Get It Made - Build Your Clothing Line from Idea to Reality

Are you new to the apparel industry? Are you intimidated by the process?

After running my own clothing factory and helping thousands of entrepreneurs create new apparel lines, I decided to share what I have learned with you! Your clothing ideas CAN become a reality, and this step-by-step book will get you there.

What’s Inside:

  • Industry secrets, lingo you need to know, and tips for working with and hiring the professionals you’ll need.

  • Real examples and stories from apparel entrepreneurs who’ve been in your shoes.

  • Proven process and estimated timelines, including action plans and clear next steps that build from chapter to chapter.

  • Corresponding QR codes, linked to worksheets online, that you can fill out to follow along and get stuff done.

  • Additional resources available if you are enjoying the book and want to join a community of other apparel entrepreneurs!

Watch and Interview with The Author - Mindy Martell

Learn why she wrote this book about how to start an apparel line and why she is qualified to do so!

About Mindy

A modest beginning, sewing as a child with her mother and grandmother in rural Minnesota, Mindy Martell later realized that clothing design and creation could be an actual career. After her Apparel Design & Manufacturing degree, she entered the industry–only to discover how little practical knowledge and connections she had been given in school to hack it in the real world of manufacturing. 

After working for several clothing lines, in 2003, she decided to quit the corporate world to create tools and programs for aspiring apparel entrepreneurs. She started a design house and one of the first woman-owned apparel factories in the US (Clothier Design Source), helping clients get their ideas and products made ever since. She has created and helped others create thousands of different products. 

Recently, Mindy has found the most rewarding part of her job to be mentoring new entrepreneurs and helping them navigate through the complicated apparel industry. She also created the Apparel Academy course and this resource book, earning her title, “The Apparel Mentor.”

“As a patternmaker and product developer who has worked with many startups over the years, I have been so impressed with Mindy’s program and how prepared her students are for the realities of the industry. Everything from the order in which tasks need to be accomplished to the importance of identifying and always coming back to the target consumer, how to communicate effectively with vendors, factories and service providers, and setting the expectations for the prototyping process. Mindy is a trusted guide who presents information in an approachable way, yet doesn’t sugarcoat the fact that starting a business in fashion isn’t easy. She helps to navigate through the nuances and noise so entrepreneurs who follow the program have a big advantage over their competition.”

—XOCHIL HERRERA SCHEER, Apparel Engineer; Product Development Expert; Owner, The Chicago Pattern Maker

“ In an industry that has been ravaged by offshoring, Mindy recognized what most others have not and seized upon the opportunities to gain competitive advantages within domestic sourcing. Building upon her vast industry experience, she built a thriving manufacturing business that leverages those advantages and supporting the Made in America movement. In addition to her success in sewn products manufacturing, she has expanded her influence upon the industry through education and teaching aspiring apparel entrepreneurs to understand the industry and how to succeed as a domestic brand. Her immeasurable impact upon this industry is undeniable and limitless. Mindy truly is a shining star!

“Now Mindy has taken her vast knowledge and experience in a convoluted industry and turned it into this book. This is a valuable resource to any apparel entrepreneur and clothing designer. From honing an initial design concept to selecting manufacturers, this book [Mindy] walks you through the real-world steps.”

—WILL DUNCAN, Executive Director, SEAMS; The Association & Voice of the US sewn products industry