Don’t underestimate the time it takes to take your vision, conceptualise it, create tech packs, find fabric manufacturers, source the materials, pitch your tech packs to manufacturers go through the sampling process, approvals, shipping, don’t forget you need brand labels and hang tags, maybe even other packaging products. I frequently have conversations with startups where they are wanting their products launched - LAUNCHED! - in 3 months from our initial call.

Join me as I walk you through taking your fashion brand ideas and taking them from concept to a launched product. This week we will brainstorm your ideas and put them down into a flow chart, a mind map, a bullet point list. We will conceptualise without being self conscious, no holds barred. Sign up to receive these weeks in an email, or follow along on my Youtube channel @frankydune.

I know, forgive me, it is only mid-October, but as with all things fashion, being prepared for the season ahead is EVERYTHING. As a way to be on track for the holidays, now is the time to have your designs made and ready to go for your print-on-demand products.

Luxury fashion houses are known for their quality products, exquisite construction and inspiring styles. Understandably something every fashion brand aspires to produce and sell as well. Finding the right manufacturer doesn’t mean following what some random Tiktoker says based off of what they found on ImportYeti. Finding the right manufacturer means finding the right manufacturer for YOUR DESIGNS and for your brand’s core values.

Print-on-demand, at-home embroidery, screen printing from the garage, drop shipping, creating designs in Canva and selling them on Etsy. Entering the fashion and design world has become SO MUCH EASIER.

The most asked questions I get in my DMs are “where can I find a supplier with ::enter any fabric quality here::” and “Where can I find a clothing manufacturer with low minimums?”

But truly, no matter where you start sourcing suppliers, you need to be MORE SPECIFIC in what type of fabric you are looking for.

Première Vision is a three-day event and one of the largest trade fairs where brands can meet accessories, yarn and textile manufacturers, leather tanneries, print design artists, and garment manufacturers from all over the world. In this article, I’ve included seven attendee secrets aimed at helping you navigate this massive event and jumping a few queues.

Factourism is a concept created by the Portuguese brand Isto with the purpose of showing transparency in their product’s production life cycle through an arranged day where people can visit and tour the factories making their products, from fabric spinning to fabric dying to where the final product is manufactured.

Transparency allows for consumers to make informed decisions about the purchases they make. But being transparent is more than just marketing copy defining your brands values.

How does a small brand source sustainable fabric in a world where mass production is still the norm? Sourcing fabric on your own - regardless of your brand’s size - is time consuming and can feel overwhelming. We compiled our top 5 places for fashion brands to search for fabric suppliers when you are sourcing low MOQs.

Fabric sourcing and connecting with garment manufacturers on day two of Modtissimo trade show in Porto Portugal with Karen Yakymishen from Franky Dune Sustainable Fashion Resources and Sourcing Agency.

Today is the second and last day of the Modtissimo’s 60th trade show here in Portugal. The Modtissimo fashion trade show is a full event with the typical talks from high-level speakers, gorgeous pieces designed by Portuguese fashion designers made with the upcoming fabric lines displayed at the entrance to the trade show.

Was it a challenge? It was. If you are putting your all into your fashion brand to make it a sustainable business, meaning a business that you can make enough to live on, do the same with building a community around you to help support, encourage, and lend an ear when you need. Because it will be a challenge.

Deadstock fabric is leftover fabric that comes in a variety of ranges, from natural fabrics like linen, to polyester lace. There are several different reasons why deadstock exists. When fabric is around unsold or unused for too long it is considered deadstock fabric. Errors can occur during the manufacturing process….

Are you making a vision board this year? Creating a vision board helps keep you focused and is a mindful process to plan out the year you want to achieve.

Avoid the stress of mall shopping and headache of ordering online by shopping at local Christmas markets. Support independent brands and small businesses.

Can leather be sustainable? Does leather have a place in the world of sustainability?

At this point, I decided to turn my own personal contacts, my little black book if you will, that I have grown and curated over the years to create Franky Dune Sustainable Fashion Resources as a way to help fashion designers find and source fabric suppliers that offer low minimum order quantities (MOQ) quickly and easily. 

How to have a sustainable fashion brand when everyone is sh***ing on the sustainability movement.