Kathleen started production patternmaking in 1981. Starting in 1993, she began providing consulting and engineering services to manufacturers, small companies, and startups with an emphasis on developing owner-operator domestic cut-and-sew operations. In 2015 she opened a 5,000 sqft. fully equipped sewing factory: The Sewing Factory School. Kathleen is the author of The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing, the most highly rated book of any topic in the garment industry. She's been mentioned numerous times in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, National Public Radio, Boston Globe, LA Times, Vogue, French Vogue and has at least 15 Project Runway alums at last count. Kathleen writes nearly all of the articles on Fashion-Incubator.com and hosts its forum, the largest private online community for apparel manufacturers on the web.
In the summary post, I’d placed Sourcing second but it should be first. Reason being, if you can’t find the fabric or materials for your product (and forget buying at retail), you may as well pack it in. Failing to source first is the biggest pain point and reason for cost over runs in start up enterprises.…
In writing the sourcing segment of my Boot Camp F2016 round up, I discover I should have written about using jobber fabric well before now. If you’re not sure what a jobber is, cribbing from this entry:
A jobber is a fabric supplier who sells mill ends (also called over runs), odd lots and seconds.
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The most recent apparel manufacturing boot camp, making children’s coats for donation to needy kids, was dramatically successful. In 4 days with 22 people, we made 100 coats in 2 colorways and 5 sizes. The differences between this last event versus our first, are so great that I’m not sure where to start.…
Whew, running this sewing factory is a full time job (contact me if you’re looking for a sewing factory). No wonder my posting suffers.
I’d meant to post this weeks ago but registration for the Fall 2016 Apparel Manufacturing Boot Camp is open.…
Traditionally, each sewing machine in the factory has a side table that is placed alongside the machine. This is where work in process is placed. I had a difficult time finding any tables of the size I wanted, at a price I was willing to pay and I also had the problem of moving small, cut pieces around the factory in such a way that they would not be lost or soiled.…
