Category Archives: handbag manufacturer

The First Step on How to Make a Handbag in the USA

The First Step on How to Make a Handbag in the USA

If you are following along with our posts on How to Make a Handbag in the USA, this week we discuss the first step on how to make your dream handbag, here in NYC. Are you ready to make your first handbag? Follow these easy directions on how to submit a free consult sign up. Making a handbag in NYC is fast, easy, and exciting with the help of the Clutch Made team.

The first step would begin by visiting our website, Clutch Made. This is where you will find the consultation form to fill out.

furst

Next, click on the Services Tab.

1

From there, you will click on the very first service listed, Free Consult Set Up.

2

Next, fill out the form and tell us the direction of what exactly you are looking for. Do you already have a business? Do you have a bag design in mind? Clearly state your ideas and a Clutch Made team member will get back to you within 24-48 hours via email.

4

After you have received an email that confirms that we have received your form, we will want to schedule a phone call with you in order to further discuss your ideas. Make sure to be prepared for some of the questions a team member may ask you. Questions might and could include: Do you know the style of the handbag you want to design? Have you thought about the materials or colors you would want to use for the handbag? Or do you know the size and measurements you want to include? We want you to really think about the product that you will be developing.

At Clutch Made, we promise to help you with every detail of your handbag. If you are unsure about some of the questions mentioned above, don’t let that stop you!   We are here to help and guide you. Our expertise will ensure that we make the handbag of your dreams.

To start thinking about these questions, we always encourage designers and businesses to make an inspiration board on Pinterest. Need some ideas? Follow us and get inspired by our posts.

5

Stay tuned next week to learn how we help you with the next step of the process: Conceptualization and Design.

 

How to Make a Handbag in the USA

New York Street Style

HOW TO MAKE A HANDBAG IN THE U.S.A

Making a handbag in the USA is possible. Are you a handbag designer who is feeling inspired? Do you have all the expertise and time to design, source, AND manufacture your product? Clutch Made is here to help, in the city of dreams, NYC. Our team provides design and manufacturing services to individuals and brands looking to source and produce in the USA.

I am going to exclusively share with you the trade secrets to make a handbag in the USA. Make sure to keep up with these steps over the next 6 weeks to unlock the process and become a handbag designer.

  1. Free Consult Sign Up: This is the first step and it is completely free. Clutch Made is here for you, it is that simple. All you have to do in the sign up form is ask us any questions you have about product development, sample making, sourcing or manufacturing. Anything is welcomed and once you submit the form, we will give you a response within 48 hours. Just like that!
  2. Conceptualization and Design:  Next, get excited because we discuss your vision! Tell us who you are, what you are looking to design, when will you need your design, and how you are going to take your concepts to market. We want to make your vision come to life! How big do you want your bag? Do you want to add zippers? The design process is the first step that will lead you to the sample of your handbag.
  3. Sourcing: Now here comes the fun for us at Clutch Made! We are experts in sourcing and finding anything you need. We will hunt for the type of leather you want and all the hardware you’re going to need. We are going to make your design a reality. We are sourcers who make bags come true.
  4. Manufacturing (including sample/pattern making): The fourth step gets into the details and creation of your bag. We can manage all your production needs with our network of suppliers and our own factory here. What’s after that? We encourage you to use our tech pack service as a tool in developing your bag. Our team of artisans are expert sample makers. Whether from a sketch or from a tech pack, we will translate your ideas into a pattern and can create the sample you have been dying to see.
  5. Branding and Merchandising: (especially in a trade show representation): So now that you have fallen in love with your sample, we will work with you to help establish your product and company as a unique and recognizable brand. From there on, the process of merchandising your brand starts! From extensive development and editing of products and images, we help you create your unique brand. We also invite all of our clients to join us under the Clutch NY umbrella at the trade shows to help you to convert your ideas to real sales.
  6. Website and Social Media Set Up (including tips for photography/styling):  Finally, what is a bag if you cannot proudly display it? The Clutch Made team has extensive experience in the media and styling world. Our professional NYC photographers are the best in business! Alongside Creative Director, Laura Dotolo, who has 20 years of styling expertise,we help you create beautiful product shots and videos for your brand. It is easy, affordable, and all the images you receive will be perfect for all your website and social media platforms.

Still want to design that handbag? Keep up with us every week for a step by step guide on how to make a handbag in the USA. Next post we will dive into the first step of our process: the free consult sign up.

Visit www.clutchmade.com to start the steps of making your dreams come true.

Unknown-7

Blog post 1

The Guide to a Handbag Designer’s USA Manufacturing Timeline

Scenario: Let’s begin by assuming you are a handbag design and are in need of a “handbag designer’s USA manufacturing timeline.” You are manufacturing from a good sample that is properly sourced with readily available raw materials. All you have to do is manufacture, right? Let’s leave steps 1 and 2 for another post and jump right into manufacturing!

