Softline Brand Partners was born out of necessity after Founder Adam Blitzer developed a line of travel bags and accessories in 2010. He says, “The most difficult part of that journey was finding a manufacturer. So, I ended up starting one to fulfill my own needs to manufacture my own products and quickly realized there was a real need for a modern U.S.A factory.” Today, about 90 percent of the company’s business is to domestic firms.
Once he listed a banner on the bottom of his brand webpage stating ‘If you were looking for a factory, contact me’, customers began responding. Blitzer says, “People were just happy to hear from someone with a reply. The standards of U.S. factories were so low, that if you could just respond to customers promptly and deliver product on time and with quality, you were an amazing business and amazing factory.” Other than that, the company did no marketing at all for nearly six years, and today, it just sends out a couple of email blasts a year and keeps its website informative and up to date. Word-of-mouth referrals from existing customers are the main avenue that keeps bringing new work in, to the point that Softline now boasts five U.S. factories and one in Vietnam.
Blitzer sold his original travel bag business shortly after Softline began to take off and today is solely manufacturing products for other companies. Drawing on his affinity for production and some previous experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing, as well as a substantial amount of on-the-job, trial-and-error training, his company now produces a wide variety of soft products. Most fall into the categories of home goods, accessories, and carry goods, with quantities of all sizes, from short run to large production runs. Working with leather, nylon, canvas, and many other materials, Softline does all the cutting, sewing, assembly, riveting, applying zippers, embossing, packaging, and other processes at their facilities.
Minor Production and Staffing Hiccups
With the variety of materials and supplies needed for their manufacturing, the company has experienced occasional disruptions and price spikes in recent years, notably from China, but, generally, supply and pricing are relatively stable. Container transportation of goods from overseas has increased in price, however, with fewer available ships and international conditions making it more difficult for ships to travel easily and directly.
In staffing matters, Blitzer says that for R&D work, the company generally seeks out top, experienced talent, but on the production side, because so much of the industry had moved overseas in previous years, there is not a very large pool of experienced workers left in the United States. Although many of their employees have been with them for many years, there is still a need to train new workers in the skills needed to produce quality goods. Leather goods present a particular challenge, as the sewing, cutting, and other finishing processes only provide one chance to get it right. A misstep at any stage means a costly ruin of the material, unlike in woven goods.
Focusing on the Long Game
Softline has built its reputation on quality, on-time, and on-budget delivery, and a shrinking, already small pool of domestic competitors is keeping business rolling in. “I think as our competition continues to age out, I’d love to be a natural for those individuals,” says Blitzer. “I’d love to work with them to protect their book of business, I’d love to continue to service them and provide an outcome that’s exciting for both the owner-operator, as well as the customer. I think we’re probably the youngest manufacturing company at scale and so I hope that the old guard wants to offload their business as they go to their next stage in life and not just shut down and leave their customers high and dry.”
Automation, in the form of CNC cutting machines and other equipment, is allowing faster, more accurate material processing and tighter tolerances on finished goods. It represents a significant investment, but the results are well worth it for the company.
“We love what we’re doing,” says the founder.
“We really believe we’re in a marathon business, staying alive, keeping our shingle out there, investing in our plant and our people is the best way to create a beautiful, sustainable U.S. manufacturer.”
Helping to create a stronger U.S. manufacturing base is important to Blitzer. He says, “Don’t just think about doing the right thing for your country. There’s an element of I.P. protection, speed for sampling, and speed to market, as well as MOQ, that are really interesting considerations. I think when people think about the U.S., they think about high cost and it certainly can be more expensive, but there are a lot of positive elements to working in the U.S., especially for brands that are just starting up.”
