Are you an emerging brand looking to launch a new collection? An influencer keen to create a line of merch your followers will love? Or a creative director looking to quickly sample new prototypes? No matter who you are, you're united by a vision: to manifest your brilliant idea into reality, create a killer product that excites and amazes your customers, and make money.
But, even if you’ve done this a hundred times before, you share the same frustrations and challenges. What styles are hot right now? Where do I begin getting a sample made? And how do I maintain the quality of my collection when my supplier is hundreds (or thousands) of miles away?
You're not alone - this process is difficult. There are many moving parts to get right, requiring industry connections or expertise. But what if I told you that you could focus on what you do best - creating and selling - and someone else could manage everything in between and save you time and money? At Melengo, this is our mission.
Create a Design that Sells
So you have an idea for a trendy t-shirt graphic or a head-turning pattern you want to see on a hoodie, but how do you know if a product will actually sell? Just because you love an idea doesn't mean the world will. Launching a new product is both a time and financial investment, so you’ve got to make sure you’re choosing the right design to launch from the start.
As a tech platform, Melengo has access to a ton of data from brands and independent designers. We know what's on-trend, what's selling, and what's not. That means we can provide valuable feedback during the ideation phase and help you move in the right direction with your creative vision. The alternative? Dropping a small fortune on a trend consultant or pushing an idea to market to test it out, only to have it tank - both of which are avoidable.
Our team of industry experts are also great to bounce ideas around with. For example, one of our clients, Daniel Patrick - a luxury streetwear brand owner with a celebrity following that includes Justin Bieber, Steve Aoki, and Bad Bunny - was in close contact with us daily when creating his new line and valued the open and honest feedback we gave him.
Perfect Your Sample
Now that you've got your winning idea and a clear design vision, it's time to create a sample. The sampling stage can often be a time-consuming and expensive process. It's common to go through three to six samples (sometimes many more) per design to land on something you're not just satisfied with but obsessed with. But you can't skip this step - without a sample, there's no way to move forward to bulk production or scale your business.
Finding a factory that aligns with your brand values isn't too taxing (unless you're creating a bespoke garment), but managing the entire sampling process can be a full-time job. You've got to always keep in mind your target market and make sure the fabric, construction, and quality of your samples are on point. It's all too easy to miss an incorrect stitch color, sign off a trim that doesn't suit the garment, or choose a fabric that just isn't wearable in the way your customer expects it to be.
Melengo provides you with software that manages this entire process, from concept to commercialization, for a fraction of the cost. Our team has in-depth knowledge of fabrics, trims, the construction process, and what's working in different markets. We have a selection of in-stock materials, trims, and decorative options for you to choose from, and we can mail you fabric swatches. Better still, we can get a finished sample into your hands within two weeks thanks to our world-class sample house. It's easy to message our experts through the platform and receive real-time feedback on your designs.
Keep going until you've got a garment you love in your hands.
Manage Bulk Production
Once you're smitten with your sample, the final step is to move to bulk production. Poor quality, accidental mistakes, and delays are common challenges that brands deal with every day (I’ve been there, done that, and literally bought all the t-shirts). If your suppliers are overseas, there are time differences, language barriers, and cultural differences to contend with, too.
However, if you're working for a large multinational brand, you have a lot more power than an independent creator producing a small collection of 100 pieces. So, how do you know you can trust a supplier to manufacture your clothing line with high quality and care and deliver it on time, without physically being there in person?
Create a Tech Pack
First, if you're looking to produce a more custom design, we'll help you create a tech pack, which serves as a blueprint for your final garment. Not having a proper tech pack can significantly slow down the production process. It contains a visual flat-lay and technical and design details about your product, which helps to convey your design clearly to a manufacturer.
Choose a Manufacturer
Why take a massive gamble on something you're pouring blood, sweat, and tears into when you can work with a manufacturer you trust? Melengo has a vetted network of world-class manufacturers across the USA, Asia, and Latin America to suit all budgets and markets. You can choose your preferred region, and we'll match you with the right supplier for a winning dream team.
Receive Real-Time Updates
We will keep you in the loop with real-time updates over the 4-5 weeks it takes to complete production. Our team has their boots on the ground to oversee the entire manufacturing process and keep things on track. This means that your project will be prioritized, without you sending passive-aggressive emails to suppliers that fall on deaf ears, or springing for expensive overseas visits.
Through the platform, tasks will be assigned to you when there's action to take, removing any friction in communicating directly with the supplier. Reviewing an update and providing feedback takes around 30-60 minutes, saving you precious time.
Quality Control
We coordinate regular inspections for quality control and provide a quality guarantee to all our customers. Once your products are ready to ship, we'll also take care of the logistics and ensure they arrive at your third-party logistics company or warehouse.
More Time to Focus on What You Do Best
Even if you are managing all these steps and doing a great job (props to you), think about how many hours it nibbles out of your day or week. Managing the sampling and production side of a clothing line is a full-time gig, and it steals you away from running your business. Plus, the pricing that we offer brands to go from concept to finished collection is cheaper than if you were to handle the sourcing, sampling, and manufacturing yourself, saving you money that can be invested elsewhere in your business.
By using technology to streamline the complicated parts of the design and manufacturing process, Melengo enables you to focus on what you do best. Whether that's being creative and developing innovative garment ideas or diffusion lines, leading your marketing and sales campaigns, or collecting deposits from buyers. We've got your back, and we're invested in your success.
Are you ready to create? Join Melengo today.
