by Corban Bryant
If you've ever ordered a custom-sewn product before, you probably know that there is a ton of work that goes into getting a product ready for production. You may have a great idea for a design, but many new fashion entrepreneurs underestimate the work that goes from design sketch to final, production-ready sample. Some of the work to get a style ready for production includes:
- developing fit and measurements for the fit of your brand;
- tech-pack development;
- sourcing materials;
- making a pattern;
- sewing muslins, toiles, or test samples;
- refining the design for fit, feasibility, fit, durability, or cost, and then resampling;
- making a prototype or final sample;
- grading;
- and then finally developing a detailed production tech-pack and costing with the factory that will make your product.
Throughout this process, there are a million details. Often, a number of different service providers will need to be involved. As you explore the options for service providers, you may find you'll end up repeating some of this process with different providers as they may not offer you the exact package you need. It can be a complicated process trying to find the answer to the questions: Who is the best option for doing all this work? And how much should it cost?
At Purnaa, we make it easier by offering an all-inclusive sampling, pattern-making, sourcing product development package. We assign a project manager who will be with you every step of the way. They send photo updates as the sample is developed and most importantly, they work with you to refine the design to meet your cost, sustainability, quantity, and timeline goals.
BUT~ We were curious about the going rates in the industry for these production preparation services. So, we conducted a survey of 32 different sample-service providers that all market themselves as ethical or sustainable. We sometimes had to secret-shop them to find out their pricing and process because they often don't post it online. Here's what we learned...
Different Types of Sampling Service Providers
First, there are many types of sample service providers. Some are manufacturers that offer sampling as a service to prepare for production, some are sourcing companies that mix and match service providers and help customers find a manufacturer (effectively middlemen who manage the project for you), and some are design houses that help with design, pattern-making, sampling, and tech-pack creation but leave it to the customer to find a manufacturer. Here are the categories we studied.
Types of Services
Each company offers some services, but perhaps not all. Here's the distribution of different services offered.
How Do Suppliers Usually Charge for Sampling?
Each company prices these services differently. Very few publish their prices online, you may have to give them a specific design before finding out any cost info, or they might even wait to tell you until the sample is complete. However, we found there to be a handful of main pricing systems. If they charge sampling as a percent of the production price or include the sample in the production cost, they may require a deposit for the production order before doing the sampling.
How Much Does Garment Sampling Cost?
We approached different manufacturers with a product concept that needed these services: sourcing material, making a pattern, making a sample, and making a tech-pack. We then got quotes for developing the product with each company. We found the average total sampling cost to be $1,548/style. This varied widely across types of organizations.
We did notice that it is usually much more costly to use a sampling service and then approach a manufacturer, rather than going directly to manufacturers that offer in-house sampling services. This is because you will likely have to pay a second time for the manufacturer to make you a production sample, which is required for you to be confident that the manufacturer can make your product and for the manufacturer to test your pattern and calculate the cost of sewing your product. While making the production sample, the manufacturer may suggest changes in materials, pattern, and sewing steps. This is high-skilled and time-consuming work and manufacturers either need to charge for it or roll it into the production cost.
Sample and Product Development Pricing at Purnaa
Purnaa offers packages for our product development services so you can choose and pay for only what you need as you prepare for manufacturing. We charge a flat fee per package depending on what services you need for production. On average we save you more than 45% compared to the competitors we studied. Our packages are:
If you'd like to explore making a product or submit a design fur us to provide a cost estimate, send us a design idea to get started. We'd love to hear from you.
You can read more about our custom manufacturing services in these blogs