The “how many and when?” question is at the heart of the manufacturing process. After working for  seasoned clients, with years of productions under their belt, I’ve learned it’s really about “Just In Time “ logistics. The idea that you can deliver your product to the consumer “just in time” before you have to pay for it is really the best way to structure the inventory supply for your business. This strategy does require some experience and an ability to predict demand. Keep in mind that it can be less expensive to make a product at certain times of the year due to factories’ seasonal demands.

Now that you have a saucy mix of decisions, here are some of the more basic considerations. Let’s use handbag manufacturing as an example:

1. Make sure your factory has reviewed your sample and given you a written quote on production and delivery time frames.

Have all materials on hand at the factory on the agreed upon start date. It’s easy to over look that last piece of hardware but don’t do it! When you have a missing piece of hardware discovered at the last minute and your lead time for getting it from Italy or China is 3 weeks you now have lost your spot in the factory’s production schedule; not to mention you have a very unhappy factory who is a lot less likely to give you a good quote the next time they see you walk in the door.

2. You can’t manage what you don’t measure! Inspect factory work at key times in the process.

Does the handbag have the lining sewn in properly just like your sample? If the lining is not being done correctly you have to catch that before they put the rest of the bag together or you have to rip it apart to fix it. This can put you at risk having to purchase more raw materials in the process which changes overall costs and timeframes. Your acceptance and final payment upon delivery from the factory is binding, so be sure the product conforms to the agreed upon sample or you’re on the hook!

3. Deliver your finished product to the client.

It should be packaged, insured, and shipped in an agreed upon fashion. C.O.D. being the watchword for all but your most trusted clients. Make sure you know when your client really needs to receive the product and ensure you under promise and over deliver. You don’t want product that needs to be received for a trunk show or Holiday event showing up late. You won’t get a lot of repeat orders that way. The key to profitable manufacturing is repeat business.

For new brands and aspiring entrepreneurs wanting to test out a new product, the considerations are different. Here I always recommend much more extensive product development and market testing as well as small batch manufacturing. We work with startups on branding and a proper online presence, as consumers want to see the brand’s “story” and message online.

It is exciting to see new ideas come to market. As a Made in USA manufacturer, I am proud to be part of a new wave of American designers bringing back manufacturing to the USA. Made in USA really does mean quality. We hope all the aspiring entrepreneurs out there are able to make the dream of quality Made in USA products a reality.

We are hiring at Clutch Made.

Laura Dotolo is the Principal of Clutch Made (www.clutchmade.com) based in Manhattan’s garment district. Ms. Dotolo is a Manhattan factory owner as well as a long time designer and stylist for the world’s finest brands. Laura helps brands large and small develop, sample and manufacture accessories in the USA.

Best Fall Trends for Handbags in New York!

With every season that comes and goes, we get more and more convinced that the accessories market is booming and conquering the entire fashion industry. While trends fluctuate and change your wardrobe every season, statement accessories continue to make a splash. Making a good investment in an accessory, such as a handbag, makes more sense than buying  apparel at the same price.  Be reminded that apparel withers, goes out of fashion and becomes useless faster than a subway ride from the Bronx to Wall Street.

After careful consideration, we narrowed down the best fall trends for handbags for a perfect New Yorkite!

LV Bag

Louis Vuitton Miniature Box Bag

Miniature box bags– Box bags have always been a hit for girls in New York! It’s the perfect bag to rock the never-ending nightlife of the city. Apart from the style, the bag is feasible with its size and structure, making it an all time favorite.

Two Toned Celine Tote

Two Toned Celine Tote

Two-tone totes: Fall tends to get very monochrome in NYC because of the dull weather. With the new trend of two-toned bags, you add some versatility and some color to your style and wardrobe.

Stella McCartney Foldover Clutch

Stella McCartney Foldover Clutch

Foldable bags: The laid back bags look like every kids brown paper lunch bags. After an army of structured and perfect bags for the workingwomen of New York, an easy and foldable bag will definitely be seen worn by some Soho girls.

Narciso Rodriguez Structured clutch

Narciso Rodriguez Structured clutch

Structured bags: Continuing their reigns from the last seasons, structured and symmetrical bags are very much still in. For every businesswoman and aspiring girl boss, these bags are  perfect as they help you organize your super busy lifestyle with multiple pockets and structured shapes.

Sonia Rykiel Oversized Coin Purse

Sonia Rykiel Oversized Coin Purse

Over sized coin purse bags: Who doesn’t like a small little cute coin purse? Reflecting the evergreen and iconic style of Jackie Kennedy, over sized coin purses are for the shy yet fun girl in New York!

