Learn to Make a Product

Expert Consulting for Product Entrepreneurs

What Is A Design Brief? (And Why You Need One)

When communicating with potential partners, it’s important that you are explaining your product idea clearly. This may seem like an obvious statement, but the problem is often that many new makers think they are being clear, when in fact their description is too vague, too wordy, or incomplete.

A Design Brief solves this problem by providing a clear, concise overview of the product you want to make. This simple document – often created as shared doc in Google Drive or as a PDF of a Word document –  is used to confirm if a manufacturer can help you or not, as well as the associated time and cost of doing so.

As mentioned above, it can be difficult to properly communicate your vision without an industry-standard overview that includes both a clear visual of our product idea as well as basic details like size range, materials and the available colors).

Here is checklist to help you create your brief:

  • Product Name (working title is fine) and a one-line description (optional, recommended if your product is a new invention and needs explanation)
  • Reference image of the product concept (this could be a similar product by a competitor, a photo of a sample you’ve made, or a rough sketch)
  • A short list of materials. (Ex: braided leather, silver buckle, care label, hang tag)
  • Size Range (Ex: XS – XL)
  • Desired color/print options (Ex: “5-7 solid colors” or “3 custom prints, similar to this artwork)
  • Any sort of special instructions (Ex: “Prefer vegetable tanned leather, if available”) 

The entire brief should be no more than 1-2 pages. If you are making multiple products, it’s okay to create a multi-page brief and separate it into sections.

It’s best to create your Design Brief before you start reaching out to potential factories, and reference it in your initial inquiry. For example: “We’re launching a line of women’s belts, overviewed in this document”. (You would then share the doc or attach it to the email.) As a reminder, a Design Brief is an overview, not a comprehensive set of instructions to make your product! This will be supplied at a later date, once you choose your final partner.

Save the finished file somewhere handy and make sure it’s editable, as you’ll be sending a brief to potential suppliers each time you launch a new product in your business!

How 3D Printing Can Benefit Your Business

This article originally appeared on our Forbes blog

3D printing, which started as a niche service, is now predicted to one day revolutionize the world of production. So it’s no surprise that one of the most common questions I get as a manufacturing consultant is: “Can I use 3D printing to make my product?” For many categories, from shoes to sweaters to eyewear, the answer is yes!

To understand how brands can incorporate this technology into their business models, I interviewed Christian Hartung and Hristiyana Vucheva, cofounders of the Berlin-based 3D printing house VOJD Studios. VOJD specializes in high-end jewelry, accessories, and hardware, with luxury label clients such as Prabal Gurung, Alexander McQueen, and Carolina Herrera.

According to Hartung and Vucheva, there are several clear benefits of choosing 3D printing over traditional manufacturing.

Save Time and Avoid Expensive StartUp Costs

The typical process of developing a custom product, such as a watch band or sole of a shoe, requires that molds be made in order to cast or shape the desired design. Molds often cost thousands of dollars (with most projects requiring multiple molds!), making it an expensive undertaking for any business. And, since they need to be created prior to any product or market testing, they are sunk costs. Even if the product turns out to be a dud, there’s no way to recoup what you’ve already spent.

3D printing eliminates this step, as materials are printed directly onto a surface to create a product. When VOJD teamed up with Alexander McQueen to make a limited-edition umbrella handle, what would have normally cost upwards of $10,000 in mold fees was reduced to several hundred dollars in setup fees.

Easily Customize Your Offerings

Another exciting aspect of 3D printing is that brands can more easily customize their offerings, as well as offer limited-edition collections. 3D is ideal for creating one-off pieces and small batch runs because of the reduced upfront costs and minimal reliance on physical labor, factors that drive up order volumes at a traditional factory.

Thanks to 3D printing, VOJD client AKRIS was able to produce a special collection of architectural rings (printed in silver and polyamide) for their runway shows. Another client, Ferrari Concept, 3D printed a short run of colorful eyewear for Paris Fashion Week last year. In a conventional setting, both of these projects would have required substantially longer development and production times!

Some companies are using 3D to opt for a “made to measure” approach, creating custom garments or products using a customer’s sizing information. As the technology behind this approach becomes more readily available for both brands and factories, it could dramatically change the way we shop. Instead of having to fit into pre-determined sizes that may or may not work for a particular body type, the buyer is able to dictate exactly how they want a garment to fit. The approach also benefits stores, who can reduce waste by carrying less inventory and more speedily eliminate styles that don’t sell.

Experiment With New Materials

Another benefit of 3D manufacturing is that the costs and potential for low order volumes make it ideal for testing new materials. When Spanish luxury brand Loewe wanted a unique bracelet for a menswear campaign, VOJD was able to experiment with a newly developed ceramic compound. The result was a bold yet lightweight interlocking chain, printed as a single piece which required no assembly.

Even if 3D printing is not the long-term strategy for a specific product or collection, it’s flexibility allows companies to test new concepts prior to investing in large production runs.

More freedom to experiment results in more innovation, less waste (as testing on a specific material can be done prior to mass production), and ultimately greater customer satisfaction. This makes 3D a win-win for both buyers and suppliers!

Four Tips For Checking Supplier References

This article originally appeared on our Forbes blog

Checking references is an important (and free!) part of the supplier vetting process. I’m surprised by how many makers either don’t request them or don’t follow through once they secure names. Further, it’s not enough to ask easy questions such as, “Do you recommend Company X?” as the goal of each conversation is to go beyond surface level information. When done properly, speaking with references should paint a fuller picture of what it would actually be like to work with a given supplier.

