Don't Start a Clothing Brand
We did it anyway.
The title is pretty self-explanatory, don’t start a clothing brand. Let me explain why.
Commoditization
At times it feels like there are more people with clothing brands than those without. Though this is not true, clothing is a commodity, and clothing “brands” have become a commodity as well.
Commoditization is the process of converting a product or service into a commodity, allowing suppliers to compete mainly on price as opposed to distinct features. This often involves standardizing the product to be interchangeable with others in its category, emphasizing affordability and accessibility. Commoditization can increase market liquidity, making buying and selling straightforward and creating more cash flow in trade. However, it also raises challenges for small producers due to its focus on low-cost mass production.
Often times I ask myself,
“How have brands become a commodity?”
The answer is simple, the barrier to entry is low. If the barrier to entry to start a space transportation and satellite ISP company were low, there would be many, many more. It’s easy if you think about it:
Create a half-baked design.
Screen print said design on blanks purchase for $8-$15 per garment.
Profit (charge $120 for it).
This not only damages the little trust customers have in said brand, but also ruins their faith in brands with a good product that take time and effort to develop.
The Uncertainty in Manufacturing
If your brand has “graduated” from blanks onto cut and sew manufacturing (in the States or overseas), congratulations! You have moved into the next level of pain. Endless WhatsApp arguments, language barriers, quotes that give you the blues, and sometimes incompetence (depending on the manufacturer). This process alone will be enough for you to call it quits. Did I mention tariffs? Don’t even try to set release dates if you don’t have clothing in hand, you might miss a QA check and everything needs to be remade (speaking from experience).
Inability to Pay Yourself
Are you trying to grow your business or do you want to get paid? No, these two things are not oxymorons, but if you are running a growing e-commerce business as we are, you know that most of the profits go back into buying more inventory. This can be a never ending cycle for longer than one may expect. Can you withstand the business making money, but you personally making next to nothing?
We Did it Anyway
In spite of these negatives, we are doing it anyway. Can we turn the negatives into positives? Can we stand out in a saturated market? Do we have the ability to insource as much as possible? Are we even doing the right thing? Do we have to pivot? I’ll leave it up to our FATE.