How to start a Clothing Company

thx 4 this awesome site! a lot of gr8 info :))

Hey Jon,

Just wanted to give thanks for everything you have helped me with through this site. I am 17 and I started my company last year and it has been tough trying to get it going. I love all these articles that you post and everyone has helped me make decisions and grow the company. This site has become my bible, so thank you for all the hard work you do on this site.

-Bryce Evans

Thanks Bryce it's always nice to hear stuff like that. Good luck with everything.

I love this website! I love all the articles that are posted. I print them out on my lunch break at work and then geek out on them all night (which is what I did last night). I have a hard time getting started due to procrastination, but when I get onto this website, I become more motivated and my ideas just start flowing. Its nice to find a place online that actually offers GREAT advice, I dont feel like such an oddball on this site, and its awesome to meet up and converse with other designers, it helps get me off my butt and start designing!!!! SO thanks!

Thanks. It's great to hear that my information helps you.

Wow, this site is awesome! I am looking at getting into the industry myself, and this site warmed me up to the idea alot more! I can't wait to save up some dough and get started now! Thank you!

Keep up the great work Jon!

Jon,

I just stumbled upon this blog tonight. From a 1 minute quick search of the site, it looks real nice and informative! I can't wait to dig a little deeper.

Will

im a young lady in Ghana who is so crazy about opening my own clothing line some time to come. i have no fashion background. is it possible for me to acheive this aim? and if it is, how do i start? be my coach. im inspired by your work

Find a market that you can excel at. It's all about finding a customer, tailoring an item to fit them, and making it better than your competition.

I love this site. I think you gave great tips on starting an new tshirt company. I love tshirts and want to start my own blog. Do you have any tips? This blog will help many startups.

To dave:

Get your own domain, use wordpress, get your links as many places as possible.

I wanted to say that I found this site a few weeks ago and it is truly amazing. As a freelance t-shirt designer and the owner of my own start-up brand, I found the information on this site indispensable. I check it every day, and every post his awesome. Thank you so much for sharing this valuable info!!

no if's and butt's about it I love the fact you had a site for what i was looking for . it has helped me figure out where to start , what to do and how to do it . Now if i can just get my vision down on the paper work know that my dream can come true . Hopefully i will have my clothing line up and running soon . It will be geared more for girls but will include alot of awsome clothes for boys . SOOOOO stay tuned anyone interested contact me at firerescuegal@yahoo.com

I am so relieved to have visited this site. I am leaving very imformed about a lot of my hopeful future endevours. Two days ago I decided that I wanted to have my own clothing company and believing that it is possible is the hardest part. i know that because I have a strong vision and dream and I know that because i visited this site. Thanx Ray, so much for the gobs of imformation to get me off to a start. I saw a neat store on this website, I mean exclusive and if it's yours huge congrats its futuristic. If not one day your have 1000 of them!!!

LOVE the site, exactly want i was looking for, has changed my views on starting a little clothing line selling tees online.

would like info on creative packaging for tees. actual detailed info - like this is how much it costs for x amount printed on x material with x amount of colours. and showing examples. and websites of suppliers

Excellent site. As long as you continue to link well-written, focussed articles that offer some depth and continue to present the info in a clear, uncluttered format with easy navigation, you have my thumbs up.

good work,
darciefly

I think this site is great! I'm a short ways away from launching my forever in the works t-shirt line. Coming to this site has given me great ideas and is also teaching me patience!! So keep it up!!

Hi!

a forum is a great idea. its a way for us to interact. meanwhile i love the blog. i like more info about starting up.. like how many shirts you start off with.. what sizes etc. very practical stuff that is kinda hard to predict.

Great job overall! Thnx

Hi there, I think you're doing a fantastic thing! There's very little information out there, and I for one am grateful for all your resources. Keep up the great work!

Yeah there wasn't much information when I started so I wanted to create a site that would help people.

Hi.

This site is just amazing, it has a bunch of useful information. I really don't like the idea of a forum, a blog is a more personal and direct way to reach readers/users, IMHO.

I would like to see more technical articles.... design and screenprinting techniques, screen printing supplies, products comparisons, design processes, service providers, that kind of topics.

