We’ve all been here. In a long term relationship, maybe 4 to 5 years or so. Things were going so well in the beginning, but then it all changed and you are wondering if it is time to break-up and look for someone else. What I’m really talking about is a relationship with your manufacturer/ supplier. The rule of the industry has always been to “stick with the devil you know, and not take a chance with the devil you don’t know”. Yet, sometimes it is just time to move on?

Every apparel brand needs suppliers to manufacture their creative products for them. Back in the day apparel brands had sample rooms within the company or even a manufacturing facility that worked with design on making the initial samples. Those days are gone. Thanks to cheaper labor costs overseas, most apparel companies have worked hard to outsource everything to their manufacturer. The manufacturers have taken the responsibility of creating samples from mere specifications of measurement (lots of numbers) as well as the actual product. They have become the transformers of mere ideas into reality. The added value the manufacturer provides has made them ever more valuable in the supply chain.

Time, money, and effort are spent in finding the right manufacturer for your products. Then come the factory visits, audits, terms and price negotiations. The complete process can take up to a year before you can move on to prototyping your products. Then you place your very first order with this manufacturer, keeping your fingers crossed that it goes smoothly. The first order may have a few hiccups, but the product pieces manage to arrive on time and off they go to the retailers. You pat yourself on the back for finding such a great partner, and hope it turns into a long and happy relationship.

We all wish for happily ever after, but it takes only one crisis to jolt us back to reality. It could be repeated delayed deliveries or quality issues; or the simple realization that the one you thought was putting you first is no longer doing so. New apparel brands pop up every year, and some like Under Armour become sensations that grow like they’re on steroids. It used to be that your manufacturer replies to your e-mails within a day, then it is two days, then weeks of no reply. The reality is, you’ve been bumped from the top of the list. Most apparel brands have a long list of manufacturers they have “phased out” or in literal terms blacklisted. Hopefully you have a few suppliers you currently work with, and are not putting all your eggs in one basket. Sometimes it is quite possible to rekindle old flames if both parties work to identify and resolve the reasons why they broke up in the first place.

Love and sourcing are very much alike. We are continuously hopeful that the one we meet is special and can grow with us in our life journey. You’re willing to work together on all your problems and go through the ups and downs of life together. In return of investing your time and energy in developing a long-term relationship, you receive stability and reliability. We all love a happy ending, and through hard work it will come true.