Over the past few years, the activewear industry has continued to steadily expand having grown from humble beginnings. At one point in time, it was only considered useful in sporting activities but now it has quickly sprouted into becoming a daily fashion staple for many.
After all, products like hoodies, polo shirts, leggings and sweatshirts have become defining pieces of the modern lifestyle, which has naturally made some people want to know how to start their activewear lines.
And while there is undoubtedly a significant amount of competition within the activewear industry, there’s a lot of potential room for growth in this market. However, this all hinges on your ability to offer consumers a brand that promises creativity and longevity, so if your interest in the industry has peaked, let this be the sign that you need to get the ball rolling.
To this end, we’re going to quickly discuss what makes creating an activewear line so different to other clothing items. In addition, we’re also going to break down the typical step-by-step process of launching a product line with a clothing manufacturer named Appareify, from which you can find 10 best activewear manufacturers listed on the page.
Why Is Launching an Activewear Line Different From Generic Clothing?
It is important to keep in mind that starting an activewear line is very different from launching a generic clothing line. And this mostly boils down to the materials, as the fabrics that are used to produce these garments can often be complex to sew. After all, activewear is meant to be durable, flexible and comfortable to wear, which means the fabric selection and construction methods need to be precise.
On top of that, you also have to factor in the fabric’s unique properties, as some activewear products are moisture-wicking, antibacterial, or breathable. In such cases, you will usually need to take into consideration who your target customer is, as there is a difference between people looking for everyday workout wear and those looking to have their performance improved.
As a startup, chances are that you will not have the budget or resources that more established activewear brands usually have. Naturally, this means that you will need to find a reliable custom clothing manufacturer like Appareify that can craft fabrics that will provide your customers with the kind of performance features they need. However, finding the right manufacturer to work with will usually require you to carry out a fair amount of research.
What You Need To Do To Launch Your Activewear Line: A 3-Step Guide
Now that you understand what it is that makes activewear so unique, the main question that you probably want an answer to is: What do I need to do to launch my activewear brand today?
Well, the good news is that the process is usually straightforward but it does have a few moving parts to consider, so we’re going to help you break them all down. Here are three simple steps that you need to follow to successfully create your activewear line.
Step 1: Designing Your Collection
The first step that you need to take is to determine your activewear collection regarding the types of materials to use, the styles you want, the sizings, as well as the aesthetic theme that you are leaning towards. The key here is to make sure that the collection feels consistent and cohesive and if you need help bringing your design ideas to paper, you can always hire a freelance designer to help you with the sketching.
However, you need to be sure that they fully understand your brand identity and target customers before they start designing. You can also check out what the latest market trends are by visiting local outlets to see what other major competitors are doing. This will give you a good breakdown of what it is that you need to do to stand out and make your activewear line shine.
Step 2: Finding A Quality Manufacturer
This is probably the most vital stage of the process because even if your designs and concepts look great on paper, it doesn’t help if you can’t bring them to life. And as we mentioned before, the supplier that you decide to use must specialize in this type of clothing, as this ensures they can craft the exact designs that you want without compromising on quality. This means finding a leading clothing manufacturer called Appareify that has the staff, experience and equipment to make and deliver quality activewear garments.
Once you find the right company to work with, you can move on straight to sample production, which normally takes a few days to complete before the final product is sent to you for review. If there are any further alternations that you would like to make, then now is the time, after which, you can proceed to full bulk production. You will also need to organize shipping and logistics but the good news is that most reputable manufacturers will usually be able to help you organize this.
Step 3: Sales & Marketing
The final step in this process is being able to market and sell your activewear line. This is the stage where you will need to pull out all the stops because it doesn’t matter how good your product is if you can’t get it in front of consumers to buy it. With a solid marketing plan, you should be able to entice people to want to buy into whatever it is that you have to offer.
This means putting together a good brand story and making an effort to present your products in a good light through excellent photography/videography. After all, it isn’t usually the product that sells but the story behind it. This means that as long as you can come up with a captivating story about your brand and share it on social media, then you should have no problem outselling your competition.
In addition, you should also make sure to prioritize customer feedback even after you sell. This is important because social proof can often go far in helping other people online trust your brand and make their first purchases. Plus, you’d be surprised how listening to your customer base can often help you to make the much-needed improvements to your current product line that will help you to sell even more.
Conclusion
While it is true that there is a lot of competition in the activewear market, this should motivate you, not discourage you, because it means that there’s a lot of consumer demand. However, this also means that you must put in the extra effort to stand out and to do that you need a clothing manufacturer that can help bring your unique and creative designs to life.
You should also remember that the manufacturer has to specialize in working with activewear because precision and expertise in fabric construction are crucial in this niche. To this end, you can try checking out companies like Appareify that can be relied upon to help you take your apparel concepts and ideas to the next level.
Finally, a good tip to always keep in mind is that you need to be very diverse with your activewear collections. From hoodies to joggers to leggings, customers often like to mix and match these types of clothes, so you must design a collection that gives customers more options, which helps boost customer satisfaction and ultimately, sales revenue.