When she joined a gym 18 months ago, Renae Hartson was thinking only about fitness. But although she loved the yoga and Pilates classes, Hartson, a "real size 14," soon found herself thinking about the need for comfortable, attractive activewear. Tired of oversized cotton T-shirts and black polyester leggings, and envious of her thinner classmates' clothing choices, she embarked on a quest for suitable workout clothes. But even though her size is average for U.S. women, Hartson was unable to find any retail outlets, either online or in the area of Minnesota where she lives, offering an adequate selection.
At this point, most people would have given up on either the search or the yoga. But Hartson had spoken to enough women, both at the gym and online, to realize that she wasn't alone in her quest, and that an unmet demand existed for larger-size workout clothes. "I knew there had to be a better way," she says, explaining why she decided to start her Bodyworks Apparel company and create the clothing line herself.
Hartson had several goals for Bodyworks Apparel. She wanted to make styles that were flattering for "real women sizes" (12 through 22), shaped to show curves without being skintight or otherwise revealing. She was also determined to avoid plus-size fit problems, such as baggy armholes, that are caused by taking a size-six base pattern and increasing it proportionally. "Women don't gain weight proportionally all over," she explains. Bodyworks Apparel clothing is designed from a size-14 base. Finally, she wanted "crossover" clothes that worked in the gym but looked good outside - allowing busy women to run errands on the way home from yoga class.
Learning the ropes
A former benefits analyst turned stay-at-home mom, Hartson was no apparel industry expert, and she was located far from most of the resources she needed. But as a longtime "research queen," she was confident in her ability to find the answers. She also had access to the Internet, which has opened up new possibilities for startup companies in remote places. After reading all of the books she could find, Hartson joined the online Fashion Incubator forum, whose members were generous with their insights and expertise. "You can't buy that type of information," she says.
Through Fashion Incubator and other avenues, Hartson lined up the tools, sources and subcontractors she needed to make the business work. Her first step was to create a 12-piece collection, working with a New York-area designer, Anna Schwengle of Juna Clothing. Using Adobe Illustrator along with low-cost online collaboration tools - e-mail, Skype videoconferencing and Box.net online file storage - Schwengle translated Hartson's original ideas and hand-drawn sketches into a full set of styles that could be presented to retailers. Schwengle also created the company's brand identity and designed its web site, www.bodyworksapparel.com.
To produce patterns from Schwengle's technical specs, Hartson contracts with a patternmaker in Pennsylvania who uses TUKAcad software, a production suite that combines pattern making, grading and marker making. TUKATECH, the software vendor, makes its product available for rental as well as purchase - another benefit for a startup venture with limited capital.
Hartson ended up getting her own copy of TUKAcad; even as a nonprofessional patternmaker, she finds the software so easy to use - and the company's technical support staff so helpful - that once the patterns are e-mailed to her, she can now make adjustments and do the grading and marker making herself. And because she can save patterns as blocks, creating new styles for the next season is easy. "I could turn a long pant into a capri pant without sending it to the patternmaker," she says.
The next step was creating the right fabric. For woven fabrics, Hartson found a Tennessee company, Carr Textiles, to mix a cotton/spandex blend. And for the knit fabrics, Enviro Fabrics in Los Angeles knits up bamboo with organic cotton and spandex to make an extremely soft, durable and machine-washable fabric. In addition to being eco-friendly, bamboo has properties that make it especially suitable for activewear: It absorbs and evaporates perspiration quickly, it is hypoallergenic, it is antibacterial, and it protects against ultraviolet rays. Small amounts of cotton are added to make the fabric less clingy - a plus for plus sizes - and small amounts of spandex give it a little stretch. "It's a wonder fabric, if blended correctly by a knowledgeable mill with the right combinations," Hartson says. Soy and hemp are also used in some blends.
Launching the first collection
A dye house in California was able to accommodate small dye lots; swatches are sent back and forth by overnight mail until the colors are perfect. The dye house then dyes and washes the fabric and sends it to the manufacturer, a Minnesota company that specializes in organic production and is flexible about minimum amounts and schedules. (This was important because the first production runs are small, but Hartson wants to be poised to meet demand if the products take off.)
Meanwhile, the patterns are plotted by TUKAweb, a worldwide 24/7 service operated by TUKATECH that sends the plots over the Internet to Fedex Kinkos for printing and delivery to the manufacturer.
After making the samples that Hartson used successfully in trade shows, the production facility is now cutting and sewing the 2008 line, which will be returned to Hartson for final quality control and delivery to retailers. So far, the line has been picked up both by plus-size stores and by retailers specializing in natural fabrics; Hartson is also trying to interest active-wear retailers. She is also developing an e-commerce capability and plans to start retailing the clothes over the web beginning in September.
With the 2008 collection about to hit the stores, it's not too soon to be thinking ahead to the 2009 collection. In response to a suggestion from a Miami-based retailer, Hartson is developing a line of cruise/resort styles in lighter fabrics than the original Bodyworks Apparel line.
Hartson has great hopes for the success of Bodyworks Apparel. Over the past year and a half, she has heard from many "real-size" women who complain of feeling like second-class citizens when they shop for clothing, especially activewear. She says: "The first thing people say when they see our clothes is ‚¬ËœFinally!' and ‚¬ËœWhen can I order it?'"
Masha Zager is a New York City-based free-lance writer who specializes in business and technology.
supply chain at a glance
Technical Specs: Juna Clothing, using Adobe Illustrator; collaboration via Skype videoconferencing and Box.net file storage Patternmaking: Style Source, using TUKAcad Pattern Revision, Grading, and Marking: Bodyworks Apparel, using TUKAcad Plotting: TUKAweb Dyeing and Washing: Final Touch Fabric: Carr Textiles, Enviro Fabrics Production and Packing: A&A Organics Quality control: Bodyworks Apparel E-commerce: Quickbooks Point of Sale Shipping: USPS Click-N-Ship, FedEx, UPS
