Your Product from Vision to Reality

Heads up wanna-be-manufacturers: You have a dream product you know will be a wow with retailers and their clients but how do you get it from your head to the world? You contact Source My Garment, a company that bridges the gap between designers in North America and manufacturers and factories overseas. The brainy team of Source My Garment associates can provide you with the whole shootin’ match — everything from the hows and whys of fair trade and ethical manufacturing to concept, labeling and packaging, to ways to save money and grow your business as you want it to. Think of this company as the professional hedge that keeps you from being overwhelmed and missing deadlines making you sane AND profitable. Want mentoring? It can be yours. How about support when and where you need it? That’s also covered.

The company is the brainchild of founder Adila a.k.a.“Dee” Cokar who has worked in companies in Canada and the U.S. In 2003, Cokar launched Shortstak Boyswear, nominated for Most Innovative New Company by Earnshaws magazine. In 2007 she created the eco-friendly clothing line Pure Blankz Organic Fashion which was recognized by Apparel Magazine as one of the Top Innovators of the year. Dee believes in the triple bottom line: profit, planet and people. The newest addition to her agenda involves travelling to different parts of India where she will interview the people behind the clothing, taking video footage of workers, owners and people in factories as everyone is different. The resulting videos will be available to all in May 2015.

Currently the company offers online pricing templates and budgets, customizable Excel templates to keep you on target, and Tech Packs so that you can communicate your vision effectively. You can avail yourselves of a Fitting Follow-up Sheet as well as Cut and Size Ticket Form, all at reasonable prices. Read the company blog to learn from others’ errors, to understand why sampling overseas may be low-cost but it’s often a bad idea, and why most clothing labels are very misleading. Dee works with a highly experienced team that includes a Vietnam-based Product Development Manager, a Product Manager who is a history buff, and a Technical and Design Manager who is mad about potatoes. Together, this talented team has the skills to bring your vision to reality.

Not content with simply helping Americans realize their manufacturing goals, Source My Garment also gives back big time. Among the non-profits they support are: Kiva, that enables people too poor to deal with a traditional bank arrange for micro-financing; Free2Work that addresses forced and child labor; and Textile Exchange to encourage sustainable growing practices.

Want more? Get on board at www.sourcemygarment.com