About the Book: 

Written for people new to the apparel industry in layman's terms  A proven process in a step-by-step format to turn your clothing line ideas into reality. Worksheets available to work along with the chapters and real-life stories of other apparel entrepreneurs

Click here for Press Release

Quotes from the Book: 

“Please don't suddenly go to design school because you have an apparel idea. Reading this book instead will teach you what you need to now about being a new brand owner.”

“Many aspiring designers head to their local fabric store in search of a fabric that looks and feels right. If this is you, stop. Turn around. Drop the swatches. Exit those automatic glass doors now. That’s right! Walk away from the retail shop.”

Mindy's 3 Tiers of Fabric vendors -“Are you on Team Woven or Team Knit? / Every time you make a decision like researching a vendor or sourcing your fabric, identify yourself as Team Woven or Team Knit.”

“Find a garment you love, then cut it up! / You'll cut into pieces to send to fabric vendors / this will allow them to easily understand what fabric you want without you knowing the specs.”

Potential podcast topics

• Making in USA vs. overseas and stories about what I have seen in factories overseas.

• the value of product engineering in apparel vs. hard goods and how misogyny comes into play

• Why the apparel industry is so hard to break into and what are the barriers

• The biggest mistakes I have seen people make in the industry - not understand product development and skip right to manufacturer and start with products outside their "why"

• Biggest hurdle for a new apparel entrepreneur - fabric

• Why I wrote this book - for the apparel entrepreneurs AND the apparel industry to help them both speak a common language and help their interactions go smoother - I get thanks you’s from both sides of the industry

• What it was like when I entered the apparel industry fresh out of design school

Any interesting or unique facts or stats about Mindy or the business (to spark relation points or current events interest for potential media).

• Grew up in a rural area started a business out of home cutting fabric on a table propped up on paint cans and sewing in the basement

• Met president Clinton by accident :)

• A big feminist especially in the apparel industry

• Advocate for fair labor wages and no labor exploitation overseas

• Went through a journey of owning a business with an understanding of self-worth

Social info and where to order book:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theapparelmentor/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theapparelmentor/

Order Book here —Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BWH7BDKY

• Please Tag us and use hashtags : #getitmade #getitmadebook #appareldesign #apparelmanufacturing #fashiondesign #fashiondesigner #apparelentrepreneurship

Q&A from MN Fashion Week

1.     Can you tell us about your experience in the fashion industry and how The Apparel Mentor came to be?

 I started in the industry in 1999 working for a small domestic athletic apparel company. I then went on the be a product developer at a company that made clothes domestically and overseas. After that I was in production development and brand development for a larger corporate retailer. I went on to start a family and started freelancing. During that time (2006)  I gained a ton of clients and had to hire help and realized through that process the insatiable hunger for apparel entrepreneurs needing help, guidance and a factory willing to work with them. The industry is so closed off and hard to break into. Clothing factories and fabric vendors are so hard to find and work with if you are new to the industry. At that time it became my passion to help apparel entrepreurs understand how the industry works and to help them develop and manufacture their clothing lines. I haven't stopped with that mission since! 

2.     Tell us about your values and mission.

While working in the industry I have traveled several times overseas to Asia and central America to visit clothing factories. The conditions there can be horrendous with people working 7 days a week 14 hour days and making next to nothing. One of my strong values is raising awareness of this and guiding people on how to make clothing domestically. Another strong value I have is to raise the perceived value of clothing design, development and production. The skills it takes to do this are virtually identical to skills it takes to make and engineer any other type of product (think hard goods). My theory is that the skills in the apparel industry are undervalued due to it being such a women dominated industry for so long. Just because your aunt could make your prom dress doesn't mean it is an easy skill or lower level! Lastly, I have a mission to reveal the mysteries in the apparel industry and open it up to more local and niche brands. The industry is mysterious to an outsider and I have dedicated most of my career to making it more accessible. 

3.     What inspired you to write your upcoming book, and what can readers expect to learn from it?

All my values listed above have inspired me to write this book. Also over the years my company has helped over 1000 apparel entrepreneurs through the process of development and manufacturing. Through those years I have learned all the common mistakes people make and what holds them back. I wanted to put all of that experience and knowledge into a helpful step-by-step guide for anyone looking to make anything in the soft goods industry.  People that read my book can expect real world stories of others going through this process and also a very understandable guide complete with a workbook on getting their apparel ideas out into the world. 

4.     As sponsors for Fashion Week Minnesota, what do you think are some of the emerging trends in the fashion industry? 

All movements start local and with grass roots! We are so excited to be a sponsor of the Fashion Meek Minnesota and get to know our local community of designers, makers and consumers better! Some emerging trends we are seeing are things that support sustainability. Making things out of natural fibers that are biodegradable is making huge headway in the industry. Many people are not aware if what they are wearing is synthetic or natural but I do see the trend shifting to natural fibers from a fashion sense as well. I also see people putting more value in buying from makers they know or know their story. This is an exciting trend and one I hope continues to grow. 

5.     Can you speak to the importance of sustainability and ethical practices in the fashion industry, and how companies can work towards implementing these values?

The biggest and most important thing that can happen in this category is for the consumer to start buying less and paying more per item. The consumer needs to educate themselves more on where their product is coming from, how it is made, what it is made of and what happens to that garment when its life cycle is over.  Until the consumers start putting more pressure on the big box retailers and not ignoring the disposability of our garments the industry cannot make any meaningful shifts. 

6.     What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers and entrepreneurs who are just starting out in the industry?

Get help! Get a mentor! Read my book, Get it Made! Don't do it alone, there is so much to learn before approaching clothing factories or fabric mills. The more you educate yourselves and find a community of like-minded people the more successful you will be! I have a membership program called The Apparel Mentor that meets weekly and guides people through this process. Not only that, our members meet a community of other members to help support each other and learn from each other.  

7.     How do you see the future of the fashion industry evolving, and what role do you think mentors and industry leaders will play in shaping this future?

The textile industry is the #2 polluter in the world. It also employs 82% women vs. 18% men yet only 14% of the industry's top executives are women.  I see the industry evolving through consumer awareness and action to change these things. Mentors and leaders such as myself need to play a role in elevating the value of the skills in the industry and educating the consumer on paying for the actual worth of products and what skills went into making those products.