Dear Andy,
I have created a line of children’s clothes which I am trying to manufacture. Manufacturing is a new venture for me and a friend has encouraged me to try and show them at a local mega-market the end of March. I’m not sure if this is possible but I’m going to try.
My original designs were constructed from fleece fabrics and ribbons/trims from Hancock’s and Jo-Anne’s (retailers). Here are my questions:
1. How do I find Jo-Anne’s, Hancock’s Wholesale contacts (Or other fleece wholesalers)?
2. Where do I go for care labels and company name labels that’re affordable, classic/simple?
3. I have located a few commercial sewers in the Dallas metroplex thru the Yellow pages….do you have any other recommendations of where to find made in USA sewers?
4. I am looking for ribbons and trims wholesale….any suggestions?
Any other advice I would welcome.
JRLC

Dear JLRC: These are good questions, in that I have the answers to most of them, so without further delay, here we go…….
1-there are several very good wholesale fabric trade shows that you should attend. Next week in Las Vegas, during the MAGIC show(wholesale apparel), they are having an area for fabrics. Visit www.fabricshow.com to sign up. In Miami Beach, March 16-18, will be the Material-World Show. Visit www.material-world.com. That show is only fabrics. The MAGIC folks also do two fabric shows a year in New York, called the International Fashion Fabric Expo.
2-search the Internet for labels, or ask some of the companies you meet at the “fabric” shows. We found www.namelabels.com to be a nice web site.
3-Sewers: We get this question often. Visit www.seams.org. They have a list of almost every commercial sewer in the USA. Do YOUR part to keep, Made in the USA, an important part of our economy!
4-Ribbons and trims: There are thousands of companies selling these products both online and direct. You’ll find some exhibiting at the trade shows listed in question 1.
Good Luck, Andy