How to Start Your Own Sportswear Brand Using a Custom Manufacturer Like SAS Apparels

If you are thinking about starting your own athletic clothing line, there could be multiple ways that you came up with your idea: perhaps you have had it for a while now and finally decided to make it a reality, or possibly, something happened recently that gave you this inspiration. However, no matter how long you’ve been thinking about launching your own athletic brand, when it comes down to trying to figure out how to get started, you may feel overwhelmed! You will probably be asked questions like “What types of clothing will I design to create my collection?”, “Where are my clothes going to be produced?” and “How much money do I need to spend on my clothing line?” All of these questions are 100% legitimate and there is also good news to know! In today’s world, starting your own line of athletic apparel is more realistic than most people first anticipate. Once you have established an effective working relationship with a reputable custom apparel manufacturer, you will have the ability to go from an idea to a fully functional apparel product with your brand name on it; so you won’t necessarily need to have a degree in fashion design or a tremendous amount of cash before starting an apparel company. Let's walk through exactly how to Start Your Own Sportswear Brand Using a Custom Manufacturer Like SAS Apparels.

Step 1: Get Clear on Your Niche and Target Audience

You need to determine your target market before you start creating any clothes. What type of athlete will wear your clothes? Are they playing soccer, cricket, basketball, MMA, or going to the gym? Defining your position in the sportswear industry will set the direction for everything including what types of materials you are going to use, which types of sizing you will be offering, and how you will communicate with your current/future customers.

Questions to consider:

• Who is my target customer?
• What is the problem that I am helping that person to solve?
• What void is there currently in the market that I can fill?

The more you narrow down your target, the more you will be able to create a brand that is truly in resonance with your target audience, whether that happens to be custom cricket jerseys, sublimated soccer uniforms, or compression MMA shorts.

Step 2: Create Your Brand Identity

Your brand represents the way your products make people feel, and not just your company's logo. So at this point you should have the following as part of your brand:

• The name of your company's brand and accompanying logo that truly represent who you are or what you do
• A colour palette and "look" — it's either going to be bold/aggressive, clean/minimal, or vibrant/energetic
• The voice you want to use to speak with your target customers

With your branding set before you speak to manufacturers, there will be no question about whether the samples and prototypes you receive will represent your true vision instead of simply being generic, off-the-shelf models.

Step 3: Find the Right Custom Manufacturer

The key component of finding a quality manufacturer for your brand is identifying someone who will work as a true partners. They should not only sew your garments together, but they should also help develop your brand through custom labelling and branding options. Look for the following:

• Low minimum order quantities (MOQs) — critical to starting out
• Custom labelling and branding options — your tags, your logo and your identity
• Advanced sublimation printing — vibrant and fade-resistant graphics that accurately represent your brand
• Variety of fabrics and materials — moisture-wicking, compression, breathable and durable options
• Sample production — you need to see and feel the product before purchasing it in bulk
• Transparent communication — honest lead times and timely communication
• Worldwide shipping — so you can sell to customers around the world on day one

Finding a quality manufacturer that fits into your brand is where SAS Apparels can help. Located in Sialkot, Pakistan, one of the most respected sportswear manufacturing locations in the world, SAS Apparels offers the quality of an international manufacturer at a price point that is affordable for both new and growing brands.

Step 4: Develop Your Samples

Do not pass on getting samples. After creating and giving your manufacturer everything about your product's designs, fits, and fabrics, demand physical samples from the factory before allowing bulk manufacturing to occur.

After receiving your samples, they need to be properly tested. To start, wear them throughout their various uses, wash them multiple times, and move around in them. Second, carefully check the stitching, stretchability, sublimation print quality, and finish prior to moving forward with production. This phase allows you to confirm that there are no costly errors and that your customers receive what you promised them.

Step 5: Plan Your First Production Run

Begin slowly and wisely. You don’t need to release 20 styles at once, instead have three to five strong, on-brand pieces for launch. Aim for quality, not quantity. You will be able to manage your initial investment better this way, as well as receive actual market feedback that will help determine what/when to order next. And once you establish volume orders, you will qualify for bulk pricing — which will greatly reduce the cost of your subsequent runs.

Step 6: Build Your Sales and Marketing Strategy

To succeed in the sports apparel business, you need a great plan on how to get your product out there. You can do this with:

• Social media - Instagram and TikTok are the best platforms for sportswear retailers. 
• Partnering with social media influencers - micro influencers in fitness and sport markets can provide strong, targeted sales. 
• Create your own website - have a very clean and fast online store at launch. 
• Local clubs and gyms - Sales through local clubs and gyms will provide early opportunities for B2B sales as well as generate strong word-of-mouth.

Conclusion

Creating a new sportswear company is completely doable; however, when it comes to making a difference, it really just depends on the manufacturer you decide to use to make your company a reality. SAS Apparels are experts at helping new and emerging companies develop their ideas into products through custom made manufacturing, state of the art sublimation printing services, flexible minimum order quantities, premium material options, additional branding assistance for cricket, football, basketball, MMA, etc. SAS Apparels also has the ability to ship worldwide and save you money on bulk orders as you continue to grow. SAS Apparels would be a manufacturer partner that would grow with your business, from your very first sample to your next large production order.