When dealing with private label clothing manufacturers, it’s important to remember that not all of them will give you the same experience. It’s crucial that you learn how to get the best possible price and terms.
In this article, I will give you a list of platforms to find private label clothing manufacturers and teach you how selling Apparel on Amazon is different from other categories!
Read the full article to also find and learn all about my FREE training on how to negotiate properly with manufacturers!
What are Private Label Clothing Manufacturers?
An Amazon private label clothing manufacturer is a product supplier that produces generic apparel for Amazon sellers to put their own branding on.
Private label clothing manufacturers can be found all over the world, and there are several websites where you can find them and view their catalogs and pricing.
Many private label clothing manufacturers offer mass customization services where they can customize the products to meet your exact specifications and branding requirements like packaging preferences, labeling options, and more. With services like these, you can create a unique product line that is not available anywhere else.
Majority of sellers on Amazon source from China because of access to cheaper products that are still high-quality if you know who to work with.
A potential drawback with manufacturers is the fact that some are strict about selling their products in bulk quantities.
If you are wondering how to start an Amazon FBA business with little money, you can start by finding a manufacturer that allows low minimum order quantities (MOQ), because many are willing to negotiate based on your budget and needs!
List of Reliable Private Label Clothing Manufacturers
First, you need to decide on where you want to source your products from. There are thousands all around the world, but not all of them will be practical when thinking about profit margins.
Most Amazon sellers source their products from China because products are generally cheaper there.
Here are some websites you can start browsing through to find your perfect manufacturer:
Alibaba is one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies that allows businesses to sell products not only to consumers but also to other businesses online.
You can compare products and prices on the website and it is a go-to because unlike other sources, you can still purchase in small quantities on Alibaba.
2. 1688.com
1688.com is a Chinese wholesale website that you can use to search for private label clothing manufacturers and products.
Since the website is entirely in Chinese, you will need an online translator to view the site. You can do this by clicking here, which uses Google Translate to automatically translate from Chinese to English as you browse the website.
Sellers like to use 1688 because they tend to offer more competitive prices than Alibaba, and we all know how important profit margins are when selling online!
Global Sources is a B2B website that provides a lot of information in search results even before clicking product listings.
While hovering over products in search results, you can view:
- How long the supplier has been on the website
- Business type
- Average response time
You can filter search results by exporter, manufacturer, wholesaler, importer, and agent. Also very important, you can filter results by the company certificates that are available. These filters make product research much faster than Alibaba at times.
4. DHGate
There is a major way in how DHGate operates differently compared to other e-commerce sites.
They are not as popular as other sites, but they are worth considering because they only release payments to their supplier once their buyer has received the shipment successfully. This kind of practice can give buyers more ease when purchasing.
This system is helpful in protecting buyers from scammers and also guarantees that suppliers will ship proper, high-quality products.
5. HC360.com
HC360 is a Chinese business-to-business (B2B) ecommerce company that helps connect global buyers with Chinese suppliers.
Just like 1688.com, it is entirely in Chinese, so you will need an online translator to view the site. You can do this by clicking here, which uses Google Translate to automatically translate from Chinese to English as you browse the website.
I do not have experience using HC360 for my business, so I would still recommend that you use the previous options.
However, if you find products that are cheaper on their website compared to other websites and you are willing to give it a try, I highly recommend you learn how to negotiate with suppliers properly, which I will go over in the next section.
I talk about these Alibaba alternatives in my video called The Top 5 BEST ALIBABA ALTERNATIVES!
How Selling Apparel on Amazon Differs From Other Categories
In the chart of FBA fees, the Apparel category has a distinction from other categories.
Below, you can see the recent changes in Amazon’s fees for all categories.
Core FBA Fulfillment Fee Changes (Excluding Apparel category)
Core FBA Fulfillment Fee Changes (Apparel category only)
Core FBA Fulfillment Fee Changes for Dangerous Goods (HazMat)
Benefits of Selling Apparel on Amazon
- You can fit a lot more units of products in shipments than products from other categories
- Clothing is a basic necessity and will always have a market. However, it depends on the style and design of clothing. Consider starting your private label around styles and designs that will be considered wardrobe-essentials.
- It is easy to expand your brand because you can start from simply women’s clothing, to men’s, to children’s, and even get into accessories.
How to Properly Negotiate with Manufacturers
Access my FREE TRAINING on How to Message & Negotiate with Suppliers to Get the BEST Prices!
In my FREE training, you get:
- Best Template To Get The Best Prices From China
- Getting Quotes Quick Without Going Back & Forth
- Saving Time And Being Efficient
- How to Communicate with Suppliers? Skype, WeChat, Whatsapp or Alibaba chat? Help!
The training mainly focuses on negotiating on Alibaba, but you can apply the same principles to a supplier on ANY platform!
Now that you’ve seen my training, let’s discuss some other important things to know:
- Do your homework first.
Before you approach a private label clothing manufacturer, make sure to check their background. Read reviews about them, observe their response time, and study the product catalogs they offer. This can help you decide whether or not they are right for your needs.
2. Don’t be afraid to negotiate for better pricing and terms.
If a private label manufacturer can sense that you are a new seller, they may not be offering you the best deal. To earn more, they may offer prices that are unrealistic and you may end up overpricing your items, which will affect your sales velocity.
That is why taking my free training is so important so that you appear like you already know how to handle negotiations!
3. Get everything in writing.
This will help to avoid any misunderstandings or problems further down the line. Consult your personal attorney over any contracts and make sure you have a clear understanding of what you are agreeing to before signing.
4. Learn about the process of freight forwarding.
Negotiating is only half of the battle. You will be working with your supplier on how they can help you ship your products to your location – don’t forget that you still need to see your products for testing and inspection before you start selling on Amazon!
To make communications easier between you and your supplier when it’s time to ship products, get ahead of the race and start learning about freight forwarding!
Do you already know about FOB vs Ex Works? What Does DDP Stand For? How about Broker vs Freight Forwarder? Amazon Warehouse abbreviations? If all of those things are completely new to you, read up on my articles about them!
Once you are ready to start looking for a logistics company to work with and you’re looking for a freight forwarding company that is reliable for new sellers with reasonable prices, visit my page for reliable Amazon FBA freight forwarding!
We give FREE quotes and you can GET 10% OFF your first shipment!
My goal is to make sure that every shipment arrives on time so that YOU can focus on what you do best — selling your products online!
5. Build a relationship with your supplier.
If there are ever any problems down the line, it’s much easier to work them out when you have a strong relationship with your supplier.
From time to time, find ways to talk about more than just business to help foster trust and better communication, both of which are integral to successful negotiations.
Remember these tips as you negotiate with private label clothing manufacturers, ship out your products, and get ready to start selling on Amazon!
Final Thoughts…
Working with private label clothing manufacturers for Amazon can be a great way to build your own brand and market it.
I hope this article prepared you for where to start, from providing reliable sources to teaching you how to negotiate.
What was your favorite part about my FREE training?
If you already have sourcing experience for other kinds of products, do you know any great suppliers not mentioned in this article that Amazon sellers like me should know about?
Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments down below!