Fabric Retailer and Clothing Factory in Singapore

[klebisking]

Hi I'm looking to purchase a moderate amount of shirting fabric. 60m per fabric and a total of 180m of fabric.

Besides Hwa Seng and Eurocloth, what other retailers are available that offer reasonable prices for fabrics of at least a decent quality?


Also, can anyone share any info about factories in Singapore that produces shirts that are frequently used by brand name tailors or fashion labels?
Large emphasis being placed on the quality of the workmanship.

Any input would be gladly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Jangofett]

Originally Posted by klebisking

Hi I'm looking to purchase a moderate amount of shirting fabric. 60m per fabric and a total of 180m of fabric.

Besides Hwa Seng and Eurocloth, what other retailers are available that offer reasonable prices for fabrics of at least a decent quality?


Also, can anyone share any info about factories in Singapore that produces shirts that are frequently used by brand name tailors or fashion labels?
Large emphasis being placed on the quality of the workmanship.

Any input would be gladly appreciated. Thanks!

Actually, what exactly do you want to do here?

If you want to make shirts and sell, I think material and other costs in countries neighbouring Singapore would be cheaper. Sure, one can argue Singapore has better workmanship etc, but Singapore I can tell you is far from the standards set in say, Japan.

And a careful and good tailor in Singapore is comparable to a careful and good tailor in any neighbouring country.

So if you are good in quality control, many neighbouring countries to Singapore would be your best bang for your buck.

 

[klebisking]

Hi jangofett, once again you are my tome of knowledge for all things Singaporean haha.

I intend to start a label priding itself on apparel that is Made in Singapore, thus the variety of questions regarding the local manufacturing industry.

Is the local manufacturing industry really in such bad shape when dealing with workmanship and quality, and is the incurred cost of managing and sourcing overseas substantially lower than if i should choose to manufacture locally?

Let me know what you think! Your advice is treasured!

 

[Jangofett]

Originally Posted by klebisking

Hi jangofett, once again you are my tome of knowledge for all things Singaporean haha.

I intend to start a label priding itself on apparel that is Made in Singapore, thus the variety of questions regarding the local manufacturing industry.

Is the local manufacturing industry really in such bad shape when dealing with workmanship and quality, and is the incurred cost of managing and sourcing overseas substantially lower than if i should choose to manufacture locally?

Let me know what you think! Your advice is treasured!

Honestly, I have heard something like what you propose to be done.
On a big scale, is of course stuff like Raoul, but I dont know whether they are really made in Singapore.

But ultimately, what you are selling is the image and brand of Singapore. Like I said, I dont think Singapore is heads and shoulders above its neighbours like Japan is to China and Korea etc. I think some of the tailoring in Singapore is also outsourced or done by foreign labour. I am not saying production in Singapore is crapola. It can be better than its neighbours but its neighbours cant be all that bad when even Singapore companies outsource production overseas, right?

Costs in Singapore is higher than overseas as well, hence many Singapore companies outsource production.

Tailoring is also a sunset industry. Some tailors were frigging rich back in the day but things aren't so good now. The Parmigiani watch shop in Paragon is owned by a tailor.

But hey, what do I know. I am not a businessman. Doing business takes nerve and pizzazz and some Singapore brands can be quite successful like ladies shoes like Charles and Keith and URS etc.

 

[klebisking]

Jangofett - Thanks for all the input, I'll keep that in mind!

I guess i'm a rare breed and one of the dying few who possesses some form of nationalism hahaha and faith in our local labor.

I'll definitely compare prices and overheads between local and overseas factories, thanks for all the advice.

One last query... Any suggestions for Fabric retailers in Singapore with a large variety of brand name fabrics at reasonable prices? Acorn/Thomas Mason level fabrics would be sufficient.

 

[Jangofett]

Originally Posted by klebisking

Jangofett - Thanks for all the input, I'll keep that in mind!

I guess i'm a rare breed and one of the dying few who possesses some form of nationalism hahaha and faith in our local labor.

