Perhaps one of the most difficult issues facing the manufacturer is the choice of which fabrics to use.  Choose an "off the shelf" fabric and we can get a pretty good price, but then we face the likelihood that other manufacturers will be using the same fabric.  Secondly, if we buy enough fabric to make our samples, we face the dilemma of whether there will enough fabric still be available when we are ready to produce our garments?  Many a manufacturer has had to face the wrath of an angry retailer wanting to place an order or reorder only to be told that the fabric is no longer available.  Sometimes the retailer will allow us to substitute fabrics, most often they will not and end up canceling the order.

If we were to walk through the garment district we would see store after store of "jobbers' selling fabrics of every type, texture, and color.  These jobbers purchase their fabrics in bulk as "close outs" from mills and then sell them to manufacturers in smaller lots.  Due to the nature of the product, the amount of a specific fabric that is available can vary from fifty to several hundred yards.  If it is a fabric that is available all the time, we won't have a problem getting the fabric, but might have problems making our garments look unique. If it's a fabric that is not readily available, we might have to purchase hundreds of yards up front to insure that it is available to us, even before knowing if we are going to have enough orders to warrant even produce that style.  This can be, and often is, a huge financial commitment.  So, how can we, as manufacturers, insure that our garments are unique looking?  We can do so by combining prints and solids in unique ways, and create unique detailing that sets our goods apart from the competition.

Jobbers provide a valuable service and are one of the key reasons that small Los Angeles based manufacturers can effectively compete.  The ability for jobbers to stay in business though, depends upon the continued success of small to mid-size manufacturers that continue to produce locally.  The fate of LA based manufacturing, and the 100,000+ plus jobs that support that manufacturing, is dependent upon the development of strong, savvy, financially viable businesses  The FBI works daily to provide manufacturers with the business knowledge they need in order to not only survive, but to prosper in this volatile and oftentimes unforgiving industry.

First Published 7/20/2004