The Process of Designing a bag THAT SELLS: A Guide for Beginners.
Introduction
Embarking on the journey of creating your own product might seem daunting, especially if you're new to the world of design and manufacturing. The process involves creativity, practicality, and a dash of patience—but don’t worry! I’ve done all of this before and founded a bag brand that generates over $2million in revenue every year. I’ve made all of the mistakes so you don’t have to. This guide will walk you through every step, from understanding your audience to finalising your design and launching production. Whether you’re aiming for a sleek backpack a stylish tote, or something completely different, by the end of this guide, you’ll have a solid grasp of what it takes to turn your vision into reality.
This article is intended as a basic guide only. I will write more detailed explanations on each specific areas in the near future. Subscribe to this site to see more.
Note: One of the goals of the article is to guide you towards making a product that is retail viable. This is something I am passionate about and have a significant amount of experience in. At Stillman Manufacturing, we arent just here to help you make your products, we’re here to help your business develop and grow.
Designing Your First custom Bag
Designing a bag starts with understanding your end goal and the needs of those who’ll be using it. Here’s how to shape your idea into a real product.
Understand Your Audience
Design for Your Niche
A niche is a specific segment of a market—think “eco-conscious travellers” or “tech-savvy commuters.” Designing for a niche means tailoring your product to solve specific needs or preferences within that group.
Designing with a niche in mind allows you to focus your efforts. It helps you define what your bag will be—and more importantly, what it won’t be. For example, a backpack for adventure seekers might need extra ruggedness and waterproof features, while a stylish city bag could focus more on aesthetics and compact design.
What Do My Customers Want?
Understanding what your customers want is crucial to your design and for the profitability of your business. Focus on three key aspects:
Features
Think about the essentials.
What should the bag carry? Will you want your backpack to carry a laptop? Will you want water bottle pockets - if so what size? Will a simple flap suffice on your messenger bag or should it be fully sealing?
Consider where specific features should be placed and how easily they should be accessible.
A good exercise here would be to make a list of all of the things your end user would want to carry on the intended mission of the bag and then ensure your custom design can accomodate those essentials.
Functionality
Choose hardware, materials and build specifications that match the intended use.
Should the zippers be heavy-duty? What kind of activities will my customers expose the bag to?
Are lightweight materials more appropriate, or do you need something durable like waxed canvas?
Aesthetics
Your design should resonate with your audience's style preferences. Is it sleek and minimal, or rugged and ready for the outdoors? A good tip is to read reviews of similar products. See what customers love and what they wish was different.
Develop Your Vision
With a clear understanding of your audience, you can begin crafting your vision for your product. It’s this vision that help to keep you focused throughout the remainder of the design and production process. You’ll also use this to create a design brief for your designer. Write all of this down and collect images that depict what you are looking for - or what you want to avoid.
- Look for similar bag designs that match what you have in mind. What do you like about them? What could be improved?
- Size and weight considerations are key—make sure your design isn’t too bulky or too small for its intended use. Now is the time to write down those dimensions including any specific dimensions for carried items such as laptop sizes etc.
- Materials matter. What materials will suit your audience’s needs and fit your vision? Decide early on what’s acceptable and what isn’t, like opting for organic cotton over polyester for a more eco-friendly approach. You don’t need to know precisely what materials you need and from which manufacturer - your designer can often help with this.
What Price Point Are You Aiming For?
Knowing your target price range—budget, mid-range, or premium—will help you refine your design. Your choice will impact materials, construction techniques, and features.
Additionally, look for opportunities within your niche market. Is there an over abundance of cheap products? Would your customers support a premium product? From a business perspective, where you position yourself in terms of product price will affect how you present the rest of your branding.
You should have done your research by now and have some idea of the final sale price of the product you are designing. This is essential because you want to aim to make an 80% margin on your production cost per unit. So if your target customer price is $200 you should aim to make your product for $40. This helps you make a profit and cover associated costs such as shipping, tax, marketing, shop overheads and postage. An 80% margin also affords you the option to sell your products wholesale and still make a profit.
Note: Cost isn’t just a limitation—it’s a guide. It can inspire creativity by pushing you to find smart solutions within your budget.
Limitation sparks innovation
Budget constraints or material limitations often spark innovation. You may discover a new way to reinforce a strap or find a unique blend of materials that meet your requirements. Rather than viewing constraints as barriers, see them as opportunities for creative problem-solving.
I have created several ground breaking products and features based on this principle such as The Drifter Field Poncho and the S40 sling strap. Part of this process involves carefully consideration of all of the needs and wants discussed above.
Sketch Out Your Design
Even if you aren’t an artist, sketching your ideas on paper can highlight potential problems or reveal features you hadn’t thought about. A rough sketch helps translate your mental picture into a more tangible form that you can work with.