Chloe Fringed Bag

Chloe Fringed Bag

Fringed bags: Fringes equate to Boho chic which is a very summer trend. Incorporating fringes in dark fall colors and fabrics is a total win. The bag will continuously remind you of the beautiful summer that New York offers and will keep you motivated to bear the horrible cold of the city!

Tell us which is your favorite @ clutch made fb page

Why is NEW YORK the best city to work in!

We as a manufacturing business were born and bred in the heart of the concrete jungle, NYC. Working here for almost a gazillion years, you don’t realize the importance of the city until you sit down to have dinner with a bunch of your friends who work all around the world.  These international friends still seem to envy your lifestyle  in this amazing metropolis.  After many brief discussions with these friends,  I decided to come up with a short list  of things that happen only in New York City and which no other city has to offer. Check out my list here:

Inspired by the lifestyle of New York, our latest campaign for Clutch Bags.

Inspired by the lifestyle of New York, our latest campaign for Clutch Bags.

Diversity – New York is a melting pot of all kinds of cultures, races and people. Take a stroll around Central Park; it’s like a fun presentation of all the amazingly diverse ethnicities that reside in New York. Every part of the city has something different to offer, from the amazing Indian/Pakistani food markets in Queens, to the Greek Restaurants in Astoria, this city is a home to all.

Inspired by the lifestyle of New York, our latest campaign for Clutch Bags.

Inspired by the lifestyle of New York, our latest campaign for Clutch Bags.

Lifestyle – New York presents lifestyle opportunities to you that no other city can offer. From going to laundromats, to running for your busy morning subways, this city  makes you TOUGH, INDEPENDENT AND STREET SMART. Once you learn to live in this amazingly fast paced lifestyle, you can easily fit and adjust to any other regime that the world has to offer.

Inspired by the lifestyle of New York, our latest campaign for Clutch Bags.

Inspired by the lifestyle of New York, our latest campaign for Clutch Bags.

24*7 –The city has a lot to offer in the day but it also has  the same amount of activities to offer in the night.  Such is this wonderful city of New York! ‘The city that never sleeps’ functions 24*7 with full capacity. From the public transport to a chain of local restaurants, this city truly never lets you fall asleep.

Clutch Made We Are Hiring

Now that we have convinced you how amazing it is to live in New York, come work with us at Clutch Made and make this beautifully versatile city your home. We are looking for young and talented individuals in the field of Product Development and Marketing with the following requirements:
Good verbal and written communication skills, excellent organizational skills, knowledge of studio software (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Excel, Word & Social Media), ability to meet deadlines in a high-energy environment. Creative yet meticulous attention to detail. Problem-solving skills.

If you think you are a perfect fit to the above mentioned skills, send us your cvs at keziah@clutchmade.com and let your deam come true!

Clutch Made Client Aurelia Garza talks about Manufacturing in America!

Linking her namesake and heritage with a passion

for travel and art, 

Aurelia Garza breathes a balance of feminine strength

and architectural grace into her handbag designs.

Aurelia Garza for Clutch Made

Having been inspired by her travels in Europe, Aurelia moved to New York City to focus her interests on interior design.  Aurelia’s experience in interior design lends itself as the perfect foundation for her to meld modern chic style with classic sensible taste.

Participating in a trunk show this weekend in Texas, Aurelia Garza opens up to Clutch Made about her journey so far as a hand bag designer.

Aurelia Garza for Clutch Made

Clutch Made: A balance of feminine strength and architectural grace, tell us a little more about Aurelia Garza?
Aurelia Garza: The brand mission is to design bags women will love and wear day and night over and over again. To design bags that will become women’s  go-to bag for them to take anywhere they go, whether they are shopping, working, running errands or having fun.   Aurelia Garza bags are designed and styled to always help women look presentable and polished.

Aurelia Garza for Clutch Made

Clutch Made: How does Aurelia Garza as a brand stand out from  other American based brands?
Aurelia Garza: The spirit of the brand is to offer an accessory that adapts to all life style situations, to be prepared  for any event while looking your best.  I haven’t seen that kind of spirit in any American brand thus far.
Aurelia Garza

Clutch Made: How are you trying to incorporate the European aesthetics in a locally made in NYC brand?
Aurelia Garza: Europe is timeless, it never goes out of style and we want the same in our bags, to be timeless, elegant and classical but with the  unstoppable energy of New York.  New York women are always on the go, they never seem to stop. They go from work, to running errands and then to dinner with friends.  We want to create bags fit for the lifestyle of those women.  The women that never stop,  just like New York City!


Clutch Made: How has the experience using the services of styling, photographing and manufacturing with Clutch Made been?
Aurelia Garza: I am a new designer and Clutch Made has made the process of bringing my designs into a reality quite easy. They have been very helpful and working with them has been a real learning experience.

