Be A Designer, Gallarate. Sweatshirts and streetwear.
Streetwear hoodies for your brand.
Not just promotional sweatshirts: your brand’s capsule collection. A basic garment customised with a print, or a sweatshirt made from scratch in Italy, in workshops within 30 km of Gallarate.
12 years part of the ‘Made in Italy’ supply chainOver 200 people supporting them as they launch their brandTrustpilot 4.2/5, all the 5-star reviews
In brief.
Be A Designer is a design studio based in Gallarate (Varese) which has been supporting emerging designers and brands in the creation and production of sweatshirts and streetwear for the past 12 years. There are two options: a European or non-European basic garment customised with a print, or a sweatshirt made from scratch in Italy, with meticulous attention to detail, in workshops within 30 km of Gallarate. We work on capsule collections: the indicative minimum is around 50 pieces per style – that is, around 10 pieces per size – and production takes a few months.
Service details Sweatshirts and streetwear
- Who
- Be A Designer, Gallarate (VA)
- What
- Sweatshirts and streetwear in a capsule collection
- Where
- Workshops within 30 km of Gallarate
- Minimums
- Around 50 items per style, around 10 per size
- Times
- A few months: this depends on the graphics, labels and prints
- For those who
- Emerging designers and brands; pure contract manufacturing for self-employed individuals and established companies
A capsule collection, not a standalone hoodie.
The hoodie is often a streetwear brand’s first product, but it is also a commodity item in a crowded market. What sets it apart are the fabric, the fit, the graphics and the consistency of the collection.
Graphics and prints
Work with the brand to co-create the collection before production begins. It is they, together with the labels, who set the timeline for the capsule collection.
Fit and details
Fabric, oversized fit, finishes and details: with this custom-made sweatshirt, every detail is chosen with a tailor’s eye.
Labels and packaging
Composition, care and brand labels, which are required by law. Then there’s the packaging and unboxing, which are just as important as the garment itself.
A basic top or a sweatshirt made from scratch.
These are two different approaches, and the choice depends on where the brand wants to sell and at what price. We’ll explain them to you during our first call and choose the right one together.
Customised base cap
You start with a basic garment from Europe or outside Europe and customise it with your brand’s prints, graphics and labels. Ideal for those who need to keep unit costs down and test the market.
Sweatshirt made from scratch, Made in Italy
A design developed from scratch, with meticulous attention to fabric selection, fit, finishes and detailing. Manufactured in workshops within 30 km of Gallarate, to position it at a higher end of the market.
In both cases, we develop a carefully curated capsule collection, working collaboratively on designs, labels and prints. Before moving on to the prototype stage, we always carry out research into fabrics, finishes and trims.
A supply chain spanning 30 km.
We work with workshops within a short supply chain, within 30 km of Gallarate. We do not move production to other regions: this means greater quality control, less transport and greater sustainability.
Be A Designer doesn’t just handle production. We only undertake pure contract manufacturing for VAT-registered individuals and established companies. Those starting from scratch go through the full programme: it’s the safest way to avoid spending money on production before knowing what to sell, to whom and at what price.
Prototypes and production go hand in hand: let’s head to the lab – we don’t send emails.
From idea to product, in six stages.
The complete Be A Designer programme. If you already have a collection and suppliers, we’ll start with the stage that suits your needs.
Strategy
Who is the brand aimed at, who are its competitors, and at what price does it remain viable?.
Collection
A carefully curated selection, not an endless catalogue.
Materials
Fabrics, leathers, trims, small fittings and buttons selected before the prototype is made.
Prototype
The design takes shape: it is tested, revised and approved.
Production
From a short supply chain within 30 km of Gallarate, with quality control.
Launch
Content, e-commerce and distribution: a brand only sells when people know it exists.