Here are four tips to optimize your reference checks and make more informed decisions as you source new partners.

1) Ask For More Than One Reference

Reputable suppliers should have multiple happy customers willing to endorse them. When requesting references, be clear that you’d like a few options, and let the supplier know that both past and present clients are okay. This may give them more range, as some clients in their roster will be off limits due to privacy clauses.

If a supplier refuses to provide references or will only send a single point of contact, this is usually a sign to proceed with caution.

2) Stick To Your Product Category

Speaking with references who have made products similar to yours is key. For example, if you on the hunt for a factory that specializes in structured outerwear, but the references you receive can only vouch for the supplier’s ability to produce casual knits, the intel is only so helpful. Seek confirmation that a partner is good at what you are making.

3) Create A Vetting Checklist

It always pays to be organized and methodical when vetting, especially when you’re in contact with multiple potential partners and need to collect and evaluate lots of data. Before setting up discussions with references, make a list of the questions you want each one to answer. You’ll also need somewhere to compile all of the information you receive, such as in a spreadsheet dedicated to your vetting efforts.

Here are some suggested points of inquiry:

  • Is the supplier responsive? How long do they typically take to reply to messages?
  • How long has the reference worked with the supplier?
  • Has pricing increased over time? If so, why?
  • Are deadlines usually met? If not, why?
  • If there has even been a quality issue with the factory, how was it remedied?
  • You’ll receive an extra layer of feedback if you ask questions by questions by phone since it’s possible to pick up on more nuanced forms of communication such as tone, hesitation, sarcasm, etc.

    4) Remember That No Supplier Is Perfect

    A factory doesn’t need to score 100% on price, quality, speed, responsiveness and everything else you’re looking for in order to be a worthy choice. As with any relationship, partnering with supplier requires compromises. The important thing is that you are clear-eyed about the potential trade-offs of working with one vendor over another.

    For example, if you hear repeatedly that a factory has great quality but needs to be nudged a bit to finish orders on time, you can enter the partnership knowing you’ll need to build in delivery buffers. Preparation can help eliminate unwanted surprises and offset a vendor’s weak spots. This is not to say you should ignore negative feedback, but rather a reminder that no business is perfect.

    References are likely to say positive things about a supplier, or else they wouldn’t have been chosen in the first place. By starting each conversation with the reminder that you aren’t seeking perfection but rather a solid, reliable partner, you’re more likely to receive authentic feedback.

Paying An Overseas Supplier? Read This First

This article originally appeared on our Forbes blog

Paying an overseas supplier for the first time (or second, or third!) can be a nerve-wracking endeavor. Are they trustworthy? Will they deliver what they’ve promised? Are they even a real company?! Unfortunately – and I wish this weren’t true – some of the nervousness is warranted. After helping countless entrepreneurs untangle manufacturing problems with factories, I’ve seen my share of bad apples.

The good news however is that when things go wrong, it’s almost always the result of an easily avoidable mistake. A review of an overseas transactions that has gone awry usually uncovers one of the following errors.

Mistake #1: Not Requesting a Sample

Requiring that a supplier send you a sample of whatever you’re buying before paying them may seem like common sense, but it’s a step many people skip. They do so for one of two common reasons. The first is that suppliers may make a compelling argument for why samples are not needed. For example, “Don’t worry, we produce for many big companies!” or “Sending a sample will just be extra time and money. Our quality is great so there’s no need.” While this logic is flawed (big companies still require samples and the cost of securing them is nominal compared to risks of not doing so), new entrepreneurs who lack experience are more likely to be swayed.

The second reason is that people believe photos are a sufficient form of approval. A factory might email a picture of a material sample or finished product that looks great, but when the actual order arrives the specifications deviate in a way that was not apparent on a screen. Even worse is when the “sample” in the photo is completely different than the item ultimately shipped.

Mistake #2: Paying 100% upfront

It’s always best to structure supplier agreements using a deposit/balance schedule. As with many other industries, you pay a deposit to start a production order (typically between 30-60% of the total purchase order value) and then issue the balance payment prior to their release of the finished goods. There are a few instances where it is industry standard to require full payment up front, such as when a supplier is creating custom molds for a metal or plastic component of your product. While paying in advance for certain fees is unavoidable, deposits are the norm in most production scenarios.

When you pay a supplier in full at the start of a project, you lose your most compelling negotiating tool – a refusal to send more money until the company corrects unsatisfactory work. You also increase your financial exposure should they fail to deliver entirely. While it’s terrible to completely lose a 30% deposit payment if a supplier disappears, it’s even worse to lose it all!

Mistake #3: Sending Money to a Fake Account

While most supplier disputes are the result of a miscommunication or mismatched expectations, a small number are due to outright deceit. An increasingly common type of fraud occurs when rogue individuals imitate legitimate factories, convincing foreign buyers to send deposit payments for various goods and services that they have no intention of rendering.

To avoid this type of transaction, check that the ‘Pay To’ account information on the invoice is the same as the company name who you are supposedly doing business with. For example, if you are buying buttons from XYZ Button Co. but the payment instructions on the invoice ask you to send a wire transfer to QRZ Inc., consider it a red flag. The same is true if you are asked to pay large sums of money via paypal or issue a bank transfer to an individual’s personal account. In short, make sure the names on all invoices, bank accounts, and shipping documents match the name of the actual factory.

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Setting up trustworthy supplier partnerships involve more than just payment practices, but being aware of these classic mistakes is an important part of protecting your investment!

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