What is Fabric Sourcing? 

Fabric Fabric Let’s learn what sourcing is before we discuss sourcing fabrics. The sourcing process involves locating the finest supplier to buy your goods or services. Fabric sourcing is the procedure for getting the fabric you require. 

 The department responsible for fabric sourcing primarily controls how and where its products are produced. Additionally, it is a part of the merchandising division and is responsible for the timely and affordable delivery of all necessary goods. 

A fabric source must know the many fabric types because if the source is more knowledgeable about all kinds, it will be simpler for orders to carry out their functions properly. 

Fabric bundles are primarily stored in two locations, which are as follows:

• Check the fabric. 

• Fabric with no checks. 

Check the fabric 

We observe or examine a piece of cloth to determine its quality, color, dimension requirements, etc. Fabric inspection, in short, implies reducing the number of cut panels or declined garments returned owing to fabric flaws. 

Unchecked fabric 

Although it is a process where cloth is not checked, workers’ laziness occasionally results in this. This procedure will make it simple to discover fabric if it is required. 

Before beginning to source fabric, there are a few questions you should ask yourself.

What am I aiming to design? 

Whether you are an individual or a firm, you must ask yourself why you need to generate this product. You need to understand your product to create and market it to consumers. 

Those with a thorough understanding of their sector frequently create the people or the industries that are successful. Your brand’s positioning and the kind of product you produce will be determined by the textiles your source.

Who is this for that I’m making?

It would be best if you were focused on this. You must be aware of your intended market for these goods. You must first identify your target market to source your fashion fabrics properly.

What fabrics will my clothing line require?

Checking what is currently available on the market is the most straightforward approach to determining what clothes you need. You can discover a reference sample by looking through the textiles that are currently available on the market. It’s also known as counter-sourcing.

These are the top 5 things to keep in mind when sourcing fabric: 

Evaluating: 

When evaluating the fabric’s functioning, you must first ensure the fabric has been satisfactorily finished to be sure the fibres can withstand any other finishing processes, such as wet printing, sublimation printing, etc. However, not all fibres can accept particular printing techniques, such as some cotton and nylon fibres, so ensure you are working with the recommended base fabric to get the best results.

Sustainable development:

Marketing your goods with eco-friendly and return characteristics is highly advantageous to buyers and customers. Product advertising is crucial before product sales. Utilizing fabric from a manufacturer that adheres to release requirements and environmental protection guidelines to deal with reused material even after a recycle option has been exhausted and used. 

Access: 

Where you purchase your various sample fabrics are just as crucial as what you buy. It would be best to remember that municipal fabric stores typically convey a quota of yardage. Purchased as excess inventory from local artisans or mills for each season, it’s likely that when you order in bulk, it will be available for less time. 

Conversely, mills are the direct source of the fabric you crave. Typically, mills create yardage and colour brand-new products every season. So you can purchase a sample and then bulk orders. 

Feature set: 

One of the things to do before producing a garment is to illustrate what the garment will look like. It would be best if you also made flat sketches of the garment. It is crucial to create prototypes of each style to test textiles to confirm the design’s functionality. Because sometimes materials will hang or drape differently than how you see them in that garment, making them incompatible. 

How do I find fabric sources?

Look for suppliers 

Every effective sourcing strategy includes market research on possible suppliers. This enables you to determine whether they can meet your needs. 

Send the fabric cuttings that you prefer

You must send the fabric samples you prefer to the providers you’ve looked into. This is done to let the supplier know what you need and to see whether they can provide the fabric you want. 

For samples, enquire 

Requesting sample swatches is the next step in the fabric procurement process. The provider only needs the specs you give him to produce the swatches. You must choose the textiles you want after receiving the swatches. After then, sample yardage must be purchased to evaluate the cloth. 

Purchase just a few items to test 

It would be best if you sewed up samples for wash and wear samples after you have the sample yardage. Before placing a bulk order, determine whether the fabric is ideal for your clothing line. 

Place a big order for production

It’s dangerous to place multiple orders. For this reason, making samples before purchasing in bulk is recommended. You can now buy in bulk for production after testing the samples and being happy with the outcome.

Where can I locate suppliers?

Manufacturer Sourced

When a product is factory sourced, the company in charge of manufacturing also selects the fabric. Typically, the firm will collaborate with fabric mills to find the cloth you want. The simplest method is factory sourcing because the factory already buys from them, which results in better pricing. 

Trade expos 

Typically, trade shows are free. This is a fantastic approach to finding fabric and assessing potential sellers to meet your needs. Consider travel expenses because trade events are held in several nations. However, it is a fantastic method to expose oneself to various materials while designing. 

Referrals 

You can find out where someone gets their cloth if you know someone in the textile sector. This is an excellent chance because you can receive discounts for referring someone. 

Conducting an online search 

This is a good substitute if the expense of going to various regions to obtain fabric is something you are thinking about. When looking for materials that suit your taste, Google is a big help. But remember that not all merchants are technologically competent, so be prepared to call them.