FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is Italian Artisan?
Italian Artisan is a digital platform that connects international brands with authentic Italian artisans, simplifying the process and decreasing time and costs for producing in Italy
Why should I use Italian Artisan?
Finding an Italian manufacturer it’s not an easy task and it can be painful. Italian Artisan makes made in Italy easy! We easily connect international fashion entrepreneurs, designers and brand’s owner with verified italian manufacturers. We support brands with our platform to find the perfect match and build a trustful partnership with the Italian production partner
Who is Italian Artisan designed for?

Italian Artisan is ideal for independent boutiques, shop owners, brand owners, stylists, designers and fashion entrepreneurs who have concrete projects or models that want to bring alive and produce it in Italy.

Why should I trust Italian Artisan?

Looking for an Italian producer is not an easy task and you can often encounter some difficulties. Italian Artisan makes the Made In Italy easy! We make it easier to connect and match international fashion entrepreneurs with verified Italian artisans. We sustain brands throughout our platform not only to find the perfect production partners but to build trustful partnership with them.

What type of product are you able to produce?

Our commmunity of premium luxury artisans are specilized in more than 28 product categories, ranging from clothing, shoes, bags, accessories, jewellery, intimate apparel, swimwear to homewear. If you become part of Italian Artisan's community, you'll have access to the best Italian producers that meet the expectations of the most demanding brands.

I am an Emerging Brand and I want to produce in Italy. What IA can do for me?"

Italian Artisan can support you through the whole production journey! We constantly work with international new designers and emerging brands and help them grow and build their brand in an efficient and sustainable way. To know more, contact us and let's start your Made in Italy brand!

What is the difference between Custom product development and choosing from a white label catalogue?

The main difference between Custom and White label development is the personalization degree of the product.

Custom

Within the custom product development you are free about your product development and you can use your custom designs.

White Label

Within the White Label creative process, you can choose products from a producer's catalogue and slightly modify color preferences and add your logo to the product you has the opportunity to create a product starting from: CUSTOM DESIGN where you can create from own design and develop new product's custom structures WHITE LABEL CATALOGUES where you can select from the +10000 SKUs of the catalogs proposed by the manufacturing companies, apply your brand in a simple and intuitive way without having to resort to development costs for personalized product's custom structures

Where are the manufacturing factories located?

The factories are located all over Italy, mainly in the main manufacturing districts! Each area has its specialization and its peculiarity. Italian Artisan aims to help you find the best district and producer more adequate to your needs.

Is it possible to plan a factory tour in Italy with Italian Artisan?

Sure! We believe in connecting people before connecting businesses, so yes we'd love to guide you on a tour to the manufacturing sites. Please take into consideration most producers only allow the most trustful clients with which they already are in business with the best timing to visit a company should be after developing a prototype or a sample. For further info regarding this matter, contact us here and we can help you meet your producer!

How can I create my profile on the platform?

Creating a profile is really simple. You just need to sign in and fill in your project details. All the information asked are needed to improve your user experience and to match you with the best suited producers. Please take into consideration that the more details you add to your profile the more the artisans will be willing to conlaborate with you. and do not forget to add a your personal touch!

What can I do if i do not find any confirmation email of my new account?

If you cannot find your confirmation email, just have a look in your "spam" section in your email address. If you can not find it there, contact us and we will help you.

How can I complete my profile in the platform?

Your profile is going to remain incomplete until you fill out all the informations requested (the profile and cover page are optional).

How can I upload my project in the platform and make a RFQ (request for quotation)?

After logging in into your account, you can upload a project by clicking on "Create a Project" and filling in all the information until you get the submit button. Be as precise as possible! The more precise the information uploaded is, the more accurate will be the quotations from manufacturers and the more efficient will be our algorithm to create the perfect match with your production partner! Based on the long experience of our manufacturers community, we created the form to retrieve the essential data to receive valuable responses and find the right fit for your company.

How does the RFQ (request for quotation) auction work?

Once the eligibility of the quote has been verified, it will be sent to all producers who deal with that product and you can start receiving their quotes in the section relating to your project. You can start negotiating through the chat with the manufacturers and choose the artisan that best meets your needs. You can find all the answers from the artisans within the tab "project quote" where you will be eligible to receive their proposals.

What does it mean that my project have been refused or needs to be adjusted?

It can happen that your quote can be refused for missing informations or needs to be adjusted, but don't panic! in order to maintain a valuable community and a premium enviroment to both buyer and sellers, once the quote is submitted, our algorithm will evaluate it and decide whether to accept and send it to the manufacturers or reject it. In the second case, the reasons may be various (prices out of the market, too short deadlines, etc.) and will be communicated to you by email. But don't worry our team will be there to help you in filling out the information and in the creation process; and do our best to match you with the best producer for you!

Where and when can I chat with the producer?

You can communicate with the artisans once they have accepted to work on your project and sent you a quotation.

What can I do if I keep getting quotes that don't match my needs?

Can't find a producer? No worries, you can opt for our Manufacturer Scouting service and we will scout the best producer for you!

If I don't know English well, can I still interact with international brands?

Yes of course! Italian Artisan team is composed of international employees, that can help and facilitate the conversations between international clients and Italian manufacturers.

Who is the Account Manager and what's his role?

The Account Manager Check our services page for a complete description of every IA service.

Who is the Project Manager and what's his role?

The Project Manager is a technical production expert that coordinates and mediates the relationship between Brand and Producer. If requested he goes to the producers factory to follow and coordinate locally the entire product development or controll the production phases. Check our services page for a complete description of every IA service.

