Private Label Leather Jackets: The Brand Owner's Manufacturing Guide

Step 1: Define Your Product Before You Contact Anyone

The single biggest mistake new brands make is reaching out to factories with vague requests. Factories deal with hundreds of enquiries a week. A specific brief gets a specific quote in 24 hours. A vague enquiry gets ignored or given a generic reply that tells you nothing.

Before you contact a factory, know:

• Style: biker, moto, bomber, racer, fashion? Provide a reference image or sketch.
• Hide: full-grain cowhide, lambskin, vegan alternative? (This is the biggest cost driver.)
• Colors: how many colorways are you launching?
• Sizes: XS–XXL? Vanity sizing? Gender-specific patterns?
• Hardware: gunmetal, antique brass, matte black, gold?
• Quantity: your opening order per style/color.
• Timeline: when do you need the goods in your warehouse?

Step 2: The Tech Pack (and When You Don't Need One)

A tech pack is a technical document that specifies every detail of a garment — measurements, stitch type, hardware placement, label position, material callouts. It's the professional standard for communicating with a factory.

Do you need one? Not necessarily for a first sample. Most factories (including AJSAMCO) will work from a reference garment or a clear photograph and produce a sample for your approval. Once you approve the sample, the factory's own pattern master creates the spec sheet. You approve it. That becomes your brand's tech pack.

If you plan to use multiple manufacturers or license your designs, a proper tech pack is worth producing from the start. Tools like Techpacker or Clo3D can help.

Step 3: The Sample Process

Sampling is where you spend money to save money. A sample that costs you $150 can prevent a $15,000 mistake in a bulk order.

Here's how AJSAMCO's sampling process works:

1. Send your brief: reference images, measurements, hide preference, hardware preference
2. We confirm the sample quote (typically $100–$200 depending on complexity)
3. You approve and pay the sample invoice
4. Pattern is drafted in-house (no outsourcing)
5. Sample is cut, stitched, finished, and QC'd internally
6. Sample ships DHL to you (usually day 14–21)
7. You review, request revisions if needed (one revision round is standard)
8. You approve the sample — this becomes the "sealed sample" reference for bulk production

The sample cost is credited against your first bulk order. If you walk away after samples, you've paid a reasonable development fee — not wasted money.

Step 4: Understanding Your Cost Structure

Many brand owners focus only on FOB price. Your real landed cost is:

A good rule for leather jackets in the UK/US mid-premium segment: landed cost should be 20–30% of your intended retail price. A jacket you plan to retail at $495 should land at $100–$150.

Step 5: Private Label Branding

Private label means every visible brand touchpoint is yours. Here's what AJSAMCO prepares to your specification:

• Woven main label — sewn at collar or side seam
• Care & content label — sewn at hem, with your brand name + care symbols
• Size labels — your size system (S/M/L or 36/38/40)
• Hangtag — printed, with your brand
• Branded zip pulls — your logo engraved on custom metal pulls (order qty: 500+ typically)
• Dust bag or garment bag — with your brand
• Custom hardware — buckles, D-rings, rivets embossed with your logo

You source and supply labels to us (we can recommend Pakistan-based label makers if needed). Hardware customization requires a tooling fee (typically $200–$500 per hardware piece type) and a minimum quantity.

Step 6: Bulk Production and QC

Once you approve the sealed sample and place the bulk order:

• Production begins within 5–7 working days of payment receipt
• You receive photo updates mid-production
• Final QC inspection against the sealed sample before shipment
• AQL 2.5 inspection report available on request
• Third-party inspection (SGS, Bureau Veritas) can be arranged at your cost