Sourcing Options

Trade shows are a good place to source materials

Once you have decided to produce your design in quantity, you will need to seek out sources to buy the fabrics, trims, fasteners, threads, and labels. You are likely to need fabrics in greater quantity than you could purchase at a local retail fabric store except when only small quantities of fabric and trims are needed for samples or custom products. In this case, you may be able to special-order fabrics by the bolt at discount prices from retailers.

When you start a business, wholes markets offer materials and trims in great variety and at much lower prices than retail. Wholesale markets vary by whether the wholesaler actually produces the goods and by where the goods are sold. Fabric producers such as Malden Mills, Milliken, and Burlington usually sell in large quantities through regional sales offices or distributors (middlemen). Converters purchase fabrics from these mills and then print or dye the fabric (convert) before selling it.

Trade shows are a good place to source materials

There are also wholesalers who purchase fabric from a variety of mills and then sell the fabrics to other businesses.

Some wholesalers sell in quantity as well as in retail outlets directly to consumers.

Materials can be sourced either domestically or off-shore and some companies offer materials and production services as a full-package.