5.16.13: 2 New Dates Added! May 29th and June 13th
Don’t know where to go for production?
Still sewing everything yourself and sick of it?
Not sure what factories have what equipment?
Feeling like it’s an “insider business” and you’re on the outside?
If you answered YES to the questions above, this tour will help you.
I’ve enlisted my colleague and Chicago production guru, Anna Livermore (of V. Mora) to join me in helping you create relationships with contractors that will streamline the production process and make your life easier!
You will be shown 4 Chicago factories (taken around in a mini-bus complete with driver), a Production Seminar with Jane and Anna, stop for lunch, and teach you strategies to work with sewing contractors along the ride.
What designers are saying about the Tour:
“I wanted an introduction to a few contractors and I definitely got that and more! I am currently sewing everything myself and I had no idea I was so close to having my production sewn elsewhere – it’s a very pleasant realization! Worth every penny.” -Sam Howard, Bobalookids, http://shop.bobalookids.com/
The tour was even better than I expected! It was fantastic to get a chance to talk to so many great people and hear about their businesses and ideas. I like the manufacturer choices – they seem to offer a good variety/offerings.” -M.S., Chicago designer
“LOVING this manufacturing tour w/ @fashbrain TOTALLY worth the $ if you’re moving towards cut/sew!” Twitter Comment from Truem Jaimes (@truenjaimes)
Here’s the Deal:
- we start with a Production Seminar with Jane Hamill and Anna Livermore to go over the “Steps to Production” and answer your questions
- save yourself the schlepping, setting up appointments, having to present yourself to factories, and even the gas
- you and the other designers will be carted around in a van – meet them, compare notes, and ask the Tour guide, Abigail (V. Mora production manager) all your questions
- 4 factory stops on the tour.
- lunch is on us – time to network with the other deigners and re-group
- get introduced to sewing contractors and start building relationships with manufactureres right away
- relieve your stress about where to get things made and “best-practices” of working with manufacturers
- 5 hour tour – 9 am – 3 pm
- you’ll get examples of a tech pack
- you’ll get a template of a cutting ticket
- Step-by-Step Worksheet on everything involved in production – from 1st sketch to final product, how things flow, etc.
Bonus: The minute you sign up, we’ll send you Jane Hamill’s free Training Prep Video to help you prepare for the tour. This way you can start improving your production process IMMEDIATELY – even before the tour starts.
How the day will go:
We’ll meet at the V. Mora Studio studio at 9:00 am (820 N. California, Chicago, IL 60622 – plenty of free street parking).
First, you will have a Production Seminar with Jane Hamill (Fashion Brain Academy) and Anna Livermore (V. Mora). We’ll hand out the materials for the day, you can meet the other designers, we’ll go over the “Steps to Production” and answer your manufacturing questions.
Abigail, your Tour Guide for the day – product development consultant at V. Mora.
Next, you will climb into the mini-bus with your Tour Guide for the day, Abigail. Abigail is a product development consultant at V. Mora’s Chicago office and has extensive experience in the industry. The mini-bus travel time is AWESOME for you to ask Abigail all your specific questions. Feedback from tour-goers is also that they LOVE this time to connect with the other designers – a rare opportunity.
You’ll make your rounds to the factories and be introduced to what capabilities and equipment each has and what they do for your business. We’ll stop for a quick and simple lunch (on us) – usually tacos in a “real deal” Chicago neighborhood place. Wear comfortable clothes and please note that climbing in and out of the van requires some agility and you may want to wear pants. You’ll be back to the V. Mora Studio at 3 pm (allow until 3:30 just in case)- armed with contact lists and a plan for your production.
Your Investment: $248
All past Tour dates have sold out weeks in advance.
Wednesday, May 29th, 2013 Sign up Now!
Thursday, June 13th, 2013 Sign up Now!
After you sign up, you will receive a brief questionnaire about your product and any special equipment you are looking for in a factory.. We do our best to pick factories that will appeal to the majority. We cannot guarantee you will find the perfect fit and we do not announce what factories we will visit before the tour as plans can change at the last minute due to factory issues – we’re pretty sure you can relate to that!
Also, we visit factories that can produce all types of woven apparel, cut and sew knits, handbags and other accessories. We do not visit contractors that make shoes or denim.
Are there 2 people from the same company that want to come? If you want to bring a key employee or partner, use coupon code: TWOOFUS to save $25 off each ticket. Please use this code only if you are from the same company.
