Question 1

What is your process for ordering custom made garments

Accepted Answer

Our process is simple, no technical experience needed. 
 
First, you need to establish the fit. This is accomplished by taking measurements off an existing garment from any brand that fits the way you'd like. 
You can give us the measurements or send us the actual garment. 
There are only 9 point to measure. Please see this blog entry for instructions on how to measure jeans:
https://www.denimmfg.com/post/how-to-measure-jeans
 
If the fit reference garment is not 100% the fit you need, you can change those measurements or give us alteration notes (that you or a tailor can determine, there is no need to alter the garment itself). For example, people who want to make jeans for tall people would send in the measurements of the fit reference pants and add 2 or 3 inches to the inseam. 
 
Second you need to establish your design. For that you can give a picture of any denim garment that matches the wash you'd like to acheive. Along with the wash target, you can give us pictures, drawings or descriptions of the other design details like deconstruction, abrasion...
 
With the above info we will make a sample and send it to you for approval. You will get to approve every aspect of the garment including fabric, fit, trim, stitching, wash, deconstruction and design details. 
 
Sample lead time is 4 to 6 weeks. 
 
Production can be ordered once the sample is approved. 
 
Branded trim like main labels, leather back patches and custom buttons can be ordered at the same time as the production. 
 
Production takes 4 to 5 weeks.

Question 2

How do I order a sample?

Accepted Answer

Ordering jeans and other denim clothing is easy. If you know what style you want to make, select Sample Making from our Home Page, describe what you are looking for and place your order. It's as smple as this. 
We will contact you to gather more details and discuss your project. Your sample should be ready within 4 to 6 weeks depending on how busy our sample room is. 
If you are not sure what you want to make, follow the same steps, you can use an existing garment from any brand to base your fit on.

Question 3

Should I order my branded trim from you or elsewhere?

Accepted Answer

You can choose to have other trim vendors develop and product your branded trim. When the trim production is ready you can have the vendor send it directly to our factory.
That said, if you intend on continuing doing business with us for production, we highly recommend developing all your branded trim with us for the following reasons:
1. Saving time. Customers who have their trim developed and produce elsewhere often see additional delays either because their vendor doesn't deliver on time or their shipment got delayed in customs. For the trim we don't make in house, we order so much, our vendors are pretty much always on time, our business is too important for them. 
2. Saving money. Our initial setup fees for branded trim like main labels, metal jeans buttons and leather back patches may seem higher than others at first. However, the most economical way is to let us handle your branded trim. 
First, our woven labels (main label, back pocket tab...) have a one time setup fee and after that labels are free with every order so there is no need to pay for labels ever. 
Second, when ordering logo buttons with us, there is a fixed shipping and duty fee. Customers who develop their buttons with a button vendor in China may see lower development prices and even lower production prices.However, when time comes to pay the freight bill to ship the buttons, it ends up being way more expensive. 
Same goes for leather back patches, we make those on site, so no shipping charge, no duty, no production delay. 
Our minimums are also better. Because our focus is producing garments, we do not have a minimum on woven labels ot leather back patches. Our custom button minimum is 1 gross (144 buttons).
We highly recommend that if you don't already have your branded trim made, you should order all your developents from us.

Question 4

Do you offer private labeling?

Accepted Answer

There seems to be some confusion about the term 'private labeling'. 
 
People call us asking if we can put their label on existing garments that were not made in our factory. 
 
We only sew labels on garments that we produce for our private label clients. 
Those who are looking to have labels sewn on garments they bought elsewhere should seek a finishing service. A finishing service can sew or change labels, attach buttons and rivets, press the garments, attach hang tags as... 
 
If you are looking for a finishing service to sew your labels on, please send us an email, we will send you a list of a few garment finishing services in Los Angeles.

Question 5

Is the minimum order for each size?

Accepted Answer

Our minimum order per size is 0.
 
Pople often think that since our denim manufacturing minimum is 120 pieces that they can only order 1 size or have to order a sample in each size. This isn't so, you can order any size combination and do not need a sample for every size. 
 