Cheers,

Hernan

(Please excuse me, I'm not very fluent writing english, :P)

I have been searching all over for good real world information on starting a clothing company and your site has exactly what I have been looking for. I really like the interviews with actual people who have started there own successful clothing companies. It has been helpful and inspiring. I am currently in the process of starting Retrokill Cloting out of Northern CA.

Regards,

Geoff

hey Jon ,
I just started to surf ur site and finds it really helpful for newcomers like my self. it gives us a sense of direction as to whats next when planning to open you own clothing like. Website is great , user friendly and thanks for all the advice. Great work...
keep it up
cheers ,
Lakith

I LOVE THIS SITE!!!...I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!! YOU PROVIDE SO MUCH INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE THAT I NEED! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! ITS AN OVER ALL GREAT SITE!

The things I would love to hear about is "Are there Companies sponsoring start up clothing lines?". I know there are sponsors for just about every thing, but are there sponsors for clothing lines and how can we find them. Also, a list of the top t-shirt manufacturers in the U.S or the world and custom size and hanging tags manufacturers. I found a few, but I want to know if they have done great work for other lines because it's easy for websites to post pictures on line and claim they can produce a product. Thank you for you time and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

It's a great site ! I got you in my Google Reader, so better not stop running this website!

Thanks

Hi am a new one for clothing industry. Still finding chances. I achieved my best in sri lanka & now looking internationally.

I Started with some t shirt contest websites that being up with public voting. its hurt :( i got ur website when i surfing on google.

woow. great. u provided everything, anything. my idea is don't go for the forum..
i think better arrange ur previous post. As a chapters in book. A - Z Content type. I used ur website as a book. really.. Sill am reading ur 2008 October posts.. yaah..

(http://hangmenow.blogspot.com i added ur direct link for my visitors)

I absolutely love the site. My only feedback would be: I want MORE! More of what, you ask? Everything. Seriously, you cannot possibly provide too much information for me with this site.

Most of all, thank you for providing such a wonderful resource. While I havent always followed the advice given on this site, it was always helpful.

It's tough I think only in time will this site grow. I don't want to post just anything but really have articles people will find useful.

Jon,
Another bonus from your blog is it's highly inspirational ~ This week I did alot of reading and researching the "how to's" of this biz-which is how I found you ;~> as well as the marketing...which means I produced zero pieces for my inventory-but I needed to stop and regroup my efforts because I know marketing the work also needed attention, and that was draining my creative flow. The business end is not so much fun without some solid knowledge and hard core reality checks. So I totally agree with Aaron that the business of creating is vital! Personally, I thrive with a wellspring of knowledge, resources and feedback-I amaze myself sometimes...when I am connected with other normal-neurotic, ambitious creatives, sharing ideas and inspirations. I think the bottom line is to be truly authentic and to do business only with clients you know are a perfect fit, and then placing yourself in that path, which takes time and patience...yes?

First of all, you are doing an amazing job! This site is an excellent resource, and I am very thankful that you take the time to share. I am still in early development stages for my brand, and this site has been a consistent reference. My background is in art and graphic design, so the tutorials are very helpful for me to refine my skills. Anything business related is a great topic for me, because I am basically clueless about business and starting from step one. I really enjoy the posts that deal with your personal experiences, and also other business owners that have real experience to pull from and share. Once again, thank you very much. Keep up the great work, I am always eager to see what's new!

Hi Jon,
I enjoy your site very much - I found it recently and spent a few hours on it exploring your ideas and advice. It is incredibly helpful and I hope you will continue with it. I have been designing a small collection of unique shirts and jackets for several years but have not taken it any further than my local area ie, my comfort zone - so bit by bit I gain knowledge and confidence to fuel my creative passion. The more I work at it, the better my vision.
So thanks!!
Toni

A forum would definitely provide archived insight from a broader audience. It also provides a place to share tshirt entrepenuership amongst the 'tshirt junkie' community. This site has definitely helped me tremendously in starting my business. And I thank you for that. Keep up the spectacular work!

I have really been thinking hard about starting a forum. I think it would be good but I don't want to create another t-shirt forums.