Indie Source

It’s hard to overstate how complex starting a clothing line can be. In addition to the requisite funds needed, new fashion entrepreneurs should be prepared to enlist the support of designers, sourcing specialists, and clothing manufacturers to make their clothing concept become a reality.  This traditional model requires a painstaking amount of time coordinating with different contacts and specialists, sourcing and testing materials, and waiting to receive and review samples and prototypes. At best, designers are left working long, tireless hours to get their creative designs finished on time. At worst, a nascent brand becomes bogged down by delays, do-overs, and cost overruns. The good news is that a new apparel manufacturing model is looking to up-end this old process through a more personalized in-house approach. Brands like Indie Source are replacing dusty warehouses and distributed communication with clean, collaborative spaces and a team of project manage...

We’ve all heard the warnings about startups: 8 out of 10 new businesses fail within the first 18 months; don’t expect to make a profit for at least the first two or three years; American fashion brands and retailers are on the decline, etc .   However, like most statistics, the devil is in the details, and this case, the details offer a more promising outlook. According to the Small Business Administration, about 75% of new businesses survive at least the first two years, and roughly 50% survive at least the first five years. This five-year survival rate has been on an upward trend too. In 2016, for example, nearly 49% of companies hit the five-year mark, an increase of 3% from 2015, according to the Kauffman Foundation. This is good news for the fashion industry, which has certainly seen its share of ups and downs. So, what makes some new clothing lines succeed and others become a statistic? In many cases, it comes down to how well a new entrepreneur can ...