The sample is made in the size you choose. When you order production, the measurements of each size will be based on a grading calculation and a chart showing the measurmetns of each size will be prensented to you for approval prior to starting.

Question 6

How can I get jeans for immediate delivery?

Accepted Answer

We are working on offering white label goods. These are premade garments jeans that come in 3 different washes. The minimum order per style and wash can vary and is indicated on the product's detail page. It's usually 12 or 24 pieces. 
 
The minimum total per order on white label clothing is 120 pieces. 
 
Lead time is 2 to 3 weeks, the goods are delivered with your brand label.

Question 7

What if my project needs a special fabric?

Accepted Answer

We carry many premium denim fabrics in inventory. If a special fabric is needed, we can source it from a local fabric distributor or directly from the mills. We have worked with many specialized fabrics like Cordura reinforced denim and Dyneema nylon denim blends for farming and motorcycle riding apparel, fire retrardant denim, water resitant and others types of specilaized fabrics.

Question 8

Is there a way to make less than the minimum production quantity?

Accepted Answer

Our normal MOQ (minimum order quantity) 120 pieces per style/wash for designs customers submit.

Question 9

Do you do wholesale clothing?

Accepted Answer

What we do is definitely in the wholesale b2b category. We basically wholesale private label apparel production for men, women, kids, plus size... 
As of December 2021 we expanded our offerings from denim, hoodies and t-shirts to basically any garment. You can click on the gateway in the menu above and submit any garment. We will get back to you with LDP air pricing, minimums and lead times within 3 business days.

Question 10

Can you make more than 1000 pieces?

Accepted Answer

We work with 2 factories in Los Angeles, total production capacity 48,000 pieces per month. The factory we work with in Pakistan makes for big brand jeans with a capacity of 400,000+ pairs of jeans per month. There is a small sewing line within that factory that is designed for lower quantities. 
We can accomodate orders of up to 250,000 pieces per month.

Question 11

What if I have my own fabric?

Accepted Answer

We can quote your production without fabric and you can supply your own. You would give us a couple yards so we can test it.

Question 12

What happens to my leftover trim after production is done?

Accepted Answer

We store your branded excess trim in our trim cage for up to 6 months without storage fee. If you want the trim back, you can pickup or we can ship them to you.

Question 13

How do I get started making jeans?

Accepted Answer

Most customers talk to us on the phone to go over the details of ordering samples, production and trim. We discuss the entire process and many ask us to send a recap of the conversation. Here is a typical one:
 
We make jeans, jackets, vests, shorts, skirts, jumpsuits and any other denim related products.
We also make t-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies.
We make for men, women, kids and plus size, tall and petite.
If you choose from our existing pre-sewn inventory the minimum order is 12 or 24 pieces per style, 120 pieces total order.
If you choose from our existing styles that are not pre-sewn, the minimum order is 60 pieces.*60 piece program has been discontinued. 
If you submit your own design (for body, print doesn't matter) the minimum order is 50 pieces.
You can order samples from our website, return them after you inspect and get a full refund, you don't even have to pay for shipping.
Samples for submitted designs are $650 + $300 for each pattern. You get $125 back with a production order of 240 or more pieces.
Samples from our library are $350 each, no need for a pattern. You still get $125 back with a production order. * Library samples has been discontinued.
Trim development can be ordered straight from our website https://denimmfg.com
Most jeans prices vary between $52 and $60 made in USA with MOQ 300, $32 to $38 made in Pakistan with a minimum of 50 pieces. 
We offer dropshipping (includes warehousing) starting at 1000 pieces producrion. Free storage up to 90 days.

Question 14

Do I need to order a sample if I already have a sample made elsewhere?

Accepted Answer

Short answer, yes.
 
One of the worst nightmares in apparel manufacturing is to receive garments that are different that what you ordered.
Privater label clothing guarantees that the production will be the same (within tolerence) as the sample that you approved. If the original prototype was made in a different garment factory, the fabric will most likely be different. This will affect the fit because of different stretch amounts in the denim and the wash will also look different. 
Even if the fabics are the same (in case you supply it), we still need to make a sample to make sure the stitching and construction are going to come out the same as the original sample and have you approve a garment we made and know we can reporduce exactly. 
 
