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Is Private Label and White Label Clothing the same thing? All the differences you need to know

Published on
October 2, 2023
A hesitant woman in the midst of two unbranded white garments without labels alludes to the indecision between private label and white label
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Fashion Designer and Content Creator. Daniela leads the social media operations at GAT Fashion Lab

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Is Private Label and White Label Clothing the same thing?

 

A hesitant woman in the midst of two unbranded white garments without labels alludes to the indecision between private label and white label
PRIVATE LABEL VS WHITE LABEL IMAGE

 

Is Private Label the same as White Label Clothing? No, although both terms are often confused in the fashion industry, they have differences.

It could be said that Private Label is when a company sells pre-made garments with the option of brand customization, while White Label is the process of selling a generic product or garment without brand customization or exclusive design.

To gain more clarity on their differences, we must first understand each one accurately.

What is Private Label?

Private label is when a supplier or manufacturer produces a product that they customize with the buyer's brand, package it, and sell it.   

If you want to learn more about this term, visit our informative Private Label blog here.

What is Private Label Clothing?  

Private Label clothing items are pre-made products delivered ready for sale to the buyer.

These garments come with all brand customization, labels, logos, tags, prints, and more.

Since it streamlines the processes of a traditional garment production chain, its cost is slightly higher.

The advantage of this service is exclusivity; if a Private Label garment is manufactured, it's possible to request design exclusivity, ensuring that no other buyer has the same garment.

This exclusivity item prevents other buyers from having the same design as other customers.

Garments produced through Private Label are more sought after by buyers whose primary interest lies in comfort, quality, and a rigorous clothing manufacturing process.

To learn more about this topic, click here.

What is White Label?  

White Label Clothing refers to when a company sells generic products without the original manufacturer's logo, label, or brand. These products are sold to distributors, retailers, and others.

After purchase, the distributor can choose to add labels, tags, logos, and other elements corresponding to their brand to the garments.

What is White Label Clothing?

White Label clothing consists mainly of unbranded, high-quality garments, meaning they lack labels or tags, and it is the buyer's responsibility to add these items after purchase.

In some cases, buyers may choose not to add any labels or tags to the garments and sell them as they receive them, which is a cost-saving option.

Although, in some cases, garments are manufactured according to the buyer's needs, this does not guarantee that the design is exclusive and cannot be replicated for other buyers.

When working with White Label Clothing, anyone, including potential competitors of the buyer, can acquire the same design, depriving their brand of exclusivity.

For more information on White Label Clothing, click here.

With a clearer understanding of both concepts, it's time to learn about their differences to make an informed decision when selecting the service.

Differences between White Label and Private Label

 

Informational chart about the differences and characteristics of private label and white label by GAT fashion lab.
Informational chart GAT fashion lab

 

INVESTMENT

Investment is the primary factor when starting a business. Private Label products or garments have a higher cost compared to White Label because it facilitates the brand customization process.

Apart from brand customization, in Private Label, the cost increases due to factors like design changes, exclusivity, production, and more. In contrast, White Label is sometimes preferable in cases where products are ready for sale, saving a portion of the traditional production, labeling, and time processes.

On the other hand, in White Label, the cost is lower, but the customer is responsible for brand customization, advertising, and also faces the risk of their designs being sold by other brands.

EXCLUSIVITY

In Private Label, product exclusivity lies in unique and exclusive labeling for a specific customer. Design changes can be made to the product prefabricated by the company.

With this exclusivity, the garments will not be found in any other brand, creating a unique business without the problem of competing for the same design with other brands.

Unlike Private Label, in White Label, the same design is sold to many retailers, buyers, distributors, and others. Buying White Label products does not allow for design changes, eliminating the possibility of creating a unique brand.

EXPERIENCE

For Private Label, minimal experience is required as long as pre-made garments are acquired without making any design changes. If modifications to the design are desired, some knowledge of technical items such as fabric types, materials, design, and more may be necessary. However, the service-providing company can offer guidance and support during this process.

On the other hand, White Label does not require any prior experience, as the process involves only selecting desired designs and ordering the desired quantities.

TRADEMARKS

Both Private Label and White Label garments do not have a registered manufacturer's brand. In both services, third parties manufacture the product without any manufacturer registration. Buyers often find it difficult to determine the true origin of the garments.

In some cases, Private Label companies guarantee the origin of the prefabricated garments.

ROI

Return on investment (ROI) is a crucial aspect when starting a business. Both Private Label and White Label can be beneficial, but it depends on how they are executed.

Private Label requires a higher investment because the product is unique. Therefore, the likelihood of generating a positive ROI is higher, which is less common in White Label.

With White Label, the investment cost is lower, but the possibility of achieving a high ROI is not as guaranteed as in Private Label.

However, this depends on how you manage and how much you invest in your marketing strategy. It also varies depending on the level of competition in the market with similar products. To learn more differences about Private Label and White Label, click here.

 

Which one to choose?

Both services have advantages and disadvantages; it all depends on your business model and which one benefits your brand the most.

If the goal is to build a brand with a good long-term ROI, and investing a bit more is not a problem, Private Label is the best option. If the goal is to find an economical option in which exclusivity is not a priority and the brand lacks previous experience in the industry, White Label Clothing is the ideal choice.

To provide further clarity, let's analyze the following image:

 

Informational chart about the differences and characteristics of private label and white label by GAT fashion lab.
Informational chart GAT fashion lab

 

Examples of brands

After seeing the advantages and benefits of Private Label, your interest in knowing examples of brands that offer this service has likely grown. Therefore, here are three examples of Private Label brands:

- Original Use

They provide streetwear clothing for young men.

 

Screenshot of the brand's website ORIGINAL USE
Screenshot of the brand's website

 

- Universal Thread

Clothing for women.

 

Screenshot of the brand's website  UNIVERSAL THREAD
Screenshot of the brand's website

 

- Prologue

Feminine workwear.

 

Screenshot of the brand's website  PROLOGUE
Screenshot of the brand's website

 

To learn more Private Label brands, click here.

Last words

Is Private Label the same as White Label Clothing? We have shown that they are not the same and have identified their differences. We also have a clearer understanding of why they cannot be categorized as similar.

The benefit of each depends on what the customer is seeking and what fits their budget.

At GAT Fashion Lab, we offer Private Label services, guaranteeing quality products with innovative designs in the market. For more information, visit us by clicking here.

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