The search for good apparel manufacturers for a clothing line brings the question of choosing between full package production (FPP) and Cut, Make & Trim (CMT) production. The choice depends on whether you wish to devote a lot of time to the actual production process to slightly reduce the cost or focus on marketing and other activities while leaving production to experienced clothing manufacturers.
A CMT clothing supplier will do only the cutting, sewing and trimming. Sourcing fabrics, trim, making the pattern, samples, developing the wash… all have to be done by the person ordering the merchandise. A full package provider will complete all of the steps to deliver finish garments. The person ordering the design only needs to provide the details about each design.
While CMT offers greater control over sourcing raw materials and saves some money in the process, full package providers relieve many of the hassles. FPP clothing suppliers not only create patterns, but also source the necessary materials and trims and carry out all the processes required to complete the garment production, says an expert at Private Label Apparel. These apparel manufacturers assist with all areas of designing, pattern making, cutting, sewing, sourcing the right materials and merchandising, keeping in mind your specific requirements.
Why choose full package over cut, make & trim?
Look at CMT as a barebones service; it’s purely cutting and sewing. This type of apparel manufacturing is great for established clothing brands and distributors who have their own design department, pattern maker, sample room and production manager.
Here are some advantages of manufacturing garments with a CMT supplier:
- Lower costs – Dealing with CMT clothing manufacturers directly can be cheaper
- More control over design – Companies who have their own designer or use a 3rd party designer may have more control over the design process
- More control over fabric – Working with a designer directly may give more options as far as fabric sourcing. Normally full package apparel manufacturers tend to offer the fabrics they have available in stock as where a designer will go to local fabric suppliers and may look at hundreds of fabrics
On the other hand, a full package garment supplier is ideal for brands and boutiques that do not have their own design department. The supplier can take care of everything and deliver finished garments. All they usually need is an existing garment to base the fit on and instructions on how to make the exact design.
Let’s look at some of the benefits offered by FPP suppliers:
- Simplicity. First and foremost, unless someone has expert staff and experience, it’s much simpler to work with a full package provider as opposed to CMT.
- Design assistance. Full package apparel manufacturers offer design and styling guidance that is in-line with the latest trends in the industry. Since they are producing for many clients, they are aware of the market trends and customer requirements. There is no need to have a designer on staff.
- Speed. Full package production providers usually keep large inventories of fabric and other material. They are able to move fast.
- Coordination. Since all the production steps are included, the full package provider will take care of scheduling the wash house, trimming, finishing as well as packaging. This also saves time in production.
- Expertise. Full package clothing suppliers are knowledgeable about the garment manufacturing process; customers do not need inhouse knowledge or experience.
By opting for a full package production clothing vendor for your boutique or clothing line, you can focus on the marketing and branding aspects of your business and leave the manufacturing aspect to them. To ensure that this decision does not prove to be a wrong one, do thorough research of apparel manufacturers that have the necessary experience and expertise. Before making the decision, it’s a good idea to ensure they have low minimum order requirements and have helped boutiques and specialty chains launch their own premium brand of clothing.