Guide to Apparel and Accessories Industry Information

The apparel industry is an exciting profession. It's creative, stylish and even glamorous to see others wearing your designs. Maybe you have the ideas, an eye for detail and the designs to create authentic apparel and accessories. However, jump-starting a fashion company takes more than passion and the ability to create. It also takes knowledge of the apparel industry and more importantly, the apparel industry market.

The retail apparel industry is a competitive and sometimes unstable business. Trends are here today and gone tomorrow. So it helps if you equip yourself with as many resources to help you roll with the tide. Here are several tips.

1. Whether you are interested in the accessories industry or apparel, it is important to research your market. Investigate the trends and discover the business side of fashion from the inside out. Research market research companies to determine your demographic.

2. Complete a thorough analysis of the fabrics, hardware and materials you will need so you won't have too much surplus on your hands.

3. Find retail outlets to sell to the apparel industry market.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Prepare for apparel industry success

Utilizing market research data, forecast what your business will look like 1 year to 3 years from now. Take into consideration where you live and customer demand. Not every design is a hit in every city and not every trend sticks around for 3 years, so be flexible while remaining true to your creativity.

I recommend: Organize your thoughts for execution with a business plan. There are several templates out there to help. Download a free template from Scribd. It does a great job explaining each section. Formatted as a MS Word document, complete your apparel industry market plan and upload it for feedback from the Scribd community. Get great apparel industry resources in pattern making and standard sizing information from Fashiondex. Obtain market research data from Plunkett Research.

Find a manufacturer with apparel and accessories industry resources

The retail apparel industry thrives from the availability to produce unique items in bulk. Research manufacturers will reproduce designs to your specifications at a low price.

I recommend: Check the apparel industry directory at Apparel Search.  The National Register publishes a directory of manufacturers in the apparel and accessories industry. Available in hard cover, CD or online access, this resource is used by Fortune 500 companies and start-ups alike. In addition, check out the free trial at Selectory where you can research a variety of apparel manufacturers.  Find apparel industry news, guides and directories at Apparel or Women's Wear Daily,

Obtain retail space for the apparel industry market

One of the inexpensive ways to obtain retail space is to build a website. With no overhead, showcase a few pieces and sell them online. You don't have to be an expert to build a website. Many computer programs have templates to help you create a simple online experience.

I recommend: Open a PayPal account for your website. If building a website is too much of a hassle for you, there are online retailers such as ApparelLink that will create and host your website for a small fee. Visit PartnerUp, a database for commercial real estate, and browse what is available in your area if you're wanting a storefront to display your apparel items.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Remember that customer service is key. Don't promise what you can't deliver. Contingency plans are always beneficial and evaluating new apparel information will help you make quality decisions to help your business grow.

The official source of Apparel and Accessories Industry Information is
the Apparel and Accessories Industry Information page at Business.com