Making before selling.
WHAT CHANGES
You commit materials and labour before any sale.
WHAT THAT REQUIRES
Predicting what will sell, in what sizes and quantities.
WHY IT IS DIFFICULT
Demand by size and style is uncertain.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
A size chart, and stick to it.
WHY CONSISTENCY MATTERS
Customers learn their size in your brand, and inconsistency destroys that.
WHAT TO PRODUCE FIRST
A small run, to test.
WHY
It reveals demand and production problems cheaply.
WHAT TO MEASURE
What sells, by style, size and colour.
WHAT TO DO WITH THAT
Produce more of what sold, and stop what did not.
WHAT UNSOLD STOCK REPRESENTS
Cash, fabric and labour, sitting still.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Clear it, rather than holding it.
WHY
Fashion stock loses value with time.
WHAT SIZE DISTRIBUTION TO PRODUCE
Weighted toward the sizes that actually sell.
HOW TO ESTABLISH THAT
From sales, over time.
WHAT TO AVOID
Equal quantities across sizes.
WHY
It leaves unsold extremes every time.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH ABOUT PRODUCTION
Whether you make in-house or use contract manufacturers.
WHAT CONTRACT MANUFACTURING PROVIDES
Capacity without employing.
WHAT IT REQUIRES
Clear specifications, samples and quality checking.
WHAT TO PROVIDE THEM
A sealed sample, patterns and a specification.
