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Levi's Is Radically Redefining Sustainability

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We love what Levi's is up to. As a leader in sustainability, Levi's is continuing to innovate how their garments are made in order to reduce the impact they have on the planet. Does the idea of working with an iconic brand and leader in creating sustainable fashion light you up? For more information on Levi's Collaboratory For the full interview with Paul Dillinger check out Levi's Is Radically Redefining Sustainability
Using Your Values To Set Goals You're Destined to Achieve

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Part One | Values
Four Questions To Help You Identify Your Product Niche

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So you want to want to take the leap and start your own clothing line. So exciting! Today we're talking about how to identify a product niche so that you can drill down to something you're passionate about and that is actually needed by the world. Don't know what you're passionate about? Make sure to take a read through my post on values to get pointed in the right direction. If you're clear on your values, keep reading. 1. What are you constantly looking for in the market place but can't find? This one is a sure fire way to find a...
5 Fabric Sources For New Designers | Vancouver

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Hi friends! Today I'm doing a round up of five places to buy fabric for your start up clothing line. As I've been getting your atic set up, I've been talking to a lot of start up apparel businesses and one of the common hurdles that comes up is how to find a fabric source that has low minimums. Before we dive in to my sources, let's go over the different types of fabric suppliers that are out there and some of their pros and cons. Retail Versus Wholesale | What's the difference? A lot! Retailers are the fabric stores that you...
How To Calculate Gross Margin And Why You Should Care

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Hi friends- today we are talking about how to calculate gross margin and I am so excited! Why? It turns out so many people get started making product because they love the creative process. And they have no idea how they are actually going to make money. Without having a very clear understanding of what your margins are, you won't be able to plan out your financials and grow your business. Download the Free Tool So first, what is your product margin? In retail, your margin is the difference between your revenue (money you bring in for a product) and the cost of...
Setting Goals You're Destined To Achieve

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Hi friends! So hopefully you've read my first post in this series which was all about determining your own personal values. Check it out if you haven't yet read through it. It will give you a better understanding of why your values are so important in setting goals. Ok - so now that we're all on the same page, what are some of your biggest values? Family, community, creativity, beauty? I'm guessing that we have some that overlap and that you have some that are unique to you. How would your life look if you always put these values first? What...
Is Home Sewing Impacting Your Ability To Scale Your Business?

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Hi friends! I'm so excited to see this community growing. Yippee! To those that have joined the Facebook community THANK YOU! I'm loving connecting with you online and in person. Lately I have been hearing a lot of people ask: How do I choose a manufacturing partner?!?! I understand. This can be an overwhelming decision. But wait! Before making a decision on who to use, you need to understand what different sources can offer you. I’ve broken this down into six categories. Home sewing Seamstress Sample room Canadian factory US Factory Overseas factory I'm going to break this into digestible parts for you since it...
The Pros And Cons Of Doing Production With a Seamstress

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Today we're going to be diving in to the pros and cons of doing production with a seamstress. This is the next logical step for a lot of businesses that start out sewing their product on their own at home. Often they are making product for their Etsy store or local markets. In my last post, I covered the pros and cons of making your product at home and whether or not keeping your production at home was impacting your ability to scale your business. Check it out if that's the stage you're at. The Pros and Cons of Doing Production With A Seamstress There...
The Pros And Cons Of Doing Production With A Sample Room

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Today we're going over the pros and cons of doing production with a sample room. As your business grows, home sewing and the support of a seamstress may not give you the volume that you need. This is a great problem to have! Unfortunately, you may still struggle with the minimums required by a traditional manufacturer. So, what can you do? This is where a sample room may be able to help you out. The first thing that you need to know is there are A LOT of different sample rooms out there and not all offer production. Most sample rooms make...
9 Things The Pros Ask When Fabric Sourcing

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Fabric sourcing plays a critical role in the development of great product and building a profitable clothing business. In a large organization, different departments care about different aspects of the fabric. My guess is you’re wearing most, if not all, the hats. You're the VP of design, development, sourcing, marketing and operations! Whoa! So, what should you consider beyond look and feel when searching for the perfect new fabric? Read on to learn the eight things the pros ask when sourcing a new fabric. 1. Minimums Your biggest fabric souring issue when you start out tends to be minimums. Am I right?...
A step by step guide to calculating your product cost