A few of us on the Manufacturing Tour. We had a blast! (I’m in the middle with the white shirt).
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Are there any handbag mfg?
The tour will hit 4 factories. We will decide on the exact stops for each tour based on the designers who sign up and their needs. If we don’t visit the perfect handbag factory on the day of the tour, Anna and I will certainly guide you to resources that will best suit your product.
This really sounds awesome…a great resource! Although the date doesn’t work for me, I hope you’ll offer this again…maybe August?? Best of luck and have fun!!
What a great idea for an event! Wish this was around when we were looking for places to partner with – would’ve saved us MONTHS in getting started! Have fun!
This sounds like a great tour, very helpful. I never knew there where manufacturers in the city of Chicago? Do these factories deal in small quantities?
Absolutely! We won’t go anywhere where the minimums are too high because those factories won’t work for most of the entrepreneurs Anna and I work with.
Maria,
I hear you! Same for me. I’ll never forget when I first moved to Chicago from NY and I needed a sewing contractor. I went to the yellow pages and looked up “Contractor”. Boy was I surprised when there were only guys who could fix my house. It’s like some secret club these sewing contractors are in and I didn’t know the handshake. That’s why we are doing the tour.
Hi Dee,
We already added a 2nd date and I’m not sure about more. Although I think there is only 1 spot left for the May date! My guess is we’ll do the tour again and it will be posted to this page as soon as it’s announced.
Jane
This is awesome Jane and Anna and it’s just what I’m looking for. The only trouble is that the dates don’t work for me. Any chance that we can do this again on another date? I would love to attend.
I also think that this is a great idea and an awesome opportunity. Unfortunately by the time I was able to figure out how to make it on the second tour, it was sold out. Please keep me posted if you ever do it again.
i would love to go to this event but they are both sold out. let me know when you are going to have another tour bc i am in. Tonya
Hey there,
Yes, both tours sold out in less than a day. Sorry about that. Anna and I are thrilled with the response and we even hired a chauffeur to drive us all around in a little mini-bus! We will definitely be adding dates and will announce them at the end of next week. Thanks, Jane
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This is an event that would help me TREMENDOUSLY!!! However I would need more time to save. Will you do this again in 2013? If so, do you know when?
are you going to include jewelry design and manufacture in your tour? I notice one of the girls in the pick sported a REALLY large pendant. we are able to do such things with boulder opal. would like to know what the rock is she’s wearing. We are opal miners in Australia. Best wishes, Peter
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I am interested in doing this with you, however, I would arrive via Amtrak from St. Louis, and am unable to get there until 10:00 AM on Oct. 29.
Do you have other dates lined up yet? I am interested in seeing places that work with knits
Great idea. I am very interested in the manufacturing tour. Are you going to have any more in the month of Nov or Dec of 2012 ? Thanks.
I’m emailing to see if you will have a tour in Jan. Or Feb. 2013.
Hi!
The soonest we will be dong a tour is March and I will update the site as soon as it’s planned.
Thanks,
Jane
Also, if you want to book a private tour, you can. They start at $900 for the full day. Just email us at brain at fashion brain academy dot com. Thanks!
Is there any tours like this one in new york city?
I will actually be in Chicago (from Houston) for market! I would be interested in this event, if you were to happen to set up an additional tour on April 10.
Hi Senny,
I have not heard of a tour like this in NYC – we have had designers fly in to Chicago from New York for this tour so my guess is there is not. You may be able to book a private tour with Boaz David (http://humanb.com/) but he does not do group tours.
Jane
Hi Natalie,
The April Tour is Thursday, April 18. If you want a private tour, they start at $900 and you can just email us — brain at fashion brain academy.
what a great opportunity! wish we had something like this in toronto
Hi,
Jane when will the next tour be held?
is there a wait list for cancellations?
Hi James,
Yes, there is. Just email us and we’ll put you on it. brain at fashion brain academy dot com. Thanks! -Jane
Hi Senny,
There are not any tours like this in NY that I’ve heard about. Not every factory likes opening up to tours.
Hi Jane!
I am very interested in attending the manufacturing tour. Will you have one available in June? If not, when will the next one take place?
This is an amazing idea! I wish I has the Money at this time to do this. Unfortunately being unemployeed does not help
I Think the manufacture tour is an Absolute Stellar Concept! I live and work out of Washington, DC and am more than willing to make the trek to Chi-town, however like most of us I have a day job! Will you ever offer the tour on a Saturday or Sunday?
Please do a Weekend!
CRJ