If we didn't make the sample we would not be able to guarantee the production, it's just too risky.
 
The only thing we can use from someone else is a pattern. If you have a 0x0 pattern in .dxf format, you can email it to us and save the pattern making fee.

Question 15

Do you offer free sample redo?

Accepted Answer

For every main sample we offer one redo at a charge of $50 to cover freight and other incidentals. Usually, if a sample needs major fit changes based on fitting notes provided by the customer, we will redo the sample. If the corrections are minor, we note them, adjust the pattern and make sure they come out right for production. If the wash needs correction and a new sample is not needed we make a leg to show the corrected wash. Our priority is for the garments to come out of the production line exactly on spec. 
If a customer needs an additional redo, the fee is $350. So far, no one has had to pay that fee, if it's not right on the first go around, it usually is on the second. We'd like to keep it that way.

Question 16

Do I need a techpack?

Accepted Answer

Short answer no.
 
Long answer, we can create a techpack when we make the pattern. An additional $75 tech pack fee may be charged in some cases.

Question 17

Do you do wash development and denim laundry service?

Accepted Answer

Yes we can develop any wash, all you need to do is give us a picture of a similar wash, we will match it as close as possible. 
 
Please note that changing wash target after the original wash was approved may resut in needing to change the fabric. 
 
We only offer wash development and laundry services as part of our full package production. If you produced your garments elsewhere and need to find a laundry service, please use the contact form and ask for laundries, we will send you a few numbers of denim laundries in Los Angeles.

Question 18

What does TOP mean?

Accepted Answer

TOP stands for Top Of Production. This is a sample that is pulled out of the sewing lines to quickly wash and finish. It is sent to the customer to show what the actual finished production looks like. If the customer finds and issue or wants to make a change, there is still sufficient time to make certain alterations. This method has proven to avoid many issues. 
At Private Label by Mex Apparel we automatically send photo TOPs for every production order. Physical TOP have a fee and take much longer.

Question 19

How do I order a pattern?

Accepted Answer

When you order a sample, on the top right of the screen you can select a pattern.
If you have an existing garment sample to base the body on, please forward the measurements or send it to us, we will scan it to match the measurements and construction exactly. Otherwise we can work from a spec sheet, a sketch or a picture. Our sample technician will contact you to go over the details of the fit you want to achieve.

Question 20

How do I order a sample if I don't have my own branded trim?

Accepted Answer

It takes 4 to 6 weeks to develop a trim package. If your trim isn't ready and you have a deadline to show your samples we can make them with generic trim. You will still be able to show the quality, fit and washes of your garments. Even to take product photos for your website, branded trim isn't necessary.
The minimum trim we recommend to show boutique buyers is to have at least a main label. Main label samples can be obtained in less than 3 weeks. If you start the development process at the same time as ordering your sample, the woven label samples should arrive just in time for us to put on the sample garments. Some customers choose to make heat stamped main labels, these are easy to obtain and we can stamp each garment at the factory.
The important part is to have the branded trim for production. The good news is we only need it at the end of the production process. Even if your production trim arrives 1 week before the day we are to ship the finished garments, there should still be time to put them on without causing delays.

Question 21

What trims should I order for jeans?

Accepted Answer

To the very least we recommend having a main label. That label identifies the jeans as your brand and remains attached to the garment. People who would like a more branded garment can include custom buttons, rivets, leather back patch, hang tag and joker tag. There are also pocket flashers and leg stickers, not very popular these days. Keep in mind that most trim go to the trash when the garment reaches the end user, so less may actually be more... 
If you are manufacturing denim jackets, the minimum trim is still a main label. We recommend a main label and leather back patch.
 
We recommend not ordering custom buttons and rivets on a first order. These are costly items that should be overlooked on a first prodcution run.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions