There are a lot of people that are interested in launching an activewear brand, which makes sense considering the fact that the athleisure market has been on a steady growth rate in recent years. Naturally, it makes sense that there are a ton of new entrepreneurs out there that are seeking to take advantage of that.
However, while the general process of launching an activewear brand tends to be the same as any other clothing product, there are some specific considerations that typically come with producing activewear garments. In this article, we will quickly provide you with information on what makes activewear unique, how the production process works with some best activewear manufacturers online, and more.
What Makes Activewear Clothing Tricky to Produce?
It is important to keep in mind that, unlike most clothing products, activewear is made using complex fabrics that are designed to be both highly flexible and extremely durable. On top of that, there are also sports fabrics that are specially designed to be antibacterial, moisture-wicking, breathable, etc. In this respect, you need to be able to place a fair amount of thought and detail into your product design, compared to normal apparel wear.
This involves thinking about your target customer and if they usually expect such features to be made available in your activewear line. After all, there are people that are simply looking for clothing to work out in and look stylish, while there are others that want clothing to work out in and help complement their performance.
From polyester to cotton to nylon to elastane, there are numerous fabrics and materials to consider when designing activewear, so keep that in mind.
How Does The Activewear Branding Process Work?
The first and most important step that you need to take is to find a reputable and reliable clothing manufacturer like Appareify that is able to help you design and produce your activewear collection. As mentioned before, choosing the right materials and fabrics is essential when it comes to these types of garments, so it is prudent that you find the right supplier that can also guide you along that process.
This means looking for a company with a notable reputation for specializing in this niche, which ensures that they have the skills, machinery and expert staff on hand to help you build your activewear brand from the ground up. You should also look for a company that has extensive experience in the industry because the more years that they have been active, the more reliable they are likely to be. They must also be capable of following your specific design requirements, meeting your price points, and matching your quality level.
Once you have located an ideal manufacturer, the next step is to convert any activewear designs that are on paper into clothing that both feels and looks the way you want. If you don’t have the design skills to get your ideas on paper, you can rely on a clothing manufacturer like Appareify that has a team of design experts ready and willing to help you craft the ideal samples.
You should also remember that it is often recommended to have at least 2–3 prototypes per activewear style, which will allow you to appropriately gauge different patterns, sizes, fabrics, colorways, etc. Once the samples are delivered to you and you feel satisfied with the design and quality, the bulk production process will usually begin. This will usually take between 7-10 days but it can often vary depending on the activewear manufacturer that you decide to use.
The final step in this process is shipping, where you need to ensure that the supplier delivers the finished product on time. The good news is that most reputable manufacturers will include shipping and logistics as part of the payment package, so you will usually only need to wait to receive your goods.
However, when it comes to packaging this may fall on you to handle, so make sure that you have a plan on how you intend on delivering the products to your designated customer.
Top Tips To Remember When Starting an Activewear Brand?
Before launching your activewear clothing line, there are a few important things that you should keep in mind, as they can help to ensure that your brand is off to a great start.
Offer different clothing options
If you intend on making your activewear brand profitable, then it is vital that you make cross-selling and up-selling work to your benefit. This means ensuring that your customers have a wide variety of products to choose from that will allow them to mix and match.
For instance, if you have a collection of leggings with different designs and color schemes, they will only end up competing with each other. However, if you can offer leggings and coordinating tops, then there is a high chance that your customers will end up buying both products.
Prepare your designs and tech packs
The apparel industry is extremely competitive and there is often a lot of activity going on in these clothing factories at any given time. These days, clothing manufacturers aren’t struggling as much to get clients, with many of them often booked and busy. As a result, there tends to be a bit of a supply and demand issue, which means that speed is of the essence.
You need to make sure that you are well-prepared before you even consider approaching them, otherwise, they may either ignore you or even end up taking advantage of you. This means that before making contact, you should make sure that your designs are ready and that your tech packs contain full specifications about your desired clothing.
This way, they will not only take you seriously but they’ll also be made aware that you can’t be taken advantage of since you have all your expectations already outlined in the tech pack.
Craft an interesting brand story
The best way to raise demand for any type of clothing brand is to make sure that you craft an interesting brand story that tells people what it is you represent and why they should care enough to invest in it. In most cases, this means making an effort to document your journey, letting your customers see the people behind the scenes, letting them be a part of your brand, etc.
In some ways, you could say that it isn’t all about content creation alone. And while that is very important, you also need to humanize your brand in a way that appeals to consumers, which often means documenting your brand’s journey.
Conclusion
Launching an activewear brand requires you to be mindful of the products you intend to sell. This means taking the time to develop unique and attractive designs, while also factoring in performance for all the fitness people out there. In short, it is about finding a balance between the two and making it stick.
And while it is true that there is an intense amount of competition out there, this also means that consumer demand is there, so even if you do not have the biggest budget to work with, as long as you can manage to find a reliable manufacturer like Appareify to partner with, you should be able to launch your activewear brand in the right fashion.
