Entering the US Apparel Market- check points, part 2/2: Merchandising

By?Frances Harder?www.fashionforprofit.com, email:?[email protected]?for?Focus On Fashion Retail

Understanding RTW (Ready to Wear) Sizing

After your investigation of the market is complete and you have made your decision as to which market will be targeted, it is important to understand the various categories of clothing, and the various sizing involved.??There are a number of market categories to be remembered, and which often overlap:?

• Juniors, 14 years to 20 plus.?Odd sizing;
• Contemporary, sophisticated updated styling for the age group that has outgrown junior clothing.?Even sizing;
• Missy, usually for 25 years plus.?Designed with a more conservative and classic style.?Even sizing;
• Bridge is designed for those that want ready to wear designer clothes at below designer named prices.?Usually designed by a named designer for their ready to wear lines.?Even sizing;
• Designer, upper-end clothing from designer names Even sizing;
• Women’s, for the fuller figure, all ages. Even sizing;
• Half-Sizes, for the fuller figured women who are shorter in height.?Even sizing.

There are also the cost categories:?

• Budget: lower-end cost clothing;
• Moderate: priced, (self-explanatory);
• Better/Designer: higher-end clothing that usually offers more for the money, (fabric and design).

Industry Sizing Standard

Standards are voluntary within the clothing industry.?This is the reason that there is no real conformity to size within the apparel industry and why one manufacturer’s size will differ from another’s.?As a rule, the more expensive the garment, the larger the garments become.?Whether this is psychological, to give the buyer the feeling that they are smaller than their true size, is unclear.??Standard sizes of yesteryear have gradually become larger and larger; a Size 14 from the 1950’s is now a Size 6!?Check vintage patterns and their measurements on the back of the package.??

There are recommended sizes that have been developed with the Standards Division of the United State’s Department of Commerce, and the apparel industry, for the various figure types, sexes, and age groups, but not many manufacturers seem to follow them.

Women’s Market?

There are four major size classifications for women’s clothes:?

1. Missy. The average sizes range from 2 – 18 increments of two in even numbers and are designed for the woman with average proportions and height.?There are also two subdivisions of the Missy category for the shorter and taller figure: Petite Missy and Tall Missy.?The age group for misses is anywhere from 25 years, to 60 plus.?(There will always be cross over customers in every category).
2. Junior sizes range from a 1 to 15 in increments of two in odd numbers and are designed for the more youthful, short, and slim figure.?The torso is cut shorter and the bust line is higher than misses.?A sub division of the Junior size is the Petite Junior, which is designed for the shorter, Junior figure.?The torso, sleeves, and skirt are shorter than their Junior counterpart.?Junior clothing is designed for 14 years to 21years plus, depending on the taste and size of the customer.?
3. Women’s sizes range from size 32 to 52 and are designed for the fuller, matured figure of average height.?These sizes have usually been graded up to have a longer torso, skirt, sleeves and pants.?The average age of this customer is between 25 years and 60 years (plus).
4. Half-Sizes range from 12 1/2 to 26 1/2 and are designed to accommodate the shorter woman with a full, mature figure.?These sizes are cut with a lower, full bust, a larger, but shorter torso, and shorter sleeves.?

Men’s Market?

Sizes relate to style and body measurements; 32-40 Men’s sizing is not quite as confusing as it is for women. The measurements tend to be more directly related to the body measurements.

• Shirts – neck and sleeve length;
• Pants – waist, inseam, outseam;
• Jackets – chest and length.?
• Sweaters and other casual items- sleepwear, and underwear may be sized with symbols XS, S, M, L, XL, and XXL.

Infants’ and Children’s Sizes

Selecting the correct size for a child is as much a problem as it is for women’s’ clothing.?There are sizes that have been recommended by the U.S. Department of Commerce, but again as with women’s clothing, few manufacturers adhere to them.?The standard measurements that the apparel manufacturer usually uses are the chest circumference, waist circumference, height, and weight of the child.?This information is usually provided on labels in the garment or on the packages that hold the garment.???

Infant sizes range from 3-24 months.?The age of the infant is used along with NB, S, M, L, and XL to denote size.?These increments relate to specific height and weight averages, rather than age of the infant, as growth patterns differ.?

Children’s Market - Toddler sizes range from 2T – 5T girls 4-6X boys 4-7 relate to age, height, chest, hips, waist and body build. Some items are sized as S, M, L, XL, along with the more traditional sizing.

