The Journey from Mill to Garment

Choosing and developing your own fabric is a thrilling yet complex process—one that can define the identity of your collection but also introduce significant challenges. At STUDIOOHAUS, we guide brands through this intricate journey, ensuring that the material development and garment production align seamlessly.

Developing custom fabrics with a mill involves selecting fibers, weaves, finishes, and dyes, often requiring multiple sampling rounds to achieve the perfect texture, weight, and durability. This process demands time and financial investment—minimum order quantities (MOQs), development fees, and extensive lead times are common hurdles. Once the fabric is created, another layer of refinement begins: translating fabric into form—a process that requires expert pattern development, fittings, and adjustments to accommodate the material’s unique properties.

But is developing a custom fabric always the right choice? For most designers, it’s often more efficient and cost-effective to work with the incredible existing fabrics that mills present each season—or even with high-quality stock fabrics. These options provide variety, sustainability, and immediate availability without the long lead times and high MOQs of custom development.

At STUDIOOHAUS, we help brands map out the most suitable path for their vision, price point, and creative direction, ensuring the best material choices for a collection that feels both unique and commercially viable.

Need guidance on fabric choices? Book a complimentary consultation with us!