Why Hiring A Sewing Business Is Better Than Doing It Yourself

Introduction

Suppose your startup business for customized winter clothing is picking up, and now you have several orders to finish—such as a couple of hundred shirts, a bulk order of windbreakers, and thick blankets. You even have pending requests for additional orders for your signature apparel that launched your business into the market. What’s more, you have another clothing idea that will, indeed, become a hit once it’s out in the market. Orders are pouring in, and it seems that business is in full swing.

The idea for creating all these is exciting and overwhelming at the same time. You look around your shop and only see a handful of diligent workers and reliable sewing machines. As you flip through your calendar and realize that the deadlines are only a few days apart, you shake your head and admit that you don’t have the workforce or the equipment to finish everything in time. Canceling the orders is not an option as you signed a contract and even received a down payment.

The solution to your dilemma? Outsource to an industrial sewing company. Outsourcing, or the practice of having a third-party create goods and deliver services, is pretty standard in almost all industries. Outsourcing increases collaboration with other businesses, as you benefit from their expertise and skill to make your company grow.

Fabric industry machinery production line. Industrial sewing machine close up.

Thus, contracting large factories or manufacturers can give startup companies such as yours the needed workforce, skill, and equipment to finish all these orders in time. Industrial sewing companies are reliable partners that help you meet your deadlines and adhere to high standards of quality and style, among other benefits.

Outsourcing As A Business Practice

Tailoring remains an in-demand skill. There is always a button to add, a rip to mend, and clothes to remodel. While being able to do minor repairs and alterations are enough to propel a home-based business, catering to bulk orders requires more than a sewing thread and needle. It entails creating a pattern, finding someone who can cut and sew your intended design into something wearable, and finding a supplier for your materials. You would also need to look for a company that can manufacture your design in bulk and deliver it right on schedule so that you can display it on your store’s grand opening or accommodate your customer’s request on a specific date.

This lengthy process is why many companies in the clothing and fashion industry resort to contracting third-party providers. Companies can choose to work with various contractors for the various stages of their product development. Some enlist creative designers to produce fashion trends. In contrast, others rely on innovative minds to transform ideas into new items that address specific needs or create a new collection to address current demands.

The most common application of outsourcing in the clothing and fashion industry is in the production phase.  Partnering with manufacturing firms enables the mass production of items and designs. These factories also deliver high-quality products to their respective customers. Startup businesses and smaller companies benefit from this scheme. Additional staff deployment provides greater staff flexibility to meet enormous demands. Outsourcing also allows clothing-related business scalability, as companies can adjust the number of their workforce and costs to cater to increased demands and revert to normal operations afterward.

Production line sewing machine. Needle and footstep detail

Benefits Of Outsourcing To An Industrial Sewing Company

Partnering with an industrial sewing company can give numerous benefits, such as:

  1. Large-Scale Production

Industrial sewing companies boast of a sizeable workforce and an entire assembly line dedicated to quality. Workers are well-organized into segments where a garment or accessory’s production passes through multiple stations until completed. Assembly-line production ensures work efficiency as it takes lesser time to finish multiple orders when sewing is done in parts.

  • Industrial-Grade Sewing Equipment

Professional hi-speed sewing machines ensure that work is done efficiently. The specialized sewing machines perform different stitches and their design functions to prevent damage to the fabric. Machines work with different clothing styles as they’re large enough to handle thick cloth, bags, and some may even shoe orders.

  • Versatility

Clothing factories are adept at handling various types of fabrics. They know which ones are easy to work with (cotton, nylon, polyester) and require extensive needlework (lycra, leather). Their experience in handling different textiles also aids in crafting appropriate care labels to instruct customers on proper washing, dry cleaning, and ironing. Labels can either be printed or woven. The difference is in the price and quality. Printed care labels are often cheaper, but are less durable as they can fade from constant washing. Woven care labels are more durable, and these enhance the value of both the garment and your brand.

  • Fast Output

Having a considerable number of sewers working simultaneously on a product guarantees prompt completion. Industrial sewing companies can complete orders in a matter of days. Their efficiency in delivering orders on time has several implications for your brand. Faster output translates into customers receiving their orders on time, leading to favorable customer relations, and increased customer satisfaction. Prompt delivery can lead to repeat orders and referrals that expand your customer base.

  • Reduced Costs

Factories often provide discounted prices for bulk orders. Their large-scale operation grants them lesser overhead costs for labor and materials to give reasonable estimates compared with smaller manufacturers and subcontractors. Reduced production costs can give you sufficient savings. It can even contribute to more significant profit.

  • Sustain Sewing Skills

Industrial sewing companies consider tailoring as a skill and craft. Most sewers have become experts at sewing from years of experience. Those in the assembly line produce uniform stitching styles, while others may even specialize with a specific kind of stitching, such as embroidery. A definite advantage to hiring a sewing company is that you can rely on its knowledge of fabrics and sewing skills in creating your orders.

