Launching a leggings clothing line is always an exciting prospect because the industry is brimming with demand, especially within the womenswear and teen consumer markets. Whether athletic wear is a trend that will fade in the future is yet to be seen but for the time being, it is an extremely lucrative industry that has resulted in some of the best legging manufacturers worldwide seeing huge growth in their client lists.
In fact, women nowadays tend to purchase a pair of leggings before they even consider getting a new pair of jeans. And it is understandable because, at the end of the day, they are often much easier to wear with tanks, sports tops, t-shirts, or hoodies, which makes them a must-have in any wardrobe. Naturally, this also raises a multitude of questions such as, how can an entrepreneur break into this industry?
After all, there are so many mainstream brands also producing legging collections. However, the good news about this is that it also means that there is huge demand for these products and it is for this reason that we are going to quickly take you through the steps of how to go about launching a leggings clothing brand from design to production.
What Are The Main Steps In Legging Production?
When it comes to leggings, the key focus in the production process is to decide what it is that you want to focus on between fitness and leisure. Most new brands tend to lean towards leisure more because performance often requires using high-end performance fabrics.
However, as long as you are partnered with a reputable clothing manufacturer like Appareify, you should be able to lean in either direction without difficulty. With this in mind, there are three main stages to follow in the production process.
Stage 1: Concept Design
This is the point in time when your product is born. It is at this stage that you need to start considering important questions such as trends, target demographics, branding concepts, etc. And if you are concerned about an inability to draw, don’t worry. You can often look for inspiration online with Pinterest often being a great starting point, as you can lay out all of your ideas, print any concept images and highlight any specific design elements that you like.
Most leggings manufacturers like Appareify will usually have design experts on hand to help you in this process, as well. They will usually be able to take any of these concepts and put them in a tech pack, which is similar to contractor blueprints in that they will usually contain all the details required to assemble the garment. This typically includes information such as measurements, patterns, colorways, stitch and hem details, etc.
Stage 2: Fabrics and Patterns
The more detail that you can manage to put together in the tech pack the better, as it will help to guarantee consistency and quality through the production process. It is also a good idea to include some unique and creative features like hidden pockets or even incorporate reflective accents, as this can often help to set your designs apart from the competition.
When it comes to sorting out patterns and fabrics, these will usually need to be carefully thought out because most consumers will often judge the quality of your leggings based on these features alone. Leggings are typically produced using a Poly-Spandex blend for their durability and flexibility. However, you should still aim to be creative with the fabrics that you use, as playing around with different types of patterns, fabrics and colors can help to make your leggings stand out from the competition.
Stage 3: Sampling
Once you have all the necessary details for your first sample iterations, you can place an order with the clothing manufacturer. In most cases, you can expect the samples to be ready within a few days, at which point, you can take your time to review the finished product and determine if any extra adjustments are required.
It is important to remember that the garment’s fit is an extremely important step in the development of any piece of clothing, especially when it comes to leggings. This is because the fit must be able to strike a balance of both utility and tightness. And while your first samples are rarely ever going to be perfect, this is when you should use a designated fit model to help spot any issues before getting started on full bulk production.
Top Tips To Follow When Producing High-Quality Leggings
As mentioned before, unlike casual clothing, producing leggings can be a tricky process that requires a fair amount of skills and technique. During the design stage, you will need to decide if you are going to lean more towards leisure or performance, which will influence the type of fabrics that you will need to use.
However, if you find yourself unsure of which direction you want to go, then you should consider asking the manufacturer to sew up samples for both. This can be a great way to assess both sides and see which type of leggings you want to base your brand on. You should also know that high-performance wear usually costs more because of the special fabrics used, so keep that in mind.
Another important thing to remember is that your potential clothing manufacturer must have a good track record of working with leggings in the past. This is because producing leggings a fair amount of skill and technique, which means that the supplier must have long-term experience in producing these garments for other clients in the past.
Before you decide to work with a company, do some research and find out if they really are qualified to be your official supplier for this product niche. In most cases, their online reputation, ongoing client list and company brochure can tell you everything you need to know about their capabilities as a manufacturer.
Last but not least, while most emerging designers tend to use themselves as models to find the right fit for their clothing, the problem with this is that you will only be able to view one side of the garment before you need to twist your body. As such, it is important that you get someone else that fits within your target demographic to test your samples.
From there, you can properly determine if the leggings actually fit the body properly, if the in-seam length is the right size, if the pockets are functional, etc. You can then use this information to make new notes on your tech pack before referring back to the manufacturer, who can then accurately produce new samples based on your specific adjustments.
Conclusion
The leggings business is a promising one but it is important to remember that the production process is never a straight line. There is a high chance that you will need to go through multiple variations and adjustments before you finally have the perfect clothing line. However, if you want to stand apart from the rest, you need to be willing to go above and beyond to guarantee a perfect fit, design and quality standard.
In this regard, you need to make sure that you do your homework and choose a top-notch manufacturing partner like Appareify. This is because while pricing is an important factor, there are other factors at play that can dictate the success or failure of your partnership in the long run. This means considering aspects like MOQ, quality control, logistics, experience, customer service, etc.
