Comments on: How to search for clothing manufacturers

By: Anonymous Coward

Anonymous Coward — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:45:43 +0000

I wouldn't normally do this but since it seems you haven't read this post, followed the links therein to read those, nor the comments that followed, I did a search for you. HTH.

By: Karmi

Karmi — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:11:59 +0000

Hi there:
I am looking for a manufacturers in India who can produce a clothing line for kids.
Can someone sent me the list or names of them?
Thanks much.
Karmi

By: Prasanta

Prasanta — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:46:19 +0000

Alison: Thank you Alison for the clarification you did for me.

Kathleen: Thank you for your discussion on various terms used in two regions. We do lot of exports in USA but don’t bother much on the correct terms. It may be due to most of the communication happen by e-mail with customers (buyers).

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:30:08 +0000

All? No.
My guess is that at least half of DE apparel manufacturers don’t categorize themselves with the correct SIC/NAIC code when they filed for their business licenses so they’d scarcely be included. That said, US business census data and state filings would turn up the majority of established firms. It’s a tremendous amount of research work to compile it. And then once one did, most people these days think it should be free (then again, 95% of this same group should be looking for a contractor instead) so there’s little or nothing to gain from having done it. Davidson used to put one out but it is no longer profitable to do so.

By: oriole

oriole — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:20:58 +0000

Is there such a directory that lists all the apparel manufactures in the U.S.?

By: Alison Cummins

Alison Cummins — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:15:51 +0000

I used Office 2003 until just a few months ago. We have only just switched to Office 2010. It’s a corporate environment and we’re very risk-averse: we don’t upgrade anything until we’re sure all the bugs are well-understood and dealt with.

Anyway, while I prefer Visio there isn’t much difference between flowcharts in Excel 2003 and Excel 2010. Don’t upgrade for that.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:05:09 +0000

I searched for the tool (here, if anyone else needs it). After install and running it, it still referred me to the computer manufacturer (Dell) but the tool was still useful because it scanned my peripherals, some programs and gave me the direct win7 link to Dell. Summary, Dell says my model isn't compatible so I do need a new computer. Darn it all. It seems I am compelled, forced really, to buy a NEW lightening-fast, sexy and shiny NEW piece of technology. Woe is me that such is my lot. I am running one 64 bit suite on this machine (CS5x) but it is not optimal, some features in some programs are unavailable etc. I'm more concerned about whether my CAD program is ready to go on a 64 bit system as well as whether drivers are available for the digitizer and plotter.

By: Eric H

Eric H — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:20:05 +0000

I believe that you can only run 64 bit Windoze on a 64 bit processor. You should be able to run 32 bit Windows on a 64 bit processor, but then you don’t get the full advantage. 64 bit OS on a 32 bit processor is either not going to work, or it is going to require work-arounds that make it actually slower than the 32 bit OS. I would look to Stu to clarify or correct.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:29:39 +0000

Prasanta: Between Asia and the US, we share the same terms but we assign different meanings to them. This is made clear in the first entry I linked to.

Legally (it’s a federal and tax distinction), a clothing manufacturer is someone who causes a product to exist as opposed to someone who produces it (a contractor). A manufacturer stipulates all the elements that go into the product. If an Indian “manufacturer” (as defined there) were to relocate to the US, they would quickly become a contractor or become exposed to a lot of potential liability. All of the liability (consider children’s wear-CPSIA etc) rests with the manufacturer. If you as a contractor didn’t meet CPSIA standards, that amounts to a contract dispute between you and the manufacturer (what you call a “buyer”). However, if you were the manufacturer, you could go to jail, be fined or your factory shut down if you did not comply.

A buyer for us is someone who buys wholesale goods. Someone who does not dictate garment specifications but buys goods as-is (for the most part).

Another example: in India, the word “apparels” is used frequently. Here, that is awkward at best because it is presumed to be plural as it encompasses a whole category. It would be like saying “clothings”, “automotives” or “agricultures” etc.

Julianne. Interesting. I’ll look into that. I need a larger hard drive or another one as it is.

Donna: Tala is a great resource if one is sourcing in California. I know I’d use it if I lived there. The individual membership is $150 per year, businesses pay $250-$500+ depending. New York does have similar resources, some are free (listed on my resource page). On the eastern seaboard, there is SEAMS, ACA and SPESA. There is also the AAFA which is national. All of those are fee-based. And lastly is F-I which is only $45 and unlike all the others, assists in providing not only referrals but copious and detailed advice on starting, operating and improving one’s company.

I admit to being confused as to why you’d recommend a fee-based service. At one time you said that having to pay to be an F-I member was akin to having to pay to use the library -maybe because the forum is so robust that it amounts to an encyclopedia and encyclopedias belong in a library? I don’t know.

By: Donna

Donna — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:43:11 +0000

I did my field work at TALA, Textile Association of Los Angeles when I got my degree in Fashion Design. They publish a very large directory that lists just about every industry, service, etc. related to the business of fashion. DE’s came in regularly to get references and sources. I don’t remember the cost to join but it wasn’t outlandish. The fee gets you the directory and access to the website, http://www.talausa.org. Their offices were in The Mart and I was amazed at the connections to people in the industry that I made just being there. My guess is that New York probably has similar organizations. This is just one more tool that seems valuable to have if you are in the industry even if you don’t live near the source.