Clutch Made branding and Styling for Aurelia Garza

Clutch Made: What is the strong belief behind the ideology of manufacturing in USA?
Aurelia Garza: The idea behind manufacturing in the U.S. is to support local economy and create more jobs. Also when you live close to where the manufacturing of your product is happening, there is more quality control and easier communication between the designer and the manufacturer. If anything goes wrong it can be fixed faster and the lead time becomes shorter. Plus we are proud to say our product is made here in the states and nowhere else!
Aurelia Garza for Clutch Made

Clutch Made: Where do you see your brand in the next 5 years?
Aurelia Garza: In 5 years I see the Aurelia Garza brand in department stores across the U.S.

Clutch Made Client: Shana Luther talks about Manufacturing in USA

Proudly made in the USA, our current client is Brooklyn-based designer Shana Luther.  Shana creates American made  handbags that display her love of classically modern styling.

Shana got her start in 1999, when she graduated from Pratt Institute and began designing her own bags under the label SML Bags. A one-woman show, she was involved in all aspects of the creative process—from sketches to final sewing of her leather and fabric bags.

By 2012, Shana longed to design bags that went beyond what she could produce on her own. Inspired by her belief in self-reliance, she re-launched the label as Shana Luther Handbags, continuing to showcase her signature designs. Soon after the bags’ debut, numerous fashion magazines and blogs, such as Teen Vogue and The Pursuit of Style, featured the label, with Shana Luther Handbags becoming a finalist in Martha Stewart’s American Made Awards in 2013. In addition to that, Shana was chosen by American Express to participate in their OPEN Rising Stars of Fashion competition at Magic Market Week in Las Vegas in August 2014.

Shana Luther Interview for Clutch Made

Clutch Made: Modern, clean design made with a luxurious touch, tell us a little more about your brand. 
Shana Luther: My line focuses on quality, American made, contemporary leather bags.  I love trends as much as the next woman but my bags are designed to carry season after season with original shapes and clean design. I don’t skimp on materials and I love taking my customers into the production process with behind the scenes photos. I believe you should #knowyourbag!

Clutch Made: Manufacturing in Brooklyn, how has the journey been so far in the American market in terms of acceptance.
Shana Luther: It was never an option for me to produce overseas. I’m such a stickler for quality control that having some factory 7,000 miles away make my designs just made no sense. When I began the line in early ’12, there definitely was a market for American made goods but not as strong as it is today. Consumers are becoming more aware of Made in the USA and it’s become a factor in their purchasing decisions. Almost all of my customers applaud the American made aspect of my products.

Clutch Made: How has your collaboration with clutch made been so far?
Shana Luther: From the moment I met Laura Dotolo, I knew we would hit it off. She’s totally straightforward, honest and funny- my kind of woman.  Laura knows her way around a handbag (no surprise considering her own beautiful line of leather goods) so I felt totally comfortable and at ease working with her and her talented team.

Shana Luther Interview for Clutch Made

Clutch Made: With the rise of fast fashion, people are lacking in their taste for quality and good craftsmanship in products. Considering how well crafted your products are, how would you elaborate on the importance of skilled labor in this timeframe?
Shana Luther: Look, there’s always going to be a market for $5 jogging shorts- even I’m guilty of that on the rare occasion. Not everyone can afford a $400 leather handbag and I understand that. On the flip side, those who care about quality made goods aren’t going anywhere and I don’t think their beliefs will dwindle anytime soon just because they can get a knock-off vinyl bag in Chinatown. For American made designers, it’s important for us to stand by our brand and keep supporting our domestic manufacturers.

Clutch Made: Who is your ideal clientele? If you had to pick one celebrity to endorse your brand, who would it be and why?
Shana Luther: My brand is for everyone and having customers from age 23-65 only proves that. I don’t really have an ideal client. What’s ideal for me is having happy customers. In my mind, that’s all that matters. Ideal celebrity- I’m torn between Solange and Michelle Williams. Strong, smart, modern, very independent women who I admire and would love to see rocking a Shana Luther bag!

Clutch Made: Where do you see your brand in the next 5 years, do you plan to expand to other markets?
Shana Luther: Right now I’m happy being in the women’s American made market. I see myself doing the same thing but on a broader scale, with more stocklists, more styles, and more fans of Shana Luther Handbags.

Shana Luther for Clutch Made

Clutch Made USA Video Production

Clutch Made Video 

Check out this new video we just finished shooting and editing for our client Aurelia Garza!  Clutch Made manufactures handbags in the USA along with many other accessories.   Visit us for a free consultation @ Clutch Made USA.  We are experts at getting your product out on the market.