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What is different about making jackets and coats: materials, insulation, seams, hardware and fit.
Outerwear has more parts, more materials and more ways to go wrong than most garments, because it has to protect against the weather as well as look good. Shells, linings, insulation, zippers and seams all work together. This guide covers what to think about when you manufacture jackets and coats. For the general process, start with how to start a clothing line.
A light rain shell, a puffer, a wool coat and a technical mountain jacket need very different materials and construction. Decide the weather it must handle, how much warmth you want, how much movement matters and your price level.
The shell fabric sets the look, durability and weather resistance. Some are water-resistant through a finish, and others are waterproof through a coating or membrane, and the difference matters. Insulation can be down or synthetic fill, and each has trade-offs in warmth, weight, bulk, care and cost. For down, ask about fill power, which describes loft, and where it comes from. Ask your suppliers for specifications and test methods.
Waterproof jackets usually need sealed or taped seams, and zippers, pockets and closures that keep water out. Hardware, such as zippers, snaps, buckles and drawcords, needs to be strong enough for the use. Insulated garments need baffles or quilting patterns that keep fill from shifting. Specify each of these in your tech pack. See our pages on components and thread.
Outerwear tech packs run long: shell, lining and fill specifications, the quilting or baffle layout, seam types, hardware, labels and packing. Use the free Tech Pack Builder and our tech pack guide.
Decide what people will wear underneath, and fit-test with those layers. Check arm movement, hood and collar function, length and the way insulation sits. Allow for bulk, which changes how measurements are taken and graded. Use the fit session guide.
Look for factories experienced in your type of jacket, with the machines for heavy materials, quilting and seam sealing if you need them. Ask about their experience with your shell and insulation, their minimums and whether they test weather performance.
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Outerwear is bulky, so it takes up a lot of container space for its weight. Work out shipping early, because it changes your landed cost.
Use the Carton & Container Load Calculator and Landed Cost Calculator. See how to calculate CBM.
Water-resistant fabrics shed light moisture, often through a finish. Waterproof fabrics block water through a coating or membrane, and usually need sealed seams. Ask your supplier how a claim is tested before you use it in marketing.
Fill power is a measure of the loft of down. A higher number generally means more warmth for the weight. Ask for it, and where the down comes from.
They use more material, more parts, heavier machines and more detailed construction, and they often need hardware and insulation.
Waterproof jackets usually do, because needle holes let water through. Light water-resistant jackets may not. It depends on the performance you promise.
Browse the Apparel Search directory of outerwear and jacket factories, then check samples and references.