If you’re starting a clothing company, you’re making the right choice. The global apparel market is worth 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars, making this a profitable venture.
But there’s a lot that you must do to set up your business, such as choosing the best clothing manufacturers. Here are the 10 best clothing manufacturers for startups.
1. Ludyway – Best Clothing Manufacturer Overall
2. AEL Apparel – Best Eco-friendly Clothing Manufacturer
3. Hawthorn – Best Clothing Manufacturer in the UK
4. Anbu Safety – Best Safety Clothing Manufacturer in China
5. Pineapple Clothing – Best Women’s & Baby Clothing Manufacturer for Startups
6. Good Clothing Company – Best for Both Small & Large Batch Manufacturing
7. Beautiful Connection Group – Best USA-Based Women’s Clothing Producer
8. Indie Source – Best for Full Service Clothing Development
9. Liberty Industries – Best for Cleanroom Apparel
10. Apparel Production – Best for High Quality Garments
1. Ludyway – Best Clothing Manufacturer Overall
Ludyway is an expanding corporation specializing in the production of high quality apparel. With a versatile manufacturing facility, it is capable of producing over 400,000 garments per month.
As a custom clothing manufacturer, Ludyway offers professional and flexible support from start to finish, ensuring your products accurately reflect your vision. This clothing manufacturing company also boasts production timelines ranging from 7 to 20 days.
It ships globally and has collaborated with renowned retail partners, including ASOS, Metro, Dunhill, and Tesco.
Main products
- T-Shirts
- ActiveWear
- Hoodies
- Leggings
- Jeans
Pros
- Leading manufacturer in high-end attire
- Private labeling, cut & sew, and OEM services
- Fast production time
- Sustainable practices
Cons
- Conducting an on-site inspection might be difficult, given its location in China.
Experience Top-notch Customization & Quality with Ludyway >>
2. AEL Apparel – Best Eco-friendly Clothing Manufacturer
This certified eco-friendly clothing manufacturer is a reliable fashion partner that stays true to the environment by sticking to ethically sourced materials that help reduce supply chain waste.
A highlight of AEL Apparel is its flexible manufacturing process, which allows businesses to make considerable adjustments or changes to their orders, ensuring ordered garments are produced to your brand’s specifications.
Their responsive and professional customer support is a worthy mention as they are dedicated to helping businesses succeed by answering questions, offering design recommendations, and providing logistics support to ensure a fast turnaround time.
Main products
- Jeans
- T-shirts
- Loungewear
- Hoodies/sweatshirts
- Kids Clothing
- Leggings
- Swimwear
- Activewear
Pros
- High-quality garments
- Responsive customer support
- Fast turnaround time
- Sustainable manufacturing process
- Affordable pricing
Cons
- Hard for overseas vendors to visit the on-site factory
Boost Your Startup Fashion Brand with AEL Apparel Now >>
3. Hawthorn – Best Clothing Manufacturer in the UK
If your business is based in the UK and Europe, consider partnering with Hawthorn, one of the leading clothing manufacturers in the UK. With a specialization in supporting startups, Hawthorn is an excellent choice for businesses at any stage of development.
As a clothing manufacturer, they not only focus on producing high-quality garments but also provide custom design services to meet your unique needs.
Main products
- T-shirts/tops
- Hoodies/sweatshirts
- Tracksuits/twin sets
- Jeans/denim
- Coats/jackets
Pros
- Full-scale manufacturing
- Supports fashion startups and small businesses, as well as emerging designers
- Accepts low-order quantities
- Made to order
- Can customize your items
Cons
- Might not be extensive enough for growth
Elevate Your Startup with UK’s Hawthorn Manufacturing >>
4. Anbu Safety – Best Safety Clothing Manufacturer in China
If you own a Chinese company or want to work with a clothing manufacturer in China, Anbu Safety is one of the best options. They offer a massive product catalog and can support businesses of all sizes. All their items are high-quality and they offer affordable prices, making this a great option for startups.
Main products
- Eye and face protection
- Foot protection
- Hearing protection
- Safety clothing
- Hand protection
Pros
- Customizable options
- Options for startups
- Certified for quality
- Many PPE options
Cons
Upgrade Your PPE with Anbu Safety Today >>
5. Pineapple Clothing – Best Women’s & Baby Clothing Manufacturer for Startups
If your store focuses on women’s and/or children’s fashion, Pineapple Clothing produces fun items for these consumers. They offer many trending women’s apparel items, from activewear to swimsuits. They sell items in trending vibrant prints, as well as other fun themes. Pineapple Clothing is affordable and frequently hosts sales, making them a great option for startups.
Main products
- Activewear
- Mommy & Me
- Swimwear
- Dresses
- Tops
Pros
- Wide catalog of women’s and children’s clothing
- Mommy & Me matching outfits
- Constantly releasing new items
- Follow fashion trends and consumer demands
- Sells several fun prints
Cons
- Limited customization options
Discover Vibrant Women’s & Children’s Apparel with Pineapple Clothing Now >>
6. Good Clothing Company – Best for Both Small & Large Batch Manufacturing
Clothing startups may want to choose a manufacturing company that will grow with them. Good Clothing Company offers solutions for clothing companies of all sizes, so they can use this company for all operations. This company also works with new designers and can base designs on only one sketch.