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So you have an exciting product that you want to make. You have some materials in mind and you've even talked to suppliers on what it would cost to get it made. But you’re still wondering: “How much will my product cost?” Well you’ve come to the right place. Today I’m walking you through ALL the little costs that go into your product and how to track and calculate them. First, I recommend you SIGN UP to get access to my FREE Resource Library so you can download my Cost Sheet Template. Did you sign up? You should get an email with the...
5 Things To Do TODAY To Increase Your Clothing Line's Instagram Engagement

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Happy New Year friends!! I'm super excited about what this year has in store for my business and YOURS! One of the things I'm focusing on is Instagram engagement. How about you? If one of your goals this year is to drive more traffic to your website and increase your sales this is the post for you. I put together five things you can do TODAY to increase your engagement on Instagram and drive more traffic to your website. If you found this helpful I would love a share on Pinterest! If you're a bit behind on your goal setting, check out...
How To Generate A Compelling Product Idea You're CRAZY About

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Guys!!! I did my first Facebook Live today and while it was SCARY to do something new, I loved sharing with everyone a framework to generate a compelling product idea. But you know what? I almost didn't do it. I kept hearing that Live Video is the BEST way to get content to people but I was more comfortable hiding behind my computer and hitting submit where no one could see me. Last night after going to birthday dinner at a friends house, getting home late and discovering the dog peed on her new bed I was tired. I wanted to put...
Five Prompts To Narrow In On Your Ideal Customer

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Are you struggling to get clear on your ideal customer for your clothing brand? In this blog post and video I walk you through how to Narrow In On Your Ideal Customer and start to engage with them in a powerful and authentic way. To narrow in on your ideal customer, watch the video and download the workbook to dive deep and get SUPER clear on: Who your customer is What her average day looks like What problems she has in her life and how this can lead to product opportunities How you want her to feel when she interacts...
How To Get A Factory To Respond To Your Emails

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Ever wonder how to get a factory to respond to your emails? Do you wonder why nothing comes back when you send out a request? Or maybe you haven't even sent out any emails yet. Let me guess, you might be thinking: I'm too small. No one would want to work with me. I have an idea but I don't have EVERYTHING figured out yet. I have a sample that I love but I want to change a few things and I am NOT an expert. Then this video is for you! I tell you how to send a clear email...
Five Common Mistakes New Designers Make When Sampling

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As you start to build your clothing line, you might be wondering if there are any common mistakes new designers make when sampling. And most importantly, how to avoid them! When you go into the sample development process you want: Your samples to be completed as quickly as possible For the best price possible With the best quality possible Over the course of my career, I have overseen the development of thousands of samples. And, while it is SO exciting to see your vision come to life, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. Knowing how to watch out...
82 Valentines Images You Can Use On Social Media

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Roundup alert! I've found 82 Valentines Images You Can Use On Social Media so that you don't waste your precious time searching for that perfect image. Because, just like you, I struggle to come up with enough content for social media. You're probably spending all your time getting your product just right and finding images to promote on social media can take forever. That's why I did the leg work for you. I've rounded up some beautiful (and edgy) Valentines Day images that are all Creative Commons stock. That means, you can use them for FREE without asking permission or giving credit....
Five Ways To Sell Your Product Online

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Choosing a platform to sell your product online can be confusing. There are so many options and it's hard to know what the differences are. Why would you choose one over another? That's why I'm walking you through five ways to sell your product online. Just a note that this post does include affiliate links so I may make a small commission if you choose to use one of these platforms. Five Ways To Sell Your Product On One | Etsy Etsy is on online market place where you get access to a large network of interested customers. It started out as a...
Everything you need to know about Canadian and US clothing label requirements

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Are you confused about what you are required to put on your clothing labels? I get it. There are suggestions, requirements and different options depending on what country you're in. In this post I break down what you really need to know about Canadian and US clothing label requirements so that you can check this sticky item off your list. Since most of my readers are in Canada and the US, I'm including these two countries clothing label requirements only. If you're in another country and want some help identifying what you need, drop me a comment below. In order to...
Eight things to do before your clothing factory starts production

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We've all heard the horror stories. Working with a clothing factory can be super exciting but also super stressful. There are so many moving parts it's easy for something to fall through the cracks. Over the last 15 years, I have seen a lot of things go wrong. And although many of them aren't totally preventable, there are ways to set up your business to limit the impact. That's why, today I'm sharing eight things you should check off your list BEFORE your clothing factory starts production. To watch the video, you can click through on the image below. Click Through...

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