How to create you own shoe brand and choose the right factory
Having you own shoe brand, created in a shoe factory of your choice is for many of us as dream. Either you are starting a new company or you are already involved in the fashion business, launching something with your name for sure at some point has already been in you mind.
I will go straight to the point and let you know creating you own shoe brand isn’t the easiest of the processes and shoe factories are not easy to deal, although the rewards after achieve this can exceed even your best expectations.
Create your business plan | Choosing a Shoe Factory
First step is to make the plan how you will give life to your idea and make money with it. Basic steps are define the market you are selling to shoes:
– What demographic stats define them;
– The price your market is willing to pay;
-Type of shoes the market look for;
– The materials they look in a shoe.
Then define how will sell your shoe brand. Online, in a brick and mortar store, both, only B2B…
Then plan how will call the attention of your consumers, will you advertise online, using social media, have a website, going door to door, local markets…mix all of these and you are one step closed to succeed.
After having your plan defined you need to find a shoe factory willing to work with you. This can be quite a challenge, since many shoe manufacturers prefer to work already stablished brands. However, this isn’t impossible and the best way to show them you know your business is understand how the process of creating your shoe evolves.
Tech Pack | choosing a shoe factory
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In order for the shoe factory be able to understand what you have in mind you must pass it to “paper”. Write down with images or drawing the design you want and what materials do you want to use. Is important to declare to the shoe factory that you are open to hear what they to offer already in terms of designs in materials and this is usually one of easiest ways to start.
Another important step in this phase is give to the shoe manufacturer an idea of what is you target price. How much are you willing to pay for the shoe? This is important to establish as this will help you decide the region you want to manufacture your shoes (asia for the cheaper and less quality, Europe for more the expensive and better quality. Furthermore, is important for you to share with shoe factory the price you have in mind as this will help your supplier to advise the best way to achieve it with the correct choice of materials.
The Last of your Shoe | Choosing a shoe factory
The last of the shoe is what give shape to it. The shoe manufacturer when making your shoe will use this last to “build” the materials on top of it. Although many can believe the last is produced by the shoe factory this is not correct. Lasts are made by specifically manufacturers specialists in this art. The development of a specifically collection of lasts just for you can cost around you the 500€. You will need at least 5 lasts per size.
Find the right sole | CHOOSING A SHOE FACTORY
Sourcing the outsole for your shoes might be considered one of the main challenges you will face. First thing you will decide is if you want to develop your own outsole. This is usually not recommended if you are a small business and a very young brand as the costs to have develop your own molds will never be less than a 10 000€ investment.
My honest recommendation is to start with already developed shoe molds. Shoe soles factories are able to provide you catalogs of the soles they available. The variety can be quite significant in the biggest soles suppliers, although sometimes is hard to reach and have them replying as they usually like to work with already established brand or directly with shoe factories.
the right materials | Choosing a shoe factory
When choosing the materials to develop your shoe brand is important to understand shoes is a very sensitive product that are constantly being tested, teared and forced. A mistake we see from fashion brand that never manufactured shoe is the believe the same material used for t-shirts or other garments can also be used for shoes. This is completely wrong and is something the shoe factories should advise you beforehand.
Is the role of a shoe factory advise you the best kind of materials to use in the type of shoe you want. However, you should also be advised shoe factories only would be able to advise about materials they have previously worked with. So if you are trying a new material you would need for sure to prototype the shoes and the different materials that come with.
In terms of costs you probably would need to pay physical tests and maybe chemics test to be sure that all will be functional. Additionally, you would need to test yourself and give it to friends and family to understand the how comfortable they can be.
The development costs at for this phase can cost you starting at 500€ and can go until 100 000€, depending on the level of perfection you want to achieve.
Start simple and grow from there | Choosing a shoe factory
https://treec.pt/private-label-create-your-brand-shoe-manufacturer/My best advice for those you are starting is start as simpler as possible. Once you start looking for a shoe factory you will soon understand how challenge It will be for you. In order to save you time and money you should start by put your label in models and with materials already tested and ready to go.
Treec Footwear is a convenient partner for small to medium sizing brands looking for a shoe factory as is focused on giving a opportunity of manufacturing shoes with your brand starting at very low minimum order quantities.
Additionally, in 6 weeks time would be able already to be selling the shoes with your own brand and test your market without spending much on developments.
Check here the privale label shoe options of Treec Footwear.
