Free production whitepaper
Your own clothing brand. Learn how it works first.
In 10 short chapters, the whitepaper explains what having clothing made costs, why factories have minimums and how you get from an idea to a box of your own clothing. With real numbers.
- 10 chapters, about 18 minutes of reading
- 3 Starterclass lessons included
- Online and as a PDF by email
Sound familiar? You're not alone.
These are the questions starters ask us most often. The whitepaper gives an honest answer to each of them.
Do I need 150 pieces?
Chapter 3
Why factories have minimums, and how you stay small.
That much for a sample?
Chapter 5
Why that one piece costs more, and saves you money.
What does it really cost?
Chapter 2
Unit price, extra costs, margin and when you break even.
Stuck with boxes of stock?
Chapter 8
The five most expensive beginner mistakes, and how to avoid them.
I won't pay blindly.
Chapter 6
What you agree in writing before you pay anything.
Where do I start?
Chapter 1
The whole route in six steps, from idea to delivery.
Not your average course.
Four promises. You can hold us to them.
No revenue promise. The sums instead.
Real numbers. Including what went wrong.
Taught by a production company. Have it made anywhere.
Every price in view. No countdown.
Ten chapters. In plain language.
From the route in six steps to the five most expensive beginner mistakes. General enough for any factory: only chapter 9 is about us.
- 01The route in six steps
- 02What it costs
- 03Minimums: why a factory has an MOQ
- 04The tech pack
- 05Fabric and sample
- 06Production
- 07Delivery, transport and import
- 08The five most expensive beginner mistakes
- 09How it works at MakeaLabel
- 10Your next step: three free lessons
Plus three Starterclass lessons.
With stories from the owner of Richesse. About 37 minutes in total, free in your account and without payment details.
Lesson 1.1 · 15 minutes
How having clothing made works. From idea to first drop.
The whole route, with real numbers.
Lesson 1.2 · 10 minutes
Your brand in one sentence. And a name that's still available.
A brand sentence and a checked brand name.
Lesson 1.3 · 12 minutes
Your first product. One good piece.
One product that works in a small run.
Step by step. You start free.
- You are here
Free
Starterclass
Now
€99
Makerclass
From 1 December 2026
€499
€400 after the Starterclass
Masterclass
Coming soon
€1,499
€1,000 after the Makerclass
Prices include VAT. After each step you only pay the difference.
Ten hoodies. This is what it really costs.
A small first run, with one sample and shipping. This is how the price builds up.
- 1
One sample with your print
All the preparation goes into that one piece: pattern, converting your logo, setting up the machine. Your own neck label only comes in production.
- 2
10 hoodies × €34.99
A fixed price from 10 pieces, with one print position and a printed neck label.
- 3
Shipping
Per box, to an address in the Netherlands. We pay the import.
- 4
Without a VAT number you pay including 21% VAT
€744.03
- One sample with your print
- €250
- 10 hoodies × €34.99
- €349.90
- Shipping
- €15
- Total, excluding VAT
- €614.90
- Per hoodie, including the sample
- €61.49
The sample is the largest extra cost. After that you pay a fixed price per piece, which goes down from 50 pieces per style with the price tiers. Your first drop is mainly a test of the market.
Source: Starterclass lesson 1.1, with the fixed prices of 29 October 2026. Your own quote may differ.
Expensive mistakes. Free lessons.
We see these mistakes with starters again and again. Each one became a lesson in the Starterclass.
The mistake
Too many styles at once
Every style is an extra sample, extra stock and extra risk.
The lesson
Start with one to three styles. You can widen your range later.
Lesson 1.3, Your first product
The mistake
Buying too much at once
A high minimum feels like a discount, until the boxes stay put.
The lesson
Start small, test first, and only then scale up.
Lesson 2.1, Minimums explained
The mistake
Skipping the sample
To save time or money. The most expensive saving there is.
The lesson
One piece, all the answers. Feel, fit and measure before you order.
Lesson 5.2, The sample
The mistake
Quality that does not match your price
You charge premium, but the fabric feels like a basic.
The lesson
Choose fabric and weight for your price point, and feel them first.
Lesson 5.1, Fabric and GSM
How it went at Richesse
The Richesse hoodie is 460 GSM, an oversized boxy fit, 100% cotton with fleece on the inside. We tried several fabrics and fits; fleece sold best in the shops and online.
The mistake
Feedback only by phone
What is not written down gets corrected the wrong way.
The lesson
In writing and point by point, with photos and measurements.
Lesson 5.3, Assessing your sample
The mistake
No real brand story
Made for everyone, so special to no one.
The lesson
One audience, one problem and one aesthetic.
Lesson 1.2, Your brand in one sentence
Questions you may have
Is the whitepaper really free?
Yes. You leave your email address and get a free account straight away, with the whitepaper online and as a PDF, and the first three lessons of the Starterclass. You do not need payment details and you are not tied to anything.
Is this a sales pitch from MakeaLabel?
We are a production company ourselves, and we say so openly. Nine of the ten chapters apply to any factory; only chapter 9 is about how we work. You do not have to have your clothing made with us.
What happens to my email address?
We use it to create your account and to send you the whitepaper and your login links. You only get tips and offers if you tick that box separately, and you can unsubscribe under every email. There is more in the privacy statement.
I don't have a KvK registration yet. Can I still start?
Yes. The whitepaper and the academy are for everyone, with or without a registration at the KvK (the Dutch Chamber of Commerce). Chapter 7 explains when the KvK says you need to register, and what the small business scheme for VAT is.
What does it cost if I want to continue?
The next step is the Starterclass for €99, including VAT. After that comes the Makerclass, by invitation: €499, or €400 if you already have the Starterclass, because you only pay the difference. With the Makerclass you get €50 credit on your first sample at MakeaLabel. Every step and price is on this page.
Do you promise that my brand will be a success?
No. Nobody can honestly promise that. What you do get is the sums, the steps and the mistakes you can avoid. What you do with them is up to you.
Understand it first. Then make it.
Leave your email address. In about 18 minutes you know how having clothing made really works.
Prefer to read on your own first? Start a clothing line
No promise of revenue, success or speed: Richesse is an example. The credit only applies at MakeaLabel, and you can have your clothing made elsewhere.