Start a project
Start a project
Practical writing on apparel manufacturing in Los Angeles: what things cost, how long they take, and the decisions that determine whether a production run goes well. Written by people who make garments rather than write about them.
What to ask, what to verify, and the warning signs to watch for when picking an LA apparel manufacturer for your brand.
Cost & PricingA breakdown of the line items behind a domestic cut and sew quote, and why two quotes for the same garment can differ so widely.
Getting StartedThe document your factory needs before it can quote or sample accurately, section by section.
Getting StartedWhy factories set MOQs, what typical ranges look like, and how to work with them when you are starting small.
Getting StartedA realistic look at cost, lead time, minimums, oversight and risk, without pretending one option wins every time.
ProductionFrom first pattern to approved production sample, what happens at each stage and where schedules slip.
Sourcing & MaterialsHow local mills, jobbers and deadstock fit together, and what to check before committing to a fabric.
Getting StartedThe sequence from idea to purchase order, and the steps new brands most often skip.
Getting StartedThe difference between building a garment from a pattern and customising an existing blank, and when each makes sense.
ProductionWhat grading is, how grade rules are decided, and why a perfect sample can still produce a badly fitting range.
Made in LAHow the downtown Los Angeles garment district is organised and how to use it without wasting a day.
ProductionRealistic timing from purchase order to delivered goods, and which stages are worth padding.
Made in LAWhat the claim legally requires, how partial claims work, and what has to appear on a garment label.
ResponsibilityWhich production decisions actually reduce impact, and which claims are difficult to substantiate.
Sourcing & MaterialsHow fabric construction affects patternmaking, machinery, cost and fit.
ProductionWhat gets checked, when it gets checked, and how to define acceptable quality before production starts.
ProductionGarment dye, piece dye, and wash treatments explained, including the effects on fit and consistency.
ProductionCost structure, durability, design suitability and minimums for the two most common decoration methods.
Cost & PricingThe economics of short runs, what you give up, and what you gain in flexibility and risk.
Getting StartedPlain definitions of the terms that appear in quotes, tech packs and factory conversations.
Getting StartedWho sources the materials, who carries the risk, and how the two models change your workload.
Sourcing & MaterialsHow to test shrinkage properly and build the results into patterns before production.
ProductionFibre content, care symbols, country of origin and manufacturer identity, and how to get them right the first time.
ProductionThe document that turns an agreement into a production commitment, and the details that prevent disputes.
Sourcing & MaterialsHow weight relates to drape, durability and cost, and why the same GSM can feel different.
ResponsibilityWhere fabric is lost in production and the design and marker decisions that recover it.
Cost & PricingWhen money leaves and when it returns, and why profitable brands still run out of cash.
ProductionWhat a patternmaker needs from you and how to give fit feedback that leads to a correct revision.
Sourcing & MaterialsZippers, labels, drawcords and buttons are small line items that frequently hold up entire production runs.
ProductionConstruction choices, fabric weight, and the details that separate a cheap hoodie from a good one.
ProductionWhy the simplest garment in apparel is difficult to make well, from neckline to seam finish.
ProductionRise, taper, waistband construction and the fit decisions that determine whether they sell.
Sourcing & MaterialsWhy colour is harder than it looks, and the approval process that keeps a range consistent.
ProductionHow garments are folded, bagged, tagged and shipped, and where brands overspend.
Cost & PricingWhat the numbers include, what is usually excluded, and the questions that reveal the difference.
ProductionHow garments are evaluated during development and why a form alone is not enough.
Sourcing & MaterialsWhere surplus fabric genuinely helps, and where it creates problems for a growing brand.
ResponsibilityWhat certifications actually verify, and how to make material claims you can defend.
Made in LAThe practical arguments for producing locally, beyond the marketing value of a domestic label.
ProductionWorking backwards from a launch date to the decisions that have to happen months earlier.
ProductionThe common seams in apparel, what they cost in time, and how they affect durability and appearance.
Cost & PricingHow to decide how many of each size to make, and why even splits are usually wrong.
Made in LAWhat it means when cutting, sewing and finishing happen under one roof, and what changes when they do not.
ProductionPerformance fabrics, seam construction and fit tolerances that set activewear apart from casual apparel.
ProductionLayers, linings, hardware and construction operations that make jackets the most complex common garment.
Getting StartedOwnership, confidentiality, tolerance, payment and remedy, and why these belong in writing early.
Cost & PricingWhat changes on a second run, and how to set up the first one so the second is easy.
ProductionDiagnosing pulling, gaping, twisting and riding up, and the pattern causes behind each.
ResponsibilityHow far most brands can trace their production, and how to communicate it without overstating.
Made in LAHow to run development and production remotely without losing the advantages of domestic manufacturing.
Showing all 50 articles