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If you want to find quality clothing suppliers for your boutique store, there are basically 2 types of suppliers to look for:
- Clothing Manufacturer (could also be called Apparel Manufacturer)
- Clothing Wholesaler (could also be called Apparel Supplier)
FindFashion Rep maintains a large collection of brands (which may or may not be the manufacturer) you can browse to find that right line for your store.
If you’re looking for dirt cheap wholesale suppliers, just search Google, you’ll find a ton.
But, if you want a curated selection, then keep reading as I’ll tell you how to find higher quality suppliers on your own.
If you are a planning to open a retail boutique outlet involving clothing, accessories, and jewelry, one of the most important things for your store will be maintaining a fresh supply of brands for your shoppers.
At FindFashion Rep, we maintain a large list of fashion brands (over 4000) by fashion designers from the US and Europe and we are slowly making it available.
Difference Between Manufacturer, Wholesaler, Supplier, and Designer
Before we delve into this article, it’s best to understand the difference between the terms manufacturer, wholesaler, supplier, and designer.
First of all, the clothing supplier is the general term for some entity that can provide you with a supply of apparel or accessory. It could be the designer, the manufacturer, or the wholesaler.
The difference between these terms: designer, manufacturer, and wholesaler is not always apparent and an entity can be all three or just two or just one of these terms.
Let’s look at the designer. This is the person who architects the clothing or accessory. The designer may also be big enough to manufacture their own supply and wholesale it to retailers.
The clothing manufacturer is the one who makes the clothing or accessory. It’s quite possible and common for a designer to contract out the manufacturing of their design to a manufacturer.
The wholesaler is a type of supplier that does not make the clothing or accessory. They buy their supplies in large quantities from the manufacturer so that they can resell it to retailers who may not be able to buy it in large quantities from the manufacturer.
The manufacturer is a type of supplier as well. They make the clothing or accessory and will only sell their lines in large quantities.
The designer is also a type of supplier if they also manufacture their own lines. Large designers may own the manufacturing facility or own the process so no one else has access to it. Thus, they may act as the manufacturer and wholesaler.
Apparel Sales Reps
Apparel sales reps aren’t clothing suppliers, but, they can connect you with one. That’s their job.
When starting off, a brand may act as the clothing wholesaler, manufacturer, and the retailer. It’s tough work when starting off!
Later, as the brand develops, many brands sell through designated apparel sales reps or showrooms who are specialized retailers usually seen by appointment only. They are often former fashion designers themselves and have changed careers to offer consulting services as well.
If you connect with the sales rep, then you can connect with the brand or supplier behind the brand.
You can find sales rep and showroom contact info from our database. These sales reps manage the wholesale (b2b) sales for many brands.
For the retail distribution, the brand or designer may use their sales reps to find retailers to market their clothing or accessory lines.
So, if you’re a boutique retailer looking for some brands to sell, hopefully a sales rep will find you. But, when you’re starting off, they obviously won’t. That’s why you can seek out sales reps and let them know you’re looking. They’ll be glad to meet with you and show you what lines they are selling.
The alternate way to do this is to look at brands you like and then ask the brand how you can buy from them.
For brands starting off with no sales representation, you can often deal directly with the brand or designer behind the brand.
Apparel and Fashion Accessories Trade Shows
Another way to find clothing suppliers or wholesalers is to attend apparel and fashion accessories trade shows where mostly designers and brands get together to showcase their clothing or accessory lines.
In the United States, there are 12 major fashion apparel hubs across the country. Each hub has a territory name and generally includes one or more surrounding states with respect to the fashion trade.
Each hub may have local trade shows you can attend. Trade shows are like goldmines! You can find new brands and designers, manufacturers, sales reps and sales agencies, and much more at trade shows. You can develop contacts and make deals right there on the spot.
Definitely attend a local trade show when starting off in the business. And attend an appropriate trade show to find the right type of apparel supplier. For example, finding mens clothing suppliers can be difficult. Everywhere you go, apparel advertising and marketing is generally geared for female consumers.
So, knowing that the Cobb Trade Show specializes in mens clothing is more beneficial to you than going to most other apparel trade shows. Other trade shows may have mens brands, but, this trade show only has mens brands.
Below, I have summarized a number of apparel trade shows for the 12 fashion hubs across the United States.
