White label clothing is a ready-made garment from a factory’s existing range that you sell under your own label. Private label clothing is made to your own design and specification, for your brand only. White label is faster to start and needs less development work; private label gives you control over design, плат, fit and exclusivity.
What is the difference between white label and private label clothing?
The difference between white label and private label clothing is who designs the garment and who else can sell it. A white label garment is a pre-made product that you buy and rebrand, and the same garment can be sold by other retailers, including your competitors (Източник). With white label, your choice is limited to what the supplier already makes.
A private label garment is made by a third-party manufacturer for one brand.
There is a third model between the two: ODM, or original design manufacturing. In ODM, the factory develops the garment design, and brands buy it and sell it under their own label (Източник).
White label vs private label vs ODM: how do they compare?
White label, private label and ODM differ mainly in design ownership, fabric choice and exclusivity. The table compares the three models side by side.
| Фактор | White label | Private label | ODM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design ownership | The supplier’s design | Вашият дизайн; confirm rights in the contract | The factory’s design, unless the contract assigns it to you |
| Fabric choice | Fixed by the supplier | You choose fabric, composition and weight | From the factory’s options; changes by agreement |
| Брандиране | Your labels and packaging on a stock garment | Full branding: етикети, гарнитури, отпечатъци, опаковка | Your labels and packaging on the factory’s design |
| Минимуми | Set by each supplier | Set by each supplier | Set by each supplier |
| Development effort | Lowest: no new pattern | Highest: технически пакет, pattern and full sampling | Medium: the base design already exists |
| Exclusivity | None: other sellers can sell the same garment | Yours alone, if the contract says so | Not exclusive unless the contract says so |
How do I start a private label clothing brand with an Indian factory?
To start a private label clothing brand with an Indian factory, define your product, write a tech pack, get a quote, approve samples, and then place the bulk order. Follow these steps in order:
- Define the product. Decide the garment type, your target price, your sales channel and the size range.
- Write a tech pack. A private label tech pack is the instruction file for the factory. It holds a sketch, a measurement chart for every size with tolerances, the fabric composition and тегло на тъканта (GSM), гарнитури, stitch and seam details, and where each label and print goes.
- Ask for a quote. Send the private label tech pack to the factory and ask for the price, the minimum per style and per colour, and what the price includes.
- Approve samples. Private label production starts only after the samples are approved. The sampling stages are explained in the next section.
- Agree the terms in writing. Put the approved sample, quantities by style, colour and size, етикети, опаковка, price basis and payment terms in the purchase order.
- Check labelling rules. Garment labels carry fibre content, care instructions and country of origin. The exact labelling rules depend on the market where you sell.
How does sampling work with a clothing manufacturer?
Sampling with a clothing manufacturer is a sequence of approval samples: прото, годни, комплект размери, pre-production and TOP. The buyer approves each sample before the factory moves to the next stage.
- Proto sample: the first prototype of a new design. A proto sample shows the style and the garment structure (Източник). It does not need final fabric or exact measurements.
- Подходяща проба: made with the actual measurements once the proto is approved, and tried on a live model or a dress form to check fit and fall (Източник). The pattern is corrected until the fit is right.
- Size set sample: made after the fit sample is approved and the pattern is graded, to check the fit in different sizes (Източник).
- Предварителна продукция (ПП) проба: the first sample made on the factory’s actual production line. Bulk production starts only when the brand approves the PP sample (Източник).
- ТОП мостра: на top of production sample is a few pieces taken from the line after bulk production starts. The TOP sample shows whether bulk production matches the approved PP sample. Not every buyer asks for a TOP sample (Източник).
A white label order needs fewer samples, because the white label garment’s design and pattern already exist. For white label, check one sample with your own labels and packaging before bulk production.
Which should I choose: white label, private label or ODM?
Choose white label for the fastest, simplest start, private label for a product that is fully yours, and ODM when you want a factory design with your branding.
- White label suits testing a market or adding basic styles, when exclusivity does not matter.
- Private label suits a brand built on its own fit, fabric and design, and a brand that needs a product no one else can sell.
- ODM suits a brand that wants more choice than white label but less development work than private label.
To see how we run a range under your label, read about our private label clothing manufacturing в Индия. За да обсъдим вашата колекция, contact KK Fashion Exports.
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