Why Learning to Talk About Cabbage Might Actually Help You Start a Clothing Brand
- The Idea Lab
- May 15
- 2 min read
Thinking of launching your own fashion label? Before you figure out pricing, samples, or MOQ — learn how to actually work with a factory.
Start here → Garment Sourcing 101 [start a clothing brand]
Me when they say “你老家这个菜有没有？”
(Does your hometown have this dish?)
It’s cabbage. It’s always cabbage.
You’re deep in a conversation about shipment delays, zipper sourcing, and whether the fabric shrinkage is within tolerance. Then out of nowhere, your supplier hits you with this question — and you’re suddenly in a conversation about stir-fry recipes and local vegetables.
If you’re just trying to start a clothing brand, it can feel like a waste of time.
But here’s the truth: this is the work.
The Side of Sourcing No One Talks About
When people ask how to start your own clothing line, they usually expect advice on sampling, pricing, tech packs, or choosing a fabric.
What they rarely hear?
That relationship-building is the part that keeps your production alive.
Your factory isn’t a machine — it’s a network of humans. People who will fast-track your order because they like you. Who’ll fix that misprint or help find a backup supplier when your zippers disappear over Chinese New Year — if you’ve earned that goodwill.
That random cabbage chat?
It’s their way of seeing if you’re someone they can trust — or just another short-term client trying to rush through sourcing like it’s a Shopify plugin.
Want to Start a Clothing Business? Learn the Human Side of Garment Manufacturing
If you want to start a clothing business that lasts, you need more than just a good design and a factory that answers emails.
You need to:
Understand the rhythms and cultural norms of working with overseas factories
Be patient in conversations that go beyond lead times and unit cost
Learn when to humour your supplier, when to push, and when to just… talk about cabbage
This is the part no one puts in YouTube thumbnails or LinkedIn advice posts. But it’s the part that builds leverage, trust, and long-term access to better production partners.
So Yes — You Should Learn to Talk About Vegetables
Because the real answer to how to start a clothing brand is this:
You start it by understanding production.
You grow it by building trust.
And sometimes, trust starts with a conversation that feels wildly off-topic — until you realise it’s the foundation for everything else.
Want the practical tools and real-world tactics that help you build supplier relationships and manage production like a pro?
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