Why ‘Be A Designer’ and not just any manufacturer?.
| Generic manufacturer | Be A Designer | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | It does whatever you give it. | Let’s start with strategy and the collection: you go into production knowing what to sell and at what price. |
| Materials | You make a prototype with whatever you’ve got. | Research into fabrics, finishes and small components prior to prototyping. |
| Supply chain | Often far away; sometimes you don’t know where. | Workshops within 30 km of Gallarate. |
| Project | Promotional sweatshirts, uniforms, event sweatshirts. | A capsule collection created in collaboration on graphics, labels and prints. |
| After production | Get the sweatshirts – the rest is up to you. | Content, packaging and e-commerce: the same team supports you right through to the point of sale. |
How much does it cost to produce a sweatshirt?.
The cost depends on the quantity per model, the type of garment, the fabric, the weight and the personalisation technique. These are approximate market prices per item: an exact quote will be provided once the fabrics and finishes have been selected.
| Entry | Approximate cost | What does it depend on? |
|---|---|---|
| Basic top + print, 50–100 items | €20–35 each | Choice of base garment, design and printing technique |
| Basic top + print, 500+ items | €12–18 each | The unit cost falls as the quantity increases |
| Custom-made sweatshirts, 100–200 pieces | €40–60 each | Fabric, fit, finishes and range of sizes |
| Sweatshirt made from scratch, 500+ pieces | €22–35 each | For quantities of fewer than 100 items, this is decided on a case-by-case basis |
| Prototype | €80, or €250 including a pattern | Following on from the search for fabrics and small accessories |
| Labels | €0.15–0.20 each | Produced on an industrial scale, numbering around a thousand |
The selling price is usually set at 3–4 times the production cost: a sweatshirt that costs €25 sells for €75–100. Make sure you also factor in postage, packaging and set-up costs.
Questions we’re often asked.
The minimum order quantity depends on what is being produced, but a realistic figure is around 50 items per model, i.e. around 10 items per size. Be A Designer works on capsule collections, so the minimum order is based on the collection as a whole rather than on a single sweatshirt. The exact number is determined once you have chosen between a customised basic garment and a garment made from scratch.
It depends on where the brand wants to sell and at what price. A basic garment from Europe or outside Europe, customised with a print, costs less and allows the brand to test the market; a sweatshirt made from scratch in Italy, with meticulous attention to detail, supports a higher positioning and a higher retail price. Be A Designer helps you make your choice based on the brand’s positioning, not on the catalogue.
With Be A Designer, a capsule collection of sweatshirts takes a few months to produce. The timeframe depends mainly on finalising the designs, labels and prints, which are co-created with the brand before going into production. Anyone with a launch date in mind should start work well in advance.
The cost depends on the quantity, type of garment, fabric, weight and personalisation technique. As a market guide, a basic garment with a print ranges from 20–35 euros per item for orders of 50–100 pieces, falling to 12–18 euros for orders of over 500, whilst a design created from scratch ranges from €40–60 for 100–200 items to €22–35 for orders of over 500. Be A Designer will provide an exact quote once the fabrics and finishes have been selected.
At Be A Designer, a prototype costs approximately 80 euros, or 250 euros including the pattern. Before the prototype, however, there is always the process of sourcing fabrics, trims, small components and accessories: it’s never just the prototype plus the pattern. This step prevents the need to correct errors once production has already begun.
Yes, but the ‘pure contract manufacturing’ option is reserved for VAT-registered individuals and established companies that already have the tools and knowledge of the supply chain. Those starting from scratch follow the full ‘Be A Designer’ programme: strategy, collection, fabric and trims research, prototyping, production and launch. This is the way to avoid blowing your budget on a poorly planned production run.
The hoodies, made from scratch, are produced in workshops within 30 km of Gallarate, in the province of Varese. Be A Designer has opted for a short supply chain for sustainability reasons and to be able to closely monitor every stage of production. The supply chain is not relocated to other industrial areas.
No, Be A Designer does not produce promotional T-shirts or white-label uniforms for teams and events. It works with fashion brands on capsule collections, using a co-creation process for graphics, labels and prints. If the aim is to build a streetwear brand, this is the right service for you.
Let’s talk about your streetwear capsule collection.
A free consultation to help you work out which approach is right for your brand, along with the timeframe and budget involved. No obligation.
Or write to [email protected]
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