product together. If the factory doesn’t have enough information about your products, your sample will take much longer to approve and will cost more during the process.
To simplify the product development process, these are the things tech packs should include:
- Product sketches – This includes all the details of your product’s necessary views and close-ups like mesh panels, branding treatments, pockets, and key measurements.
- Spec sheet – the detailed Points of Measure (POM) measurements that your product requires.
- Graded spec – the spec that’s divided into the full-size range.
- Bill of material – also known as BOM, is the list of all the materials and trims. This includes every detail down to the kind of thread that’s used and the care label size.
- Reference images – pictures that show design details or specific constructions from reference samples. It’s sometimes easier for factories to understand images.
Even though many more factors drive your production’s cost, your chosen factory should develop an estimated cost range after they review your test packs and understand your product. If it’s an experienced manufacturer familiar with a similar product to yours, they should have something to compare your product with.
Sampling stage
This is an essential part of successful sample production. It’s the process of evaluating all the elements of your product so you can filter out anything that doesn’t meet your standards.
Below is a list of samples you should request from the manufacturer or suppliers to check and approve before the production:
- Prototype (initial samples) – Your very first sample. This is where you can make adjustments with fit, measurement, grading, etc. You can either order another sample after adjusting or jump to a PPS sample if you’re confident with your manufacturer.
- Pre-Production sample (PPS) – The sample that you’ve approved to go to production with all the unique details like size label, hang tags/ label artwork, finishing and packaging. This should have everything you want from your product, from how it looks with all the materials and trims. All elements should be approved as this will be the product your factory will follow. It’s also the last time to make any changes to your product.
At this stage, you also need to figure out where you’re going to put your logo on the products. Other things you need to consider in this stage is the labelling and the packaging process.
Final production
After a long process from sketching to a pre-production sample, you can finally see your design come to life. However, it doesn’t end there. If you want your customers to come to you, you need to consider other factors to help you with your new swimwear brand. Your marketing strategy is an essential part of the process as there’s no point in having great products without any marketing efforts. Create your plan and tackle it one step at a time until you’re finished with the production day.
Always,
Your Bali Swim Team
