January 4, 2021

How Does Clothing Distribution Work?

The apparel industry has dramatically changed due to technology. However, the industry's basic structure is still built on sourcing trims, textiles, and findings to manufacture into garments that fit the consumer's budget. Offshore manufacturing continues to contribute to keeping retail prices low. Technology accelerates global expansion- a designer who lives in New York can communicate easily with manufacturing facilities and mills in other parts of the world and use the internet to send design specifications and graphics. This article will discuss how the mainstream clothing distribution industry works and how POND Threads cuts out the middleman as a fully integrated apparel manufacturer.

Clothing Mills

India has consistently been a key player in mass textile production. Still, advancements in communication and shifts in the political landscape have expanded the availability of textiles produced in China and Southeast Asia. Materials are sourced by smaller designers through textile brokers. Meanwhile, larger brand names typically have their own mills or directly connect with mills that manufacture custom textiles based on individual design specifications. A significant factor in the migration of most textile and garment assembly overseas is the lower labor cost. However, there has been a resurgence in textile production and garment assembly in the U.S. thanks to advancements in manufacturing technology and immigration, which is why POND Threads offers high-quality manufacturing based in Southern California. The majority of manufacturing stages, particularly for fast fashion, currently occur in China, India, Southeast Asia, and Mexico, with certain kinds of garment and textile manufacturing based in Eastern Europe.

Manufacturing

The garment production process begins in the textile mills before moving on to sewing shops, where patterns are drawn up, and the garment is cut out and subsequently assembled. In some instances, patterns and cutting are done in specialized shops that are part of the sewing shops. Some of the larger brand names will occasionally consolidate their manufacturing, but small Asian, Indian, and Mexican manufacturers still make up most of the industry. These small foreign manufacturers specialize in cutting, patterns, embroidery, trims, and findings like zippers, buttons, and belts, which are then sent to the sewing shops. That's why POND Threads is so unique- we ethically consolidate our manufacturing.

Distribution

In conventional garment distribution, the clothes have to go through several global layers of distribution through different brokers who pass the products along to the next level of manufacture and eventually catalog distribution- all before a garment can reach consumers in a U.S. retail store. Essentially, the more generic the garment is, the more layers of distribution there are before the garment arrives in a retail store. This includes going through export brokers who sell to U.S. distributors. Large brand name apparel companies directly distribute from offshore manufacturing to retail. Independent designers are another kind of seller who now takes their products from the offshore manufacturing level and distribute on their own or through sales reps who deal with multiple brand lines that they sell to retailers. Basic products like jeans or t-shirts are typically produced to be distributed by brokers, who sell them to distributors of promotional decorators and apparel who imprint patterns and designs before distribution to retailers.

Looking for a consumer integrated clothing manufacturer? Work with POND Threads today!

Retail

The advent of the internet has significantly shifted the way apparel is retailed. Producing large amounts of a basic garment design can often save designers money. The basic garment designs that they can't sell to their regular buyers can be then sold in the overstock market, comprising factory stores, discount retailers like Target, and online retailers like Beyond-the-Rack and Overstock.com. The overstock market sells to small retail stores and individual buyers. The textiles used for these garments are generally of a slightly lesser quality than those found on brand-name garments. The embellishments and findings at this level typically don't meet the same standards, though they use the same patterns.

Distribution Vs. Fulfillment

The distribution channel refers to how your wholesale goods are distributed into the hands of consumers. This process involves sales representation, showrooms, trade shows, internet stores, brick and mortar stores, direct sales, etc., for most companies. Most companies do not use distributors to do this but instead will roll it into the sales department. Distribution logistics is a common term used to describe the fulfillment, warehousing, and shipping processes. Distribution logistics comprises how a company receives orders, selects items out of inventory, and packs and ships the items to customers on a predefined schedule. The majority of smaller companies do their own order fulfillment, but when you work with POND Threads, you don't have to; we take care of every step of the process!

POND Threads Brings It All Together In The U.S.

POND Threads is a purchase activated apparel manufacturer dedicated to customer integration. Our clients directly integrate their eCommerce with our platform, and we manufacture premium athleisure wear promptly, shipping directly to consumers worldwide from our Southern California headquarters. POND Threads works with designers, brands, and artists seeking to diversify their product offerings with zero extraneous risks. POND Threads is dedicated to offering consumers premium athleisure wear. Our current era is oversaturated with fast fashion methods that sacrifice quality for speed. POND Threads source the highest quality materials, employ expert sewers, use sustainable printing methods, and use innovative production techniques to offer brands the highest quality garments.

Why POND Threads?

We purchase activated manufacturing and go directly to consumer fulfillment, allowing our clients to move away from massive inventory pre-ordering. Many retailers end up holding over 25% of their inventory in hopes of selling at a deep discount. We manufacture the products your customers want and directly ship to them so that our clients retain high margins and see dramatic growth!
You don't have to place analog orders (which require multiple month lead times) with overseas manufacturers. We seamlessly integrate between your e-commerce platform and our cloud-based production platform.
Define and integrate fast fashion trends right now, not later. If a trend goes viral, our clients can instantly react, design, and sell within mere hours!
We make fast fashion sustainable. POND Threads utilizes sustainable, eco-friendly printing and production processes, and all of our products are made right here in the United States.

Work with POND Threads for sustainable, integrated distribution and fulfillment today!

Looking for a consumer integrated clothing manufacturer? Work with POND Threads today!