From product range to labels and packaging, the practical steps to launching your own sportswear brand with a manufacturer.
Private label means a manufacturer produces garments that are sold under your brand name. It is how most sportswear start-ups launch without owning a factory. Here are the steps in order.
1. Start with a focused range
Launch with a few products you can do well, for example compression wear, women's fitness wear or hoodies. A small range is easier to sample, cheaper to stock and simpler to market.
2. Create a tech pack
A tech pack is the instruction sheet for each product: sketches, measurements, fabric, colours, stitching details and logo placement. It does not need to be perfect, but the more detail you give, the closer the sample will be.
3. Choose fabrics
Pick fabrics that match your price point and use. Our fabric guide compares the main options.
4. Brand every touchpoint
- Woven or printed neck labels
- Care labels
- Swing tags
- Logos by embroidery, sublimation or heat transfer (see printing methods)
- Branded polybags and boxes
5. Sample, then refine
Expect at least one round of changes. Test fit on real people, wash the samples, and check that colours match your brand.
6. Plan quantities
Understand the minimums for garments and for branded trims. Our MOQ guide explains how they work.
7. Shipping and reorders
Agree delivery terms up front (see our shipping guide), and keep your approved sample as the reference for every reorder.
Learn more about sourcing from Sialkot in how Sialkot became a sports manufacturing hub, or see our manufacturing services.
Building your own sportswear label?
