From Sketch to Sample: How to Find the Right Person to Make Your First Product
How to go from an idea on paper to a physical sample in your hands — the three routes, what to prepare, questions to ask, and red flags to watch for.
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Show Notes
Intro
I’m Bhavna Rishi, founder of BuildTheDreamBrand, and for over 20 years I’ve been helping founders, artists and fashion startups design, launch and scale brands – from museums like the V&A, Chatsworth House and the British Museum, to first-time founders who started with nothing but an idea and a sketch.
And in this episode of The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of Building the Brand, I want to walk you through exactly how to find the right person to make your first fashion product — without spending thousands or getting burned by the wrong manufacturer.
Episode Summary
Finding the right person to make your first fashion product is one of the most important decisions you will make as a founder. In this episode, Bhavna walks through the three routes to getting your first sample made — local seamstress, UK manufacturer, and overseas — explains what to prepare before approaching anyone, the five questions to ask every potential maker, how to review a sample properly using a professional quality control checklist, and the red flags that tell you to walk away.
Show Notes
- Why your first sample should be made locally, not overseas
- The three routes to your first sample: local seamstress, UK small manufacturer, overseas factory
- What a tech pack is and why it matters (even a simple one)
- What to prepare before you approach any maker: sketches, fabric, measurements, details
- Where to buy fabric for sampling: Goldhawk Road, Minerva Crafts, deadstock sellers on Instagram
- The five questions to ask every potential seamstress or manufacturer
- How to review a sample properly: measurements, construction, fabric, fit, photography
- Red flags that tell you a maker is not right for your brand
- How to communicate feedback clearly so your second sample is closer to perfect
- Expected costs: £50–200 for local seamstress, £100–500 for UK manufacturer
Timestamps
- 00:00 — Cold open: my first sample disaster
- 01:30 — Why finding the right maker matters more than finding the cheapest one
- 04:00 — The three routes to your first sample
- 10:00 — What to prepare before approaching anyone
- 15:00 — The five questions to ask every potential maker
- 19:00 — How to review your sample properly
- 23:00 — Red flags to watch for
- 26:00 — Action step: find three makers this week
Resources Mentioned
- Make It British — UK manufacturer directory
- Goldhawk Road, London — fabric sourcing
- Minerva Crafts — online fabric supplier
- LinkedIn — search for manufacturers directly
- Alibaba — overseas supplier discovery (for later stages)
Action Step
Find three potential makers this week: one local seamstress, one small UK manufacturer, and one wildcard from Instagram or LinkedIn. Send each a short introduction message about your project. Their response will tell you everything you need to know about who to work with.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you want someone to review your tech pack, check your manufacturer quotes, or tell you honestly whether your sample is good enough, book a free discovery call with Bhavna.