Internal Product Development (PD): The key figures in a Studio

If you want to start a new line, that is great. It will be a fantastic yet difficult journey. We are here to help you achieve your goals in the most fun, cost-efficient, and productive way possible. 

First big tip: do not underestimate the amount of work and coordination that you’ll need to take care of in order to reach the goal line of your project.  

First of all, you will need to build your team, making sure the group of people you involve is the most heterogeneous possible. 

Your Full-Time Team will need to be composed by:

• Studio Manager / PD Coordinator: This is the person that will make sure all projects stay on schedule and deadlines are met: there are many moving parts during the process and someone needs to make sure that everything is proceeding as planned.
• Fashion / Technical / Graphic Designer: The design team can be composed of one or more people, depending on the project needs.

• • The fashion designers will create the mood board, design the collection, finalize all details, and more.
  • The technical designer is the person who takes care of all the technical details of the garment and creates and fills in the Tech Pack, which is the garment ID.
  • The Graphic designer will be designing all the artworks (if applicable, such as prints or embroideries), the custom details and trims, the merchandising lookbook, the packaging features, and more. 

• Sourcing Coordinator (Fabric + Trim): This is a crucial figure that will source all raw materials necessary for the construction and decoration of the garments. The Sourcing coordinator will support the design team to individualize the perfect raw materials, in terms of quality, composition/material, dimension, color, price, etc. He will search for providers, collect different quotations, coordinate the samples’ shipments to your Studio and finally, he will compare and select the final options.

• Pattern Maker (link to > Design Studio > Our Services > Pattern Making)

The Pattern Maker will study, design, and grade the pattern (the 2d full-scale technical drawing in all the sizes of the garment). 

This person will also apply the modifications to improve the pattern after the fitting tests.

• Head Seamstress (link to > Design Studio > Our Services > Sample Making and Prototyping)

The Head Seamstress will cut and sew the prototype in the fabric selected by the sourcing team, and following the pattern realized by the Pattern Maker. 

• Accountant

Even though this person does not seem to fit with the other more garment-related, trust us: they are super important. The accountant will make sure the finance of the project is respected and the budget is under control. The Accountant will check all the costs, such as the hours spent on the project, the raw materials and shipping costs, and finally the hidden costs. The accountant will also need to check the unit cost for every piece of the collection and make sure the production target price is respected. 

Assistants and Interns are optional and just needed in case of big collections.  If you are just starting your brand new collection, it will be more than enough if you’ll cover all the positions listed above!

Outsource PD: Be Humble and Pick the PD Team You Trust!

In case you realize that the Product Development (PD) process is very time-consuming and you do not have the tools nor the knowledge to do it yourself, we suggest you rely on a company that can take care of it for you. 

FYI: virtually all the small-medium brands entrust their collections to companies specializing in product development.

We must say that there are many companies that provide PD services, and most of the time they also provide Manufacturing (MF). 

Heads Up: you will be able to find companies that will realize you the PD for both a T-shirt and a technical coat, but they won’t probably be capable of manufacturing both since the production lines are normally very specialized.
It needs to be kept into consideration that manufacturers are normally specialized in a particular type of fiber, fabric, garment, technology, or other, to ensure efficiency and production optimization.

But no worries at all, your selected PD team will still take care of coordinating your production with a third company party and will make sure you get all the products you want. 

At Urth Apparel, this is what Our Teams do daily! 

How to Choose the Right PD Team?

Truth is, you never know until you start working with your company partner if they are a good fit for you or not. 

In order to help you select the perfect partner here are some little Urth Tips: 

• Direct your research to partners who specialize in the type of clothing you are planning to develop – it is better if you rely on companies that are specialists in the subject to make sure you are guided and supported by a great technical team!
• Participate to trade shows to find your partner. This can be more reassuring instead of finding one through web research. By talking in person with their sales rep and evaluating the quality of their products will probably allow you to make a more aware and quick decision. 
• Communication is the KEY – if from the beginning you perceive a lack of fluency in the communications this is not a good sign. You want your partner to always be transparent and provide quick responses. 
• If your budget allows it, organize a visit to your possible partner. The visit will help you evaluate the facility and the staff.
• See if the company is willing to send you a sample for free. Evaluating physical material is certainly a great way to take final decisions. 
• Evaluate companies all over the world – the greater your search radius, the more likely you will find the perfect partner: it’s math! There is a BUT: consider that the shipping costs are directly proportional to the weight, volume, and distance to be traveled. Long distances and customs costs can really be brutal to your wallet
• Take your time and do meticulously your homework trying to not miss any detail! 

Best of Luck!
In case you want some extra consultancy on this, Contact Us today!