Emerging brands
You have a concept and a market you understand. We supply everything technical between that and a product on a shelf.
Product development & OEM manufacturing · Est. 2014
We build the products that build brands.
R&D, engineering and manufacturing under one roof. For eleven years we have turned technical ideas into shipped product: for HOKA, Google and Millet, and for the brands nobody has heard of yet.
11+
Years engineering performance apparel
100K
Garments a year at full capacity
10
Production stations in-house
1
Roof over R&D, sampling & production
Product developed & manufactured for
Also Google · Teva · True Motion · plus brands under NDA
Capabilities
Four disciplines, one building.
Most factories cut and sew. We engineer, prototype, manufacture and scale, which is why brands with their own design teams still bring their hardest products here.
Innovate
Research and development is where the product is actually won. We work on construction and material before aesthetics. The reason a garment feels different on the body is almost never the print.
- Concept & prototype development In-house
- Performance fabric development Custom
- Ultrasonic & HF bonding Stitch-free
- Laser cutting Precision
- Athlete testing & refinement Field
Develop
Pattern engineering, 3D modelling and fit. We build the pattern around movement rather than around a size chart, then prove it digitally before a single metre of fabric is cut.
- Functional design & pattern innovation CAD + 3D
- 3D garment modelling Pre-sample
- Grading & fit sessions Full range
- Tech pack & spec authoring Production-ready
- First prototype 7–10 days
Manufacture
Ten production stations under one roof, from colour grading to final inspection. Every piece passes multi-level quality control, from raw material inspection through to the final check.
- Cutting, spreading & laying Automated
- Bonded, hybrid or stitched build Your call
- Digital sublimation & print Wide format
- Colour grading & matching Pantone
- Multi-level QC Guaranteed
Scale
The part most factories cannot help with. We have built and scaled our own brand, so we understand costing, margin, range planning and market entry from the inside, not just the production order in front of us.
- Cost engineering & margin planning Per style
- Supply chain & sourcing Managed
- Range & season planning Advisory
- Repeat seasonal production 50–100K/yr
- Worldwide logistics Door to door
The development range
A starting point, not a catalogue.
Twenty-five developed styles across tops, outerwear, insulation, bottoms and accessories. Take one as it is, change the fabric, move a seam, or start from a drawing of your own.
Super Light Tee
Super Light LS Tee
Rain Jacket
UR-3.1 Jacket
Hooded
Tracksuit
Down Jacket LS
Down Vest
Ignite Pant
SA5 Shorts
1/2 Tight Shorts
Socks
Beanie
Gloves
Super