If you're looking to get started with custom apparel for the first time, it's important to research beforehand to find your perfect supplier. After all, you'll be trusting a company with your branding and hard-earned money. Plus, it's always a nicer experience to find a supplier you can work together with for a long time.
Whilst it's relatively easy for companies to make claims about their service and products, we know that the real opinions of people who have experienced the entire order process are what really matters - in this blog you'll find easy ways to research apparel suppliers.
Of course, we're always going to say you won't regret choosing to work with Manatee, but that's just true.. 😄
What are the best ways to research a supplier?
One of the first steps you can take to receive an honest opinion of different suppliers is to ask recommendations from friends, other teams, and even online forums. The chances are that your own team members have had some experience with companies in the custom apparel industry, and they'll be able to offer feedback of their experiences.
Another simple way to check the legitimacy of a company is by looking at their social media pages. Are they reasonably active? Do they provide a lot of real-life examples and photos? Can they offer the design experience that you're looking for? As well as looking on the page itself, be sure to also search for the page @ on Twitter or Facebook - by doing this, you can often see if people are mentioning the company with positive or negative feedback.
Of course, specific review websites such as Trustpilot and Google can offer you a better insight into how the company has been performing recently. For example, if you're looking for a company that can achieve your deadlines, you'll be able to see if anyone has had any issues with delivery times. If a company has a lower than average score, make sure that you contact the company and receive an explanation for this if you choose to work together with them.
Contact the company directly. You can trust your own gut with this one. If a company takes a long time to respond initially or fails to answer any specific questions you have, you shouldn't expect that this service would get any better as time goes on. At Manatee, we always respond within a matter of hours so you can rest assured that you'll get the help you need in record time.
Now you're all set up to find the perfect apparel company to suit your needs. Contact us, we're always looking forward to hearing from you! 😏
