Be A Designer, Gallarate. Manufacturer of sportswear and activewear.
Sportswear for your brand.
Leggings, tops, performance T-shirts, sweatshirts and jackets for your sports capsule collection. First we select the technical fabrics and finishes, then we create the prototype, followed by production in workshops within 30 km of Gallarate.
12 years in the Made in Italy supply chainOver 200 people supported in launching their brandTrustpilot 4.2/5, every review is 5 stars
In brief.
Be A Designer is a design studio based in Gallarate (Varese) which, for the past 12 years, has been supporting emerging designers and brands in the creation and production of sportswear and activewear: leggings, tops, sports bras, technical T-shirts, sweatshirts and jackets. We work on capsule collections, selecting technical fabrics before the prototype stage, with production taking place in workshops within 30 km of Gallarate. The indicative minimum order is around 50 pieces per style, i.e. around 10 pieces per size; manufacturing costs range from €10–18 for a technical T-shirt to €45–90 for a softshell jacket.
Service details Sportswear
- Who
- Be A Designer, Gallarate (VA)
- What
- Leggings, tops, technical T-shirts, sweatshirts and jackets in a capsule collection
- Where
- Workshops within 30 km of Gallarate
- Minimums
- Around 50 items per style, around 10 per size
- Lead times
- 1–2 months for fabrics, 1–2 for prototypes, 2–3 for production
- Who it's for
- Emerging designers and brands; pure contract manufacturing for VAT-registered businesses and established companies
Fitness, running, athleisure.
Sportswear is unforgiving: the wrong technical garment is obvious from the very first training session. That’s why the fabric, fit and stitching are chosen based on the sport and how the garment will be used, never simply from a catalogue.
Fitness and yoga
Leggings, tops and sports bras made from stretchy, breathable fabrics, with the fit tested on a prototype before production.
Running and cycling
Technical T-shirts, shorts and cycling kits: breathability, lightness and details designed for those who really train.
Athleisure and outdoor
Technical hoodies and softshell jackets, so you can go straight from the gym to the street without it looking like two different collections.
Base manager or technical manager from scratch.
These are two different approaches in terms of cost, timeframe and positioning. The choice depends on where you want to sell and at what price: we’ll decide together during our first call.
Customised base cap
You start with an existing technical garment and customise it with your brand’s graphics, labels and details. It’s the quickest way to test the market with an initial capsule collection.
Technical Manager from scratch
A design developed from scratch, involving research into technical fabrics, fit and finishes, and manufactured in workshops within 30 km of Gallarate. For a premium positioning and a product that’s truly your own.
In both cases, we create a carefully curated capsule collection, not an endless catalogue. Before producing a prototype, we always carry out research into fabrics, finishes and small components.
A supply chain within 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 stay close: we go to the workshop instead of sending 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 the brand is for, who it competes with, and the price at which it stands up.
Collection
A carefully planned capsule, not an endless catalogue.
Materials
Fabrics, leathers, trims, small fittings and buttons selected before the prototype is made.
Prototype
The garment becomes real: it is tried on, corrected and approved.
Production
In the 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 | The prototype is made with whatever is at hand. | Research into technical 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 | Uniforms, merchandise, event clothing. | Capsule collections for brands, with co-creation of graphics and labels. |
| After production | You get the garments; the rest is your problem. | Content, e-commerce and launch: the same team supports you right through to the sale. |
How much it costs to produce a sportswear garment.
These are indicative manufacturing costs per item, including fabric and labour, for small batches made in Italy. The exact quotation depends on the fabric, quantity and production processes.
| Item | Approximate cost | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Technical T-shirt | €10–18 | Fabric €3–6 plus packaging €5–10 |
| Sports bra | €12–25 | Fabric: €3–6 plus packaging: €8–15 |
| Women's sports top | €14–28 | Fabric €4–8 plus packaging €8–15 |
| Running shorts | €10–22 | Fabric: 3–6 €, plus packaging: 6–12 € |
| Leggings | €18–35 | Fabric €6–12 plus packaging €10–18 |
| Technical sweatshirt | €22–42 | Fabric €8–15 plus packaging €12–22 |
| Cycling outfit | €50–100 | Fabric €15–30 plus packaging €30–60 |
| Softshell jacket | €45–90 | Fabric €15–30 plus packaging €25–50 |
| Prototype | around €80, €250 including the pattern | Always preceded by research into fabrics, finishes and trims |
The indicative minimum order quantity is around 50 items per model, i.e. around 10 per size: for a customised basic garment, the minimum is generally 50–100 items, whilst for a bespoke garment it is 100–200. The minimum order quantity is calculated per style and colour, not based on the total order.
Frequently asked questions.
A realistic figure is around 50 items per model, i.e. around 10 items per size. For a customised basic garment, the minimum order is generally 50–100 items; for a bespoke garment, it is 100–200. Be A Designer works on capsule collections, so the minimum order is based on the collection as a whole rather than on individual garments.
As a rough guide to manufacturing costs, including fabric and labour, a technical T-shirt costs 10–18 euros, a sports bra 12–25 euros, a pair of leggings 18–35 euros, a technical sweatshirt 22–42 euros and a softshell jacket 45–90 euros. Be A Designer will provide an exact quote once you have chosen the fabrics, finishes and trims.
With Be A Designer, a bespoke sports capsule collection takes a few months to produce: 1–2 months for the design and development of the fabrics, 1–2 months for prototypes and samples, and 2–3 months for production.
Be A Designer selects technical fabrics that are stretchy, breathable and quick-drying, drawing inspiration from sport and the garment’s intended use – never from a catalogue. The search for fabrics, finishes and trims always takes place before the prototype is made, so the price you see is the price you’ll pay.
At Be A Designer, a prototype costs around 80 euros, or 250 euros including the pattern. Before the prototype comes the search for fabrics, trims and small components: it’s never just the prototype plus the pattern.
Be A Designer manufactures in workshops within 30 km of Gallarate, in the province of Varese. The short supply chain is a sustainability choice and allows the company to oversee prototypes and production in person. The supply chain is not relocated to other industrial districts.
Yes, but pure contract manufacturing is reserved for VAT-registered individuals and established companies that already have the tools and knowledge of the supply chain. Those starting from scratch go through the full process: strategy, collection, sourcing of fabrics and trims, prototyping, production and launch.
No. Be A Designer does not produce white-label kits or merchandise for teams and events. It works with brands on capsule collections, using a co-creation process for graphics, labels and prints that takes a few months.
What else do we do for brands?
Let’s talk about your sports 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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