California Apparel News

By the time the designer of Lolli swimwear, Vy Nguyen, arrived at J. & J. Cutting & Marking Inc. with her samples, she had already produced with two different swim manufacturers in Los Angeles but was “unhappy with the quality.” Lolli is known for cutesy oversized bows and ruffle adornments that are tempered by skimpy, seamless lines and complicated cutout shapes.

“Even if you give the manufacturer a sample and patterns, it doesn’t guarantee the production will be exactly the same. The measurements may not be right, [or they cut] the wrong color,” Nguyen said, tallying some potential headaches that could cost her the trust of one of her 70 specialty-store accounts.

These days, Nguyen can walk into J. & J. Cutting & Marking in downtown Los Angeles at any time to see that her production is on schedule and consistently perfect. “If they have a problem, they call me and tell me right away. They are really good on our quality control,” Nguyen said.

J. & J. Cutting & Marking has become a valuable resource for many Southern California swimwear designers launching their first seasons. The factory offers cutting, marking, fusing, spaghetti straps and sewing all under one roof. Owner Jose Espinoza does not enforce production minimums and says he treats all his clients with equal importance and attention, regardless of volume.

Each brand’s success is a win-win for both parties. “We have one [client who] three years ago [ordered] 50 pieces,” Espinoza says. “Now I cut 2,000 to 3,000 pieces.”

Cut and sew

The family-owned business started with one man and one table. Espinoza was a janitor at an apparel manufacturer, and his employer offered to promote him to spreading and cutting. He rented one table when markers and cutting tickets were made by hand. He has cut patterns for brands such as Catalina Swimwear and Body Glove. In 1988, Espinoza opened J. & J. Cutting & Marking, and his steady and precise blade has served a niche of swimwear clients that require extra care with slippery and delicate nylon/spandex fabrics.

Eight years ago, one of Espinoza’s cutting and marking clients suggested that he expand his services to sewing.

“There was a lack of sewing contractors [in Los Angeles], and she said, ‘If you are willing to invest in machines I will make sure you are able to pay off those machines by the work that I give you,’” said Jessica Espinoza, one of Jose Espinoza’s daughters, who runs the operation. Another Espinoza daughter, Valerie, also contributes to the family business.

Jessica Espinoza says J. & J. still produces swimwear for that first swim client. But today, much of its production has moved to China and Mexico. At the height of the season, J. & J. employs up to 40 employees on about 30 machines. Jose Espinoza still cuts on the factory floor.

“We’ve seen that basic [styles are] going overseas. They are leaving the more complicated styles here … so that they can keep a closer eye on them,” Jessica Espinoza said. For example, she points toward padded underwire tops and styles with intricate trims and detailing that require multiple operation steps and must pass back and forth between five different sewing machines. “The cuts are not cuts that can run through the machine in a week,” she said.

Although the younger brands are not producing in as high volumes as the established brands, Jessica Espinoza said many of their most basic designs can be in and out of the warehouse quickly. Most designers drop off the samples, patterns, bolts of fabric and trims and pick up the finished product bagged and tagged.

“You’re seeing a constant flow, turning them over faster,” Jessica Espinoza said.

Amanda Chinchelli-Greer arrived at J. & J. with a small run of surf rashguards and swimsuits for her line, Seea. Her first season required a modest run of a few bodies, and local manufacturing was her only option. After researching and failed attempts with competitive swim manufacturers, she was referred to J. & J. Even as Seea’s numbers rise and she learns more about overseas capabilities, Chinchelli-Greer said the mom-and-pop store buyers appreciate the “Made in the USA” label.

“In the boutique stores and surf stores, there is a love of detail and supporting economy and small businesses,” Chinchelli-Greer said. The freedom to drive to the factory and call the floor manager in the same time zone, however, comes at a price.

“We want to be an affordable brand, [so] the margins are way lower,” Chinchelli-Greer said.

Seasonal shifts

Specializing in swimwear—and in a seasonal market—has its benefits and challenges.

J. & J. is set up with multiple sets of six different sewing machines needed for swimwear and employees that are experienced in handling the delicate fabric and teeny pattern pieces.

Jessica said the breakdown of clients is shifting from one or two Goliaths to many Davids. In the past, contractors “wouldn’t necessarily deal with smaller customers; there wasn’t volume,” she said. But today, “I have one customer that is established. For the most part, they are starting to do everything overseas, so we are not getting the volume that we used to get [from them] five to six years back. … With the smaller customers, we see little by little; we see their cuts go up.”

During the in-between season, J. & J. gets a head start on next year’s trends and techniques with the first and second sample orders. The contractor continually adds T-shirts and activewear brands to its roster to keep the machines humming because the nylon/spandex and cotton/spandex fabric blends and stitching used in those categories are a natural transition from swimwear.

Still, Jessica says the season has become shorter and their rush period is concentrated in fewer months, making it tough to retain the same talent that keeps the factory quality top notch.

“Before, we were used to seeing the season starting in August and ending in April, but now it ends at the end of February. ... After that, we have to let go of half of our employees because we can’t keep them on [during the off season],” Jessica Espinoza said. Some of her employees return; others have found work at sportswear contractors.

“Just to make sure I get everything done on time, I do produce year-round,” Nguyen said of Lolli’s schedule. In 2012, Lolli shipped every month.

“We’ve had more demand for swimwear in the winter months—mostly big accounts like Urban Outfitters, Shopbop, Diane’s Beachwear and online accounts … Hawaii, Australia, and Asian accounts—it’s their summer right now,” Nguyen said. ww