Berto Supports Young Labels with No MOQ Materials
When brands are just starting out, material sourcing can be a hurdle. Mills typically have minimum order sizes for fabric that are greater than the needs or budgets of a small company. As a result, to acquire textiles, emerging brands often overbuy, creating leftovers after a production run is finished.
In response to this need for smaller quantity textile orders, Italian denim manufacturer Berto has launched a new “Su Misura” service catering to up-and-coming brands. Su Misura has no minimums, so there is not a pressure to buy excess fabric. It is also a more cost-effective way of sourcing materials for small-batch manufacturing.
Designers can request an account to shop a virtual showroom, enabling them to browse a wide range of denim, printed and dyed materials that can be shipped around the globe. All of the materials in the Su Misura range are Oeko-Tex certified, assuring that they are safe from harmful chemicals. Berto also offers fabrics certified by the GOTS and GRS standards.
Berto spoke with Carved in Blue about the idea behind Su Misura and how the new service supports a more sustainable industry.
Carved in Blue: Even before Su Misura, Berto has been supporting emerging designers through the Berto for Young Talents project. As a textile manufacturer, where do you see your role in helping the next generation of fashion creators?
Berto: As a textile manufacturer, we see an important role for us supporting next-generation designers. Of course, at the beginning they haven’t got the purchasing power to buy high quantities of one single fabric, but maybe in the future they will have it, because we hope they grow and become big brands. In that future, they will still ask us for our fabrics because they will remember we helped them with high-quality fabrics at the quantity they needed.
Carved in Blue: Why has material sourcing historically been a challenge for labels that are just starting out?
Berto: New-born brands, when they start their business, make small collections with few models, so they don’t need to buy a lot of meters of fabric. On the other hand, fabric mills need to produce high quantities of fabrics to reach economies of scale. This can’t match.
Carved in Blue: For young designers, what difference will Su Misura make in their businesses?
Berto: They will have the possibility to buy exactly the number of meters they need, without creating any waste or leftovers. And they can choose among a really wide range of fabrics.
Carved in Blue: What is the sustainability impact of facilitating smaller fabric order quantities?
Berto: In a world where “buy less and buy better” is our mantra, we give to clients the possibility to buy exactly what they need without creating leftovers that are very impacting in term of sustainability.
Carved in Blue: What can designers expect from the Su Misura denim range? What are some of the standout styles available?
Berto: For example, we have a wide range of color denim, some stripes and also some special compositions like cashmere blends and linen blends.
Carved in Blue: To improve inventory issues, smaller batch manufacturing is gaining ground for brands of all sizes. Will Su Misura also be open to more established, larger labels that desire low MOQ?
Berto: Yes, we propose the Su Misura project also to big brands who want to do a special limited-edition capsule collection.
Carved in Blue: Beyond material accessibility, what else should the fashion industry be doing to assist emerging designers, particularly during this challenging time?
Berto: The industry should give young brands the chance to do at the beginning small batches without having high overprices.
Carved in Blue: What does Carved in Blue mean to you?
Berto: It means a lot for Berto. Thanks to Carved in Blue blog, we can stay in contact with all the denim community and know a lot of information and news about all the actors of the whole denim value chain.