About FABRIC

FABRIC is a fashion incubator, business accelerator, design studio, academy, and manufacturer that is sustainably disrupting, redefining and reshoring the fashion industry for the modern apparel entrepreneur.

Almost any type of sewn product can be made at FABRIC, and hundreds of apparel entrepreneurs have found everything they need to start their business, make their product, and grow their brand.

FABRIC’s award-winning concept and robust offerings are unique to the country, and are only made possible by an innovative approach, using state-of-the-art technology.

How we do It

We created a revolutionary "road map" that guides you through the steps so you don't have to have any industry experience. It's like having your very own digital Production Manager, QC Manager, and Business Coach. Our road map guides and prompts you through each step necessary to make a sewn product and get it to market. We also provide you with the tools, resources, expertise, and guidance needed along the way.

This empowering, education-based, hands-on approach saves you thousands of dollars and helps you avoid many of the issues and obstacles common to overseas manufacturing.  Through this proprietary model, FABRIC is leading the way in making re-shoring manufacturing a sustainable solution for a modern problem.

Why we created FABRIC

The internet provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs to sell niche products direct to consumer. Most large apparel brands are not filling a niche because they are targeting the masses so their offerings are generic. Finding a unique product or one that is out of the normal size/height range is a challenge for consumers.

FABRIC helps apparel entrepreneurs fill a void in the market. Its where a brand owner can come to find all of the resources they need at any stage of their business. No experience necessary.

The problem is that the apparel manufacturing industry is set up for larger brands who have large budgets and make large quantities in overseas factories. Unrealistic consumer price expectations force these brands to over-produce overseas, using unsustainable methods, and questionable labor practices.

This traditional apparel manufacturing process is flawed and isn’t set up to meet the needs of modern apparel entrepreneurs who want to make smaller quantities of niche sewn products domestically. So most new apparel entrepreneurs struggle to overcome these obstacles:

• High minimums (MOQ’s) required.
• Large capital investment needed.
• Requires a full-time, knowledgeable and experienced team who understand technical design, sourcing, production management, and quality control.
• High probability of damages and unusable inventory due to lack of understanding of the brand’s role and responsibilities in Quality Control.
• Physical proximity of resources. Lack of local resources. Most domestic resources are in LA or NY. Majority of factories are overseas. Overseas manufacturing comes with…
  • Language barrier
  • Long lead times of shipping and customs
  • High tariffs on imports
  • Loss of intellectual property
  • Lack of communication
  • Lack of quality control
  • Unsustainable practices that have made the fashion industry one of the most polluting industries on the planet
  • Unfair labor practices

So, to solve the problem, we decided to create a place that provides no-minimum manufacturing and step-by-step guidance through the hurdles of manufacturing to apparel entrepreneurs who may not have production experience. FABRIC is a sustainable, domestic resource that offers everything under one roof using the latest technology and a revolutionary "road map" tool that democratizes this complex industry for new entrepreneurs. The road map puts control, ownership, responsibility, and creativity back into the hands of the brand owner, and it saves the brand owner thousands of dollars and simultaneously enables FABRIC to offer no-minimum manufacturing.

Is FABRIC for you?

FABRIC was created for the modern apparel entrepreneur. No prior experience is necessary. Almost any sewn product is possible.

The incubator building

In 2016, the City of Tempe granted us use of their former Tempe Performing Arts Center. Through a mix of personal investment and community elbow grease, we transformed this 26,000 sq. ft., three-story, downtown Tempe building the headquarters for Arizona’s fashion industry. Inside FABRIC you will find a runway/event space, co-working offices, design studios, photography production studio, recording studios, hair salon, makeup room, classrooms, maker’s sewing studio, sewing factory, cutting room, design studio, sourcing library, VIP room, and more! The income generated from these spaces enables us to offer the elusive no-minimum manufacturing services that other factories usually don't offer.

Want to use our event space, photography studio, or co-working offices? Take a tour of FABRIC to check it out!