Is private label right for you?

Private label is neither better nor worse than a custom design. It suits particular people and circumstances.

Its strengths

• Speed to launch, because the product exists.
• Often lower minimum quantities than making from scratch.
• Lower development cost: no patterns and fewer sampling rounds.
• A chance to test the market before investing in custom designs.

Its limits

• The supplier may sell the same design to others, so standing out is harder.
• You have less control over details.
• Margins can narrow if many compete on the same product.
• You may not find exactly what you imagine.

When to choose otherwise

If your core value is a unique design, or you need sizes and fabrics not on offer, choose a custom design as in the first collection course. You can also start with private label and move across gradually.

Exercise

Write three reasons private label suits you and three that might not, then decide: do I start with it or not?