Toddler and Juvenile sizes range from 1 through 6X.?Some items are sized as S, M, L, XL, along with the more traditional sizing.??

Girls range from ages 7– 16, and Boys range from 8-20. Both correlate to age, height, chest, hips, and waist circumference, as well as body build, (Slim, Regular, or Pretty Plus).?As with all other categories and sizes, certain items are sized using the S, M, L, and XL.

Pre-Teens are for girls between the age of 8 years and 13years.

Sample Sizes?

When making a first sample, it is wise to make the sample in a middle size.?This is normal in the apparel industry.?One of the reasons is that the middle size is easier to grade up in size and to grade down in size.?It is also easier to cost and make yardage estimates.?If you make your smallest size into a sample, and then have it graded for production, it may become distorted in design and proportion, from the smallest size to the largest size.?Some manufacturers prefer to make samples in small sizes, they feel the garments present better when shown in a sales appointment.

Keep Your Market Analysis Updated – How is New Technology Effecting the Industry.

• ?Body scanning;
• Mass Customization;
• Direct from the manufacturer to consumer;
• Selling through online sales.

Chargebacks can Bankrupt Your Business

Selling to large department stores has become a very risky business and new companies should be aware of canceled orders and chargebacks.?These can occur when the store wants part-payment for any of your garments that have not sold and end up on the mark down rack, or if you should ship late.?In reality charge backs are much more complex.?Mark down money adds to the manufacturer’s overhead costs and may boost the original retail price of the garment.?Manufacturers who want to keep the stores as customers try to cooperate.?Unfortunately, it has become such a contentious issue that some manufacturers refuse to sell to certain retailers because of these charge back issues.?This is one reason why so many manufacturers are opening their own retail stores in recent years.??

For startup manufacturers, it is best to avoid the large department stores.?They can break a small company in one order.?Diversify your orders to a variety of smaller stores.

Chargebacks & Markdown Refunds

One of the more controversial factors in apparel prices is retailers’ request for “chargebacks” or “markdown” money. Chargebacks can be demanded by a store for late deliveries, or for a variety of other reasons.?If too few garments sell at full price, sometimes department stores go back to the manufacturer to ask that they share in the losses from discount sales. (See Chapter 16)?Ironically, markdown money or credit demanded by a retailer adds to the manufacturer’s overhead costs and may boost the original retail price of the garment.?Another cost that retailers expect the manufacturer to share is the cost of advertising, or promoting the product in store flyers and newspaper advertisements.??

Smaller specialty stores are less likely to make such requests, but they have less buying power with the manufacturer.?Markdown and chargebacks have become a very sensitive issue and many manufacturers are refusing to do business with larger department stores because of this problem.?The wise manufacturer calculates both of these into the costing of the garments.

Fashion For Profit?– Consulting -?Frances Harder, Founder/CEO Bio:

Frances Harder authored and published a series of books dealing with starting a fashion business.?Fashion for Profit (10th edition), Costing for Profit, Brand Building for Profit and Forms for Profit are industry focused texts used both by new companies and for further education programs.?www.fashionforprofit.com.?

Consultant to the United Nations assisting small businesses: Peru- Alpaca products, (women owned businesses), Nepal - Cashmere products and recently assisting Egyptian apparel manufacturer enter the U.S. market (2nd contract).?

She consults and speaks internationally on product development, branding, merchandising, sustainability, costing, production and entering the US market.?

Serves as an industry expert in legal disputes.?

Organizes and presents seminars at Sourcing at Magic trade shows- (22 years)

Presents on a variety of topics and moderates at many international trade shows both within the US and Internationally.?

In 1999 she foundered the FBI (Fashion Business Incorporated), an educational 501c3 organization, which provided vital business development, resources, and certified job training programs to both the US. Closed in 2017 to relaunch under Fashion for Profit Consulting platform as a for profit entity in 2018.

She studied Art and Fashion in the UK.?

Some of her professional accomplishments include having her name under license in Japan, designing sportwear for the Royal House of Brunei and designed two lines for Priscilla Presley sold on Home Shopping Club. Some of her teaching positions include 9 years as a full time Associate Professor at Otis College of Art and Design (9 years), Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (8 years), Woodbury University, LA Trade Tech, Pasadena City College, Seattle Central College, Munich International School, Germany. High Wickham London School of Fashion, Salford College of Art & Design, UK.

www.fashionforprofit.com, email:[email protected]

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