Contract sewing is when businesses outsource their sewing production to specialized firms that then produce their products for them, usually for considerably less than it would cost to invest in a full setup. If you are interested in outsourcing your sewing needs, you need to educate yourself about what contract sewing entails before partnering. It’s important to learn prior to agreeing to partnerships so that you can maximize the benefits you get out of outsourcing. This post will tell you everything you need to know about contract sewing, so you can make the right decision.
Capabilities and Expertise
If you want to outsource your company’s production needs, you need to find a contract sewing company that is able to meet your company’s needs and that has a lot of experience. Partnering with a production sewing company that can meet needs and has experience will ensure that your partnership is a fruitful one. The easiest way to find out what a contract sewing firm’s capabilities are is to visit its facility or schedule a phone call with its manager, while its level of expertise can be ascertained by reading its reviews.
Minimum Order Amounts
The next thing you need to think about is minimum order amounts. Some contract sewing companies have a fixed minimum number of products you can order at any given time. You need to find a company whose minimum order amount is less than the amount you need. If you do not meet a contract sewing company’s minimum order amount, they will likely reject you as a client. You can find out what a sewing company’s minimum order amount is by reaching out to them via email and asking, or calling.
Cost and Pricing
The company you partner with needs to have services you can afford. You need to be able to comfortably pay for your partner’s services, otherwise your partnership won’t last long. To find out how much they charge for their services, reach out via email or over the phone. Sometimes you can negotiate the price of a contract sewing firm’s prices down by agreeing to place large orders with them. You will usually have to sign a contract agreeing to make a fixed number of orders in a specified period in order to access discounts and promotional offers, however.
Communication and Responsiveness
The staff working for the company you partner with need to have good communication skills, otherwise you will inevitably run into problems. The easiest way to find out what a company’s communication is like is to reach out to them via email or over the phone. By reaching out, you can see how fast they respond, and how polite they are. If at any point after you partner with a company you decide their communication skills are not up to scratch, it is important that you bring this up with them, so they can resolve the issue.
If you run a business that sells sewn goods, it’s much easier to outsource your sewing needs than it is to keep production in-house. Think about the points made here when searching for a sewing partner, so you can find the right one for your business.