  • Quality Assurance

Large factories often employ stringent quality assurance procedures to ensure that individual products conform to company and consumer standards. Meticulous inspection guarantees items are free from defects. If there be any, these must be corrected before the products are shipped to the client. Quality control ensures that items are not only compliant with the designer’s concept, but also pass minimum industry standards.

In sum, smaller clothing and fashion businesses benefit from large-scale sewing operations. Their large workforce and their specific sewing skills are instrumental in bringing designs and ideas into stylish apparel. They can even customize items to conform to industry standards. Manufacturing companies also boast of an impressive assembly line that keeps sewing organized. Their professional equipment can handle even the toughest of fabrics or the most intricate designs to produce quality garments, bags, shoes, and other accessories.

Where To Outsource: Local Versus Offshore

No doubt, there are numerous benefits to outsourcing production. However, the decision to contract sewing to an external service provider leads to a significant decision: where to outsource. Companies can either choose to contract a local industrial sewing company, or they can opt to acquire the services of a factory overseas.

You can come up with a list of recommended sewers within and outside the country. Check on their respective websites what services they offer and the reviews they receive from previous clients. These can help you gauge their capacity to deliver your orders. You can even send emails to ask about their rates to use for comparison between local or foreign industrial sewing companies.

In choosing a manufacturing partner, businesses can use cost, logistics, and quality as criteria. Costs are a primary concern, especially for small businesses, as they aim to maximize profit from large orders. Working with reputable companies can guarantee a sound understanding of the production and costs of materials, labor, techniques, and designs. Reasonable estimates factor in these operational costs.

Logistics can also be a concern. Transporting materials and products back and forth can incur additional costs that can shrink your profit.  It may also be prone to unforeseen delays, especially when it requires to travel from halfway across the globe. It would be best to consider your manufacturer’s distance and location to anticipate costs and lead times for possible delays.

Quality is also essential as the products they make ultimately carry your brand. Ensure that they adhere to, more or less, the same quality standards for products such as those in your state or country. While international standards exist, there may be slight deviations to this when offshore factories make your product. Besides product quality, you also need to consider if these companies, local or foreign, provide quality compensation and ensure worker health and safety. The concept of sweatshops has become an issue for the clothing and fashion industry, that you need to ascertain that your intended partner is compliant with all applicable industry standards.

In the end, companies need to consider going for a reliable partner instead of a cheaper or convenient alternative. The trade-off will result to a good pay-off. You can choose to work with a production company that mirrors your values and meets or exceeds your expectations. Such is an indication of reliability.

Sewing Providers As Partners

Once you have decided whether to contract locally or outsource overseas, it’s essential to establish a professional working relationship with your chosen manufacturer. This connection can even deepen as an acknowledgment that the large-scale sewing firm is your partner. Their workforce, skills, and expertise are instrumental in realizing your designs. Specialized equipment allows your ideas to be transformed into wearable items and accessories. An efficient assembly line translates to greater profit for your business, while the quality of the product is a definite edge for your brand. Forging a partnership with your preferred industrial sewing partner can make your relationship productive and meaningful. It can even lead to repeat orders and numerous gains for both you and your sewing service provider.

Conclusion

Businesses are often independent entities. However, there comes the point in time that they require the skills and services of another, much larger entity to fulfill demands. This situation works as a case for hiring a sewing business rather than doing it on your own. For small-scale businesses and startup enterprises, outsourcing is a sensible move as it acquires talent and equipment on occasion. Contracting allows small businesses to utilize workforce and equipment other than their staff and in-house facilities, making it a cost-effective measure compared with training new personnel or procuring additional equipment to meet increased demands. Such business practice also benefits smaller companies as the larger company’s skills and experience transform ideas into mass-produced items in the case of clothing, bags, shoes, and accessories.

Finding a suitable provider to fulfill your orders and requests can be challenging, as you would need to consider several factors to ensure that your prospective partner is a good fit for your requirements. You can choose to contract a local sewing service or engage an offshore clothing factory. In this, you would need to factor in costs, logistics, and quality as benchmarks for your upcoming venture. Once you find a suitable manufacturer, you can then begin a business and even further the relationship.

Such a connection between the company and service provider is best seen as a partnership and not a purely contractual agreement between two business establishments. This perspective is founded on trust that the sewing service provider can deliver expected outputs without the client’s supervision. The larger company is required to work at their most efficient pace and keep the client updated regarding the status of the orders. Both should communicate on any delays or adjustments so that customers can be assured of the expected delivery.

This arrangement guarantees that both parties are committed to the sole purpose of producing the desired product in the least possible time. After all, their relationship is based on a shared goal. Prompt delivery of high-quality items becomes altogether possible when customer satisfaction is ensured by both representatives of the brand.