how do i get a swatch book?

[tigerstyLe]

i wanted to start designing my own clothing. im starting out with small personal stuff, but hopefully i can grow it to a business.

what im wondering is how i can get a swatch book to pick out fabrics that i want to use in my clothes. are these books different for all mfgs and factories? if i pick up a random swatch book, would a larger factory be able to produce the clothing with the fabric i want?

TIA.

 

[ecclespeccles]

you can ask for or sometimes order online swatch books from the mills or cloth retailers you plan on choosing, eg http://www.huddersfieldcloth.com/ has a online feature to order swatches.

you checked out www.cutterandtailor.com yet? awesome site for learning to make men's clothes, they also have a great sources page for cloth in small orders. they have a large number of pro tailors contributing also.

 

[Shirtmaven]

swatch books are expensive.
companies do not just hand them out anymore.
if you are designing a line then you need to eventually deal with mills and their minimums
where are you located?

 

[tigerstyLe]

ecclespeccles, thanks for the info. i will def check those sites out.

Shirtmaven, i know they arent easy to come by, but im sure theres a way i can get my hands on one of those. im located in los angeles.

so whats next? i have a design and im ready to choose the material for the design. i want to choose the material and get it produced. what if i want to get a line produced?

thanks for your help!

 

[kohelet]

Originally Posted by tigerstyLe

ecclespeccles, thanks for the info. i will def check those sites out.

Shirtmaven, i know they arent easy to come by, but im sure theres a way i can get my hands on one of those. im located in los angeles.

so whats next? i have a design and im ready to choose the material for the design. i want to choose the material and get it produced. what if i want to get a line produced?

thanks for your help!

What is your budget, why cant you just go to fabric stores and get swatches of the type of pattern and materials you like. Someone who is just starting out and you want to spend like over 400 dollars for a swatch book that will include a majority of fabric that you probably wont use... right idea.

 

[kohelet]

Originally Posted by tigerstyLe

ecclespeccles, thanks for the info. i will def check those sites out.

Shirtmaven, i know they arent easy to come by, but im sure theres a way i can get my hands on one of those. im located in los angeles.

so whats next? i have a design and im ready to choose the material for the design. i want to choose the material and get it produced. what if i want to get a line produced?

thanks for your help!


You've studied materials right? Okay so you have your designs on paper. You have your budget right? You need to figure out how much yardage you want for each piece. You need to take into consideration buttons thread zippers etc any added detail, and then fabric allowance.

How many pieces will your line have? Either you are sewing the pieces yourself or you're going to go look for a seamstress to carry out your line. So you need to take that also into consideration for what you want.

What type of lineare you considering? And what season? What is your storyline, theme, are you couture, luxe, commercial? high end? figure it out!

 

[tigerstyLe]

i did study the material and do have a budget.

i will not be doing anything on my own except making the design and picking out the material. everything else i would like a professional to do.

if i go to a seamstress, will they have all the fabric and i get to choose from what they have, or do i bring in my own stuff? i was just thinking if i had a swatch book i can start choosing all the materials i want to use. i just dont know how to get started exactly.

 

[tigerstyLe]

i was also thinking - once i actually want to get a decent number of units produced, i would have a factory in china or vietnam make it. i understand these two places are the most popular places for textile. can these factories sell me a swatch book that they have??

 

[metkirk]

Originally Posted by tigerstyLe

i did study the material and do have a budget. i will not be doing anything on my own except making the design and picking out the material. everything else i would like a professional to do. if i go to a seamstress, will they have all the fabric and i get to choose from what they have, or do i bring in my own stuff? i was just thinking if i had a swatch book i can start choosing all the materials i want to use. i just dont know how to get started exactly.
If you are looking for shirting fabrics, some mills, even high end ones will send you their swatch books for free. You should have a business license and show them they won't waste their time dealing with one time tiny order. You might need reference to be able to get that. As far as MOQ goes, there'll be books for production (over 30 meters per color) and books for bespoke/MTM (cut lengths), sometimes these books are the same. Seamstress, in my experience, do not have books of fabrics. You need to know the mills and/or their agents. I've heard of American Sember for shirtings from Thomas Mason and Alumo. Perhaps you want to check them out if you're doing shirts.