Summary:
In the Spring of 2019, Valor, a high-end women’s athleticwear brand, was still just an idea. By early summer, Valor had partnered with Blacksmith to turn their brand idea into a reality. It was essential to Valor that their athleticwear provide superior comfort and be constructed of the highest quality materials. Over the course of a few months, Valor’s premium women’s leggings and sports bras were meticulously designed, skillfully manufactured in China, and swiftly delivered. Despite delays caused by the outbreak of Covid-19, which happened during production, Blacksmith ensured that Valor received their products in time to capitalize on the work-from-home style trend that followed the Coronavirus outbreak.
Problem:
Redgie Smith, founder of Valor, saw an opportunity to launch a high-end women’s athleticwear brand, but he did not know where to start. What Redgie came to learn was that creating an apparel line has a variety of complicated steps, including: creating the proper design files, finding a trustworthy factory, perfecting a product sample, setting up factory agreements and quality standards, managing quality control and production timelines, navigating shipping, and dealing with customs / duties fees.
Solutions:
Product Design & Sampling:
After partnering with Blacksmith, Redgie had immediate access to Nick, Blacksmith’s expert in fitness products. Redgie knew he wanted his first product launch to include leggings and sports bras in three colors. Redgie also knew the type of premium fabric he wanted to use in their construction and was able to provide reference samples. From there, Nick had the product specs professional designed and converted into a production document call a tech-pack. Using Redgie’s reference samples, Blacksmith’s merchandising team on the ground in China was able to find a source for the premium materials in a matter of days. With the product designs and materials ready to go, Blacksmith matched Redgie with several trusted factories in their network to get samples and production quotes. The best factory was chosen, samples were perfected, and production was ready to begin.
Production & Quality Control
Once production started, Blacksmith’s on-site production and quality control experts ensured that the factory maintained the highest level of quality while staying on a tight production schedule. While many factories have their own quality control teams, they are often not reliable when it comes to adhering to your quality standards or timelines. With Blacksmith’s team managing production, Redgie did not have to worry about shady factory practices like switching his approved production materials for something cheaper. Despite the outbreak of Covid-19 during production, Blacksmith’s team in China made sure production was finished by sending some of the work home with quarantined factory employees.
Shipping & Duties:
When production was finished, Blacksmith’s production team ensured the products were properly packaged and consolidated for maximum shipping cost efficiency before transporting them to the port. All customs and import documentation were managed to make sure tariffs were not misapplied. Once the products arrived in the US, they passed customs quickly and were swiftly delivered.
Expanding Valor’s Product Line
After solid growth over the summer of 2020, Blacksmith is already helping Valor develop two new products in-line with the Valor brand including women’s biker shorts and crop-top hoodies. Blacksmith’s brand experts are always working with clients to strategically expand their product lines while remaining consistent to their customer base.
Final Result:
Blacksmith helped transform Valor from an idea to a physical brand selling to consumers in a matter of months. Working with Blacksmith, Redgie got the benefit of a full-service product design house, overseas production and quality control specialists, a trustworthy factory, shipping and logistics management, as well as a professional product expert. Blacksmith’s team of experts ensured that Redgie avoided any costly mistakes that entrepreneurs make when manufacturing overseas for the first time. What started as an idea Blacksmith helped transform into a physical brand selling to consumers in a matter of months.
What to start your own brand, but don’t know where to begin? Blacksmith is here to guide you. Contact us today for a free consultation from one of our product experts.
