Host Heather Zager talks about manufacture in this final episode of her four-part series called Concept to Customer. This is the fourth of the most common areas of confusion or misunderstanding among new designers, areas that Heather wants to demystify. Having already covered design concepting, material sourcing, and size and fit, she now discusses manufacturing. She explores what manufacturing is, what types of manufacturers are available, and imparts advice and all the necessary details about getting a product to the manufacture stage.
Manufacturing is the process of putting the garments together into complete products. Mass manufacturing involves machines because machines are generally considered to be faster than humans. Heather breaks down all the things needed to have a successful mass manufacturing run, what a tech pack is, why a complete tech pack is so important, and the differences between a factory, a manufacturer, and an agency. Each of these steps can be a point of confusion which is why Heather explains them in detail here.
What is the difference between small-batch manufacture and large-scale production? Which is better in what circumstance? Heather answers these questions from experience and with a detailed explanation of how each works. She also gets into the five most common misconceptions about manufacturing that she encounters. Can manufacturers sew anything? Do you need to share confidential design information with them? Do you need to sew samples for each new design? These questions are why Heather and MADE Apparel Services are here, and why this episode is so important for designers to grow.
About Heather Zager | MADE Apparel Services Founder and Owner
Heather Zager found her calling when she signed up for a beginning pattern-making course and realized she had a passion for technical design. She subsequently enrolled in the Apparel Design and Development program at Seattle Central College and graduated two years later with her Associate of Applied Science Degree.
After graduation, she began working with Meta assisting in developing and designing augmented and virtual reality wearable tech gear. In 2020, MADE Apparel Services was born with the idea of helping makers, inventors and designers bring their own sewn product ideas to manufacture. Since then, she has worked with various businesses such as Santa’s Tailor, Feathered Friends, Wolfpack Gear and Classic Accessories, helping them achieve their goals in design, development, pattern making, sewn construction and manufacture.
Today, Heather continues to grow her knowledge and share her experiences with others to bring their visions to reality.
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