Main products
- Dresses
- Jumpsuits
- Blouses
- Skirts
- Pants
Pros
- Sustainable and ethical brand
- Offers small and large batch production
- Works with new and independent designers
- Based in the USA
- Follows all USA labor laws
Cons
Partner with Good Clothing Company and Grow with Small & Large Batch Manufacturing >>
7. Beautiful Connection Group – Best USA-Based Women’s Clothing Producer
If your fashion startup specializes in women’s clothing, this is another great option. Beautiful Connection Group makes various trending women’s fashion items, such as jackets, coats, dresses, and tops. They offer various ordering options for startups and larger businesses, making this a great manufacturing partner when your business grows.
Main products
- Tops
- Hoodies
- Sweaters
- T-shirts
- Leggings
Pros
- Private and white-label options
- Uses traditional and high-tech manufacturing processes
- Makes high-class women’s clothing items
- Operates globally
- One-stop solution for women’s clothing manufacturing
Cons
- Only makes women’s clothing
Transform Your Women’s Collection with Beautiful Connection Group >>
8. Indie Source – Best for Full-Service Clothing Department
Startups may find it easier to find a full-service clothing manufacturer where they can make any design, use all fabrics, and create these items in all sizes with little quantity requirements. This is where Indie Source comes in. They’re a one-stop shop for independent designers that can work with limitless style designs.
Main products
- Activewear
- Loungewear
- Contemporary fashion
Pros
- One-stop-shop
- Works with independent designers
- Unique clothing collection
- Can work with custom items
- Offers samples
Cons
Bring Your Designs to Life with Indie Source’s Full Service >>
9. Liberty Industries – Best for Cleanroom Apparel
If your brand sells items for cleanrooms and labs, Liberty Industries is one of the best high-quality clothing manufacturers to partner with. Since 1953, they have been designing items specifically for cleanrooms. All their clothing, accessories, and supplies are made with the highest safety standards to prevent contamination from spreading.
Main products
- Cleanroom lab supplies
- Shoe brush machines
- Laminar flow equipment
- Air showers
Pros
- All items are made to withstand contamination
- Allows customizations
- Full-service production
- Sources various materials
- Decades of experience
Cons
- Free delivery only available if you’re 200 miles roundtrip from the facility in East Berlin, CT
Opt for Superior Cleanroom Apparel with Liberty Industries >>
10. Apparel Production – Best for High-Quality Garments
If your startup has high standards for its clothing, Apparel Production is one of the best clothing brand manufacturers to choose. Based in New York, this company offers private label production and handles all manufacturing from start to finish.
With worldwide R&D teams, Apparel Production is trusted by some of the biggest designers in the world. While they work with new designers, you must meet their MOQs per style.
Main products
- Dresses
- Sweaters
- Blouses
- Pants
- Skirts
Pros
- Full-service luxury clothing manufacturing
- Worldwide operations
- Fast turnaround
- Free patterns for 250+ pieces
- Eco-friendly certified
Cons
- Strict MOQs for new designers
- Have minimum product orders for patterns and samples (200 domestic and 400 overseas)
Ensure Quality & Luxury with Apparel Production >>
How to Find a Clothing Manufacturer for Your Startup
Many clothing manufacturers work with startups, but you’ll need to find the right one. It can be hard for someone with no connections to meet the right clothing manufacturer, but there are different networking strategies that you can use.
Startups network by attending trade shows, searching online directories, using Google, receiving referrals, connecting on social media, and using B2B platforms.
You can also consider finding clothing manufacturers in your city. Local clothing manufacturers will be more open to working with new designers, and you can receive your items quicker.
Once you find the best clothing manufacturer, you can contact them to request a quote.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Clothing Manufacturer for a Startup
Even if you find clothing manufacturers that will work with startups, you’ll still want to refine your list to ensure you work with the right company. Some factors to consider include shipping times, price, quality, and experience.
When looking for a clothing manufacturer, you’ll first want to look at a company’s specializations and see if they make the items you plan to sell. Most brands will offer a catalog that you can look through, including information such as the fabric they source and if they support customizations.
If you can, visit their manufacturing plant and ensure that the company is meeting its promises.
Domestic vs. Overseas Clothing Manufacturers
While it’s convenient to choose a local or domestic clothing manufacturer, you may wonder if choosing an overseas company is worth it.
Domestic clothing manufacturers may be more affordable since you don’t have to pay expensive shipping fees. Some domestic manufacturers may also offer free shipping to businesses close by. Since shipping is faster, these brands offer shorter turnaround times.
There are many overseas manufacturing companies located throughout Asia and South America. Their items are typically more affordable than domestic manufacturing, which is better for startups.
However, the downsides of overseas clothing manufacturing include longer lead times, language barriers, inconsistent quality, environmental concerns, and potential labor exploitation issues.
Other Options Than Clothing Manufacturers
If you want to start your own clothing company but don’t want to adopt manufacturing, you have other options. These include:
- Wholesale – buy clothing in bulk at a discounted price that you will resell.
- Dropshipping – customer orders through you, but a third party will handle the production and shipping.
- Print on demand – come up with prints and designs that are printed when a customer orders an item.
These options are better if you don’t have much capital. Dropping and printing on demand is better if you have designs, while selling clothing wholesale is more straightforward. This way, you can still sell apparel without using a clothing manufacturer.
Conclusion
There are many clothing manufacturers worldwide, so it can be daunting to find the best one for you.
To find the best clothing manufacturer, consider the products you sell. You can also narrow down your choices by location and price. Certain manufacturers also specialize in different niches, such as B2B and safety apparel.
Finding the best clothing manufacturer is one step closer to getting your apparel out to a wider audience and achieving success as a fashion business.