What should I already have to be ready for the prototyping?

To start prototyping you will need a design and the details for product development (finishes, materials, quantities, colors, etc..) that should be written in the spec sheet. We suggest to have a detailed description of the product, if not, it would increase the risk to loose time and have higher costs during prototype development

What is a Spec Sheet?

A product Spec Sheet is a descriptive tecnical document that includes basic details of the clothing production. It sums up all the measurements and the concept of design to the producer. It should be very specific as to minimise the probability of misunderstanding for the producer. Do not have a spech sheet? Let us know and we will help you!

What is the difference between prototype and sampling?

A prototype is used as a guide to try a new product development. That's why the prototype is considered the first sample of a new designed product. On a prototype you can make alterations until you’re able to figure out your final design.

On the other hand, a sample sets the foundation for production, samples are used to test a product before mass production takes place. Thanks to samples you can assess size, fitting, proportions and have the more realistic feel of the final item. The sample is an important tool for you and the manufacturers since it helps to optimize the product design, the application of materials or accessories and test fitting before going into full scale manufacturing. Furthermore the sample phase helps to anticipate any potential manufacturing risks ensuring a smooth production process

Why my prototype doesn't looks like the final product i'd like to produce?

A prototype is just a guide to try your new product development, so it can be made by different materials based on the manufacturer choice. This happens because the prototype is just the first realization of your idea so it will need to be adjusted and altered until you find the final fit to your needs. So once the prototype is optimized the final sample is created, only with the final sample you will see the final look of your products. and only when you will confirm the final sample design and look the manufacturer will start the production of it.

What is a product alteration?

A product alteration refers to the process of making changes/alteration to a product during the prototype/sampling phase. We strongly suggest you to prepare in advance a solid specs sheets in order to avoid multiple product alterations that can cause high costs and longer delivery times to your collection.

How much time does it take to have a prototyping or sampling?

Usually, the prototyping and sampling average time is 6/8 weeks. Additionally, it would vary on the complexity of the product and on product adjustment requests, we strongly recommend to have a detailed specs sheet plan in advance and to update the specs sheets after every alteration.

What is a Tech Pack?

The Tech Pack is a technical data sheet that designers create and share with producers. The document lists all the specifications needed to the production process, as measures, materials, colors, finishing, accessories, labels, etc.. Every crucial aspect is described in the tech pack. The more its detailed, the less mistakes are going to be made in the production process. Do not have a Tech Pack? Let us know and we will help you!.

Can I propose a NDA to the producer?

Yes! Request our NDA template before the RFQ (request for quotation) process.

Can I receive pictures of my product during the prototype development or production phases?

Sure! You can ask pictures and videos of the production. If you want a professional service on that, contact us!

What is the timing of production?

Usually the production can be made between 8 and 12 weeks from the arrival of the raw materials and accessories to the factory. Such timing can vary following the specificities of the project that you want to realize. Please take into considerations that alterations during the production phase will drastically delay the delivery time of your collection.

Which are the payment methods during the prototyping and sampling?

For prototyping, Italian producers usually ask for the total payment of the sampling upfront.

Why a prototype or sample costs much more than a final production product?

Because when you create a sample in Italy you have to add to the mere cost of materials, the value of manufacturers know-how applied to research & development labor costs.

Which are the payment methods during production?

In Italy the payment is usually 30/40% before the beginning of the production and the remaining 60/70% before the shipment of the collection.

How can my payments/transaction are safe and the producer will start to work on my collection?

In order to create a trustful business between buyer and seller we developed the milestone payments inside the Italian Artisan platform.

What are milestone payments?

We have developed the Milestone Payments to allow trusted business transactions in Italy and give you a safe payment method you can use to pay the manufacturers.

What is the minimum order quantity (MOQ)?

The minimum order quantity or MOQ is the minimum order size the supplier is willing to accept. This is often expressed as the minimum number of units. However, suppliers can also determine the minimum order quantity in terms of order value ($). Remember, that high cost items will usually have a lower MOQ than low cost items, that are simpler and cheaper to manufacture. Therefore, if you plan to produce a particular product in low quantities, take into account the impact that research and development costs will have on the project.

When are the holidays in Italy?

Usually the production stops on August and December for about 2/3 weeks, because of summer and winter holidays. It is important to take that into consideration and schedule a good calendar with the producer to avoid delays.

if I order a larger production volume quantity, do I get a cost break?

Definitely yes, manufacturer’s costs decrease as the the production volume increases, so the more quantity you'll produce the more the cost will decrease.

What are my responsibilities as a brand?

We created Italian Artisan to offer a strong tool to connect the best Italian producers with international designers and brands. Nevertheless, once you select the artisan the business relationship will be between you and the artisan, therefore you are both responsible of further production development, so we recommend to: - check the profile of the artisan during our selection process - identify if they have produced similar products to yours previously - always start with a sample in order to test the manufacturers We know that following all steps of the production cycle is not easy, for this reason we created our services plans to best support you throughout the prototype/sampling and production journey.

If I choose the Manufacturer Scouting IA service, according to what criteria do you choose the best craftsman for me?

Once you have decided to go for the Manufacturer Scouting IA service, you are going to schedule a call with our expert in order to analyze your project and we are going to contact the producer that is best fit for your needs (MOQ, pricing, speciality, etc). The artisan choice process is going to be framed following technical, location, specialization and availability variables.

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