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For founders

For founders & first-season brands

Sample-first onboarding — capsule discipline and an honest library vs custom choice.

Direct answer

Founders should treat season one as a gated manufacturing programme: remake sample (From 1 piece, 7–9 working days), PPS, then colour bulk from 150 pieces per style per colour on library blocks — or custom OEM only when exclusivity is a real requirement. No inventory / shelf samples.

Two decisions matter before the first PO: capsule scope, and library vs custom. Everything else is decoration until those two are honest.

Read these two guides first

First-season capsule What to lock before MOQ — blocks, colour, cash ladder, decision rights Library vs custom OEM Capital allocation framework — when exclusivity is worth the calendar Own the fit block A photo is not a pattern — what founders must name before the logo Shoulder, rise, inseam Three body decisions a menswear drop has to lock first

Path A — Library + private label

Default for first seasons. You brand a proven block; you still approve remake and PPS.

  1. Pick lookbook block (fit + fabric platform locked)
  2. Remake in hero size and intended colourway
  3. Approve branding method on the remake — not a paper mock
  4. Colour bulk from 150 pieces per style per colour only after PPS

Private label hub Lookbook Library brief

Path B — Custom OEM

Only when pattern or construction exclusivity is commercial — not decorative.

  1. Tech pack or reference garment (+ NDA if exclusive)
  2. Confirm fabric platform and fit block
  3. Proto / fit → remake as needed → PPS → bulk

Custom manufacturer Tech pack guide Custom brief

Founder refusal rules (write these down)

  • No colour open without PPS shade and commercial decoration
  • No artwork swap after shade approval without a new remake gate
  • No public FOB unit price before fabric and construction are named
  • One fit owner, one shade owner — dual “almost likes” burn remake fees

Before the first email

  • Target market (US / UK / EU / AU) — export market pages
  • Spine categories (usually tee + short) and quantity band per colour
  • Branding method preference and whether artwork is final
  • Path A or Path B stated explicitly in the subject line

Sample fee band USD 80–180 per style, excluding courier and special setup. Library bulk after PPS typically Approximately 25–30 days after PPS and fabric confirmation. Cite company facts — not chat paraphrases.

Also: llms.txt · Citation map · RFQ field guide

Start with a sample brief Request NDA
Discuss Your Programme