I'll definitely compare prices and overheads between local and overseas factories, thanks for all the advice.

One last query... Any suggestions for Fabric retailers in Singapore with a large variety of brand name fabrics at reasonable prices? Acorn/Thomas Mason level fabrics would be sufficient.

Brand name are frigging expensive. I just saw Zegna brand wool cloth going like $300 per metre! But they were oh so soft and luxurious. And their patterns were really very very nice.

Most tailors dont keep so many bales of such cloth like Zegna, Loro Piano, Holland and Sherry now. I guess its a sign of times. Most still have old stock from which you can make one or two suits but I dont think thats what you want.

I know most tailors get their cloth from a few suppliers but I really dont know who they are. I am skeptical of their origins, some say the egyptian cotton is actually made in China or India. Who knows who know?

 

[Edify Inc]

Hi there,

I can understand where you are coming from re nationalism, it was one of my considerations in my current endeavor. The Singapore brand actually is being flown pretty well, just not in things sartorial.

If you think about it, what does Singapore really sell? Efficiency, consistency and reliability. Quality control, in other words. Your products can be manufactured anywhere, if QC is done well and honestly, the Singapore branding will be yours.

Its sad, but you can't really sell craftsmanship under the Singapore branding. We don't have the history to support it.

Having said that, I am happy to be proven wrong.

 

[Jangofett]

Hey, there's still Raoul. Heard its designed by Americans and Israelis. They have a presence in Milan fashion week and stores in New York I think. I dont really know where they are made though.

There's also Woods & Woods. Some nice and expensive stuff. Made in Singapore but I dont know where they get their fabrics! Some really really nice stuff. Heard they have a presence in France.

There's one shirt they have made of paper which I got and one casual shirt made of the truck canopies that Freitag made famous. Some of their stuff requires fancy individual tailoring skills too! Not exactly Carol Christian Poell but still not too bad.

 

[Edify Inc]

Originally Posted by Jangofett

Hey, there's still Raoul. Heard its designed by Americans and Israelis. They have a presence in Milan fashion week and stores in New York I think. I dont really know where they are made though.

There's also Woods & Woods. Some nice and expensive stuff. Made in Singapore but I dont know where they get their fabrics! Some really really nice stuff. Heard they have a presence in France.

There's one shirt they have made of paper which I got and one casual shirt made of the truck canopies that Freitag made famous. Some of their stuff requires fancy individual tailoring skills too! Not exactly Carol Christian Poell but still not too bad.

Haha, and I'm glad to be proven wrong!

Maybe what I had said pertains more to the OPs situation, from a business point of view. Its still great to see more Singaporean entrepreneurs.

I guess my views might be skewed as my current endeavors deals with a manufacturing process no longer available in Singapore.

 

[gshen]

Raoul isn't the best example.. they try their best to dissociate the brand from Singapore. Their quality has gone down the drain over the years, and even their cuts are clearly not intended for the Asian market

 

[Jangofett]

Well, that may be true but these guys are at least a Singapore brand and I cant think of a Singapore mens clothing brand whether at the lower end like Giordano or the mid echelon like G2000.

 

[yeeth]

haha maybe there's a reason why that is so? singapore's market doesn't seem big enough to support sth liddat... people who want cheap shirts go to g2000, people who know what they want... know what they want.

btw to OP: not trying to put your idea down on purpose or wdv, just a question... but if you're getting a foreign fabric anyway does it really matter whether it's a Singapore distributor? It won't be 100% Singaporean anyway. I know Brooks Brothers and Todd Shelton have Made in USA jeans which are made from USA cotton, stitched by Americans etc... that might be a bit hard to do here.

 

[siAn2zz]

Hi,

Do check out Swagath trading pte Ltd. Men's and ladies wear from linens to brocade's to shirting and pants and dress fabrics.

Fabrics are from Europe, Japan and Korea. They are located at #05-07 block 994 bendemeer road.