Table of Fashion Hubs and Local Fashion Trade Shows
| Territory Name | Areas Included (Can vary) | Fashion Tradeshows |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Georgia, Alabama, South & North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi | COBB Trade Show Atlanta Ultimate Womens Expo Atlanta Shoe Market Great Bridal Expo Atlanta Apparel Mart Atlanta Jewelry Show |
| Boston | Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, upstate New York | New England Apparel Trade Club New England Bride Comes to Life October Show Baystate Wedding & Bridal Expo International Gem & Jewelry Show |
| Chicago | Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio | STYLEMAX Chicago Vintage Clothing & Jewelry Chicago Collective Chicago Ultimate Womens Expo |
| Dallas | Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas | Fashion Industry Gallery Market Dallas Apparel and Accessories Market International Gem & Jewelry Show The Great Bridal Expo Brand Assembly Show Dallas Kidsworld Market Truck Show Addision |
| Denver | Colorado, Utah, Kansas, Maryland, MIssouri. North Dakota, South Dakota | Denver Apparel and Accessory Market Cala Denver Outdoor Retailer Market Champs Trade Shows Outdoor Retailer & Snow Show International Gem & Jewelry Show Rocky Mountain Bridal Show WESA Trade Show Quality Hill Bridal Show Simply Bridal Show Denver Baby & Kids Experience Bridal & Wedding Expo |
| Los Angeles | California, Nevada, Arizona | LA Market Week LA Majors Market LA Ultimate Womens Expo Label Array LA Mens Market California Bridal and Wedding Show LA Fashion Market ODD Market Style Fashion Week A Current Affair LA Swim Collective Trade Show |
| Miami | Florida | Coast Fashion Trade Exhibit Swank Deco Miami Fashion Show Jewelers International Showcase Style Fashion Week International Watch and Jewelry Guild Show |
| Mid-Atlantic | New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, West Virginia | Trunk Show Washington Washington Wedding Experience Mid-Atlantic Fashion Focus Show Internatnional Gem & Jewelry Show Quinceanera Expo Wedding Experience Bridal Fantasy Great Bridal Expo Allure Bridals Trunk Show |
| Minneapolis | Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin | Northstar Fashion Exhibitions UNVEILED – The Ultimate Wedding Planning Event GLW Wholesale Trade Show Forever Bride Market Two Cities Bridal Show Minneapolis Mart Show |
| New York | New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania | Intermezzo Coterie Accessory Circuit Moda Accessories The Show |
| San Francisco | California, Oregon, Nevada | CALA San Francisco Trade Show Womenswear in Nevada Wine, Women, and Shoes Show Fashion Market Northern California DG Expo Berta Trunk Show Tribal & Textile Arts Show Bay Area Wedding Fair Luxe Bridal Show International Gem & Jewelry Show (San Mateo) Trunk Show (Concord) |
| Seattle | Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Alaska | Wine, Women, and Shoes Show Northwest Event How Seattle Wedding Show International Gem & Jewelry Show NW Trend Show — Fridaze – The Original Wrinkle-Resistant Linen Collection Bridal Trunk Show (Washington) NW Trend / Apparel Show NW Womens Show IFAI Fabricators Conference & Showcase Fall 2019 Bellevue Wedding Expo Vogue Knitting Live |
The trade shows listed above include clothing, accessories such as handbags and jewelry, and specialty clothing such as wedding gowns.
Many of the trade shows listed above are organized by the same company and offered in different locations. Below is a list of some of the bigger fashion only trade shows you may be interested in.
Fashion Trade Show Organizers
| Company | Tradeshow | Description |
|---|---|---|
| UBM Fashion | UBM has a multitude of tradeshows across multiple locations including: Las Vegas New York Miami Tokyo | UBM Fashion organizes some of the biggest fashion trade shows such as MAGIC Coterie, FN, PROJECT, and Children’s Club. Their trade shows cover all the major fashion categories for men, women, and children. |
| DG Expo | They have multiple venues of Fabric shows across 5 locations: San Francisco New York City Chicago Dallas Miami | DG Expo offers several fashion trade shows specializing in textiles. |
| InterGem | International Gem & Jewelry Show | InterGem hosts the largest and longest running direct to consumer gem and jewelry show. You can buy direct from the manufacturers or wholesalers at this trade show. |
Details of the Fashion Apparel Trade Shows
COBB Trade Show
Upcoming Show: January 12, 2020 to January 13, 2020
The Cobb Tradeshow is a curated fashion event produced by the Atlanta Apparel Exhibition Group. The show takes place at the Cobb Galleria Centre.
This is the place if you want to find mens fashion brands to supply your store.
Focus: Mens Brands
# of Brands: 600
Show Space: 100,000 sq. ft
AmericasMart Apparel Shows
Upcoming Show: January 28, 2020 to February 1, 2020
AmericasMart Apparel Shows are at multiple times throughout the year including: January, April, June, August, and October for apparel.
AmericasMart has trade shows for gifts and home furnishings too. So, I’ve weeded that out and provided info specific to apparel.
They also have specialty shows in:
March – Bridal
August – Prom
September – Bridal
Location: 230 John Portman Blvd NW, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States
Phone: +1 800-285-6278
# of brands: Up to 1000
Atlanta Shoe Market
Upcoming Show: February 15 to 17, 2020
Phone: 706-923-0580
Location:
Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, Georgia
2 Galleria Pkwy SE, Atlanta, GA 30339, United States
Southeastern Shoe Travelers Association manages the “Atlanta Fashion Shoe & Accessory Market” held twice a year in Atlanta, Georgia. This show directly follows the New York FFANY Show and is generally held in December and June.
Like the Cobb Trade show, this is held at the Cobb Galleria Centre
Focus: Footwear
New England Apparel Trade Shows
Upcoming Show: January 12, 2020 to January 15, 2020
Location:
DCU Center
50 Foster Street
Worchester, MA
Phone (show organizer): (781) 326-9223
The New England Apparel Club (NEAC) organizes several shows in New England including Worchester, Manchester, Hyannis, Portland, and New York.
Like most trade shows, this is geared towards Womens Apparel and Jewelry.
Stylemax
Upcoming Show: January 26, 2020 to January 28, 2020.
Phone: 800.677.6278
Stylemax is an apparel trade show in Chicago, Illinois.
Please feel free to comment below if you think I missed something like a trade show or another type of supplier.
