The Overseas Manufacturing Lie You've Been Sold

There are a lot of opinions about where you should and shouldn't manufacture apparel, but the truth is that no single region of the world is automatically good or bad for apparel production. What matters is finding the right manufacturing partner for your specific product, quantities, timeline, and business needs. In this episode, I'm breaking down some of the biggest misconceptions about apparel manufacturing by region and talking about all the factors that should go into your decision about choosing a manufacturer. I'm also sharing a real example of a client project where we've run into unexpected sourcing challenges, even with 25 years of industry experience behind us. 📝 Today We're Covering: Why you shouldn't assume that an entire country or region is bad for apparel manufacturing The differences between woven and knit fabrics and why those differences can affect your sourcing options The advantages and challenges of domestic manufacturing, including smaller MOQs and "Made in the USA" opportunities Why tariffs, duties, shipping costs, and transit times can make overseas manufacturing more complicated right now How working with an experienced sourcing partner can help you navigate difficult manufacturing challenges There is no single best region for apparel manufacturing. The right choice depends on your product, your quantities, your sourcing needs, your timeline, and the manufacturing partner you're able to find. I hope this episode gives you a more nuanced perspective on where apparel can be produced and reminds you that finding the right partner can make a huge difference for your brand in the long run. ➡️ Your Next Steps: Reach out to me at hello@unmarkedstreet.com Subscribe to the Apparel Founder's Boardroom Notes on Substack: substack.com/@businessofapparel Join The Board here: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com/join Pre-order my book, The Business of Apparel, here! Pre-order the e-book version here! ‼️ Don't Miss These Episodes: Wholesale 101: https://youtu.be/lpezH1YwCyE Use AI in Your Apparel Brand: https://youtu.be/Dn9tjPNmfaw Grow a 7-Figure Apparel Business: https://youtu.be/rpQYDyo5Rao  🤝 Meet Rachel: Rachel Erickson is a Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, she sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year. After decades working inside major fashion companies, she learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting. Rachel helps founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands: ✅ Build lean, profitable product lines ✅ Streamline operations for growth ✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity ✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, Rachel will join you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading. Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-erickson-pmp/ and visit her website at www.unmarkedstreet.com.