I like to use Adobe Illustrator or Affinity Designer for this as I can draw shapes to scale which is really handy when it comes to seeing how features, such as a pocket will fit to the overall dimensions of the product.
Consult with a Designer
A professional designer can turn your sketches and ideas into detailed concepts. Here’s how to make the most of their expertise:
What to Look for in a Designer
- Experience with the type of bag you want to create. A designer specialising in leather handbags might not be the best choice for a technical backpack.
- Ability to create a digital tech pack. A tech pack is a crucial document that outlines your design’s measurements, materials, and build specifications. A well-made tech pack will save time and money during the prototyping stage.
Costs of a designer
Designing services can vary significantly in price, ranging from $500 for basic designs to over $20,000 for intricate projects. It's a worthwhile investment, as a solid design foundation leads to fewer revisions later.
The Design Process
Provide a Detailed Brief
It is absolutely essential that you give your designer as much information as possible if you want them to succeed in developing your vision. You should thoroughly explore and include all of the information we have discussed above as well as images, sketches, swatches etc. Ensure you revise your brief and ask someone else to read and understand it. If they can’t, your designer may not either.
Review Design Concepts
The first thing your designer will do is comprehend your brief and then come up with some design concepts based on this. When reviewing design concepts, keep an open mind and use your imagination. These early versions won’t be perfect, but they provide a starting point. Ask questions to ensure your designer understands your vision, and don’t be afraid to voice your concerns early in the process.
During this process I encourage you to be decisive. A designer is going to charge you according to a schedule of costs and the more you “um” and “ah” the more it’s going to cost you. If you start to deviate away from your initial design brief, you’re designer probably has the right to charge extra fees and costs.
PRO TIP: Whether it’s your designer or your production partner, make detailed notes of each consultation in this process. This will protect you in the event of miscommunication and other issues.
Choose a Design Direction
Pick the concept that aligns most closely with your original vision and goals. Avoid concept creep - stick to the original brief as much as possible. Once you’ve chosen a direction, you and your designer will fine tune it, choose materials and hardware and complete your tech pack. Once this is done, you’re ready to move on to the next step: prototyping.
Prototyping
Prototyping is where your design comes to life. It’s an essential part of refining your concept before full-scale production. Prototyping is where your designer or your production partner makes a full scale working version of your custom bag product.
Prototyping Costs
Prototyping costs depend on factors such as the detail of the tech pack, size, and materials. Expect to pay anywhere from $300 to $1,000. Some manufacturers may even refund the prototyping cost after you place a production order. Note that prototyping takes considerable skill. The tailor needs to interpret the tech pack from your designer in order to make your custom designed bag. Don’t underestimate how challenging this can be.
Expectations
A prototype is a working version of your design, allowing you to test features, materials, comfort and build quality. However, keep in mind that initial prototypes may not be perfect replicas due to limited access to certain materials. See the section on MOQ’s below for more information on this.
Finalise the Design
Visiting the factory during this phase can save time and money, allowing you to test, tweak, and approve the prototype in person. If that’s not possible, be prepared for a longer process of shipping samples back and forth for revisions.
PRO TIP: At Stillman Manufacturing, we have air conditioned offices and can recommend nearby hotels for brand partners who want to participate in the prototyping phase. This is how I prefer to work. I will send the digital tech packs to my team, have them make the first versions (I batch multiple new designs together) and then I visit the workshop to tweak the design. This makes practical use of your time by compressing prototyping process into a few days.
Production
Once your design is finalised, it’s time to move into production. Here’s what you need to know:
A Word on MOQs
Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) is the smallest number of units a manufacturer will produce for an order. MOQs exist to ensure profitability for both the manufacturer and material suppliers. Custom materials often have higher MOQs, as they require specialised production processes.
The Production Process
Timings
Raw Material Sourcing: Ordering your materials can take up to four weeks or more. This step is dependent on supplier timelines and your specific requirements.
Production Schedule: Factories often have multiple clients and need to schedule production time. Depending on the complexity of your bag or the size of your order, production could take anywhere from a few days to a month.
Quality Control
A trusted manufacturing partner will ensure your product matches the tech pack specifications. Why would they not? - This is their area of expertise. Regardless of this, countless first time producers are heart broken every year when they engage a cheap chinese production partner that skimps on agreed quality. For added peace of mind, consider hiring a third-party quality controller to inspect the final output.
Communication
Good communication with your production partner is key. They should keep you updated throughout the process and reach out if any issues arise, ensuring that the end product meets your standards.
Conclusion
Creating your own custom bag brand from scratch is a rewarding process. While the journey might seem complex at first, breaking it down into steps—designing, prototyping, and production—makes it manageable. By understanding your audience, consulting with the right designer, and choosing a trusted manufacturing partner, you’ll be well on your way to seeing your ideas come to life. So, take a deep breath, embrace the learning curve, and enjoy the journey of creating a custom bag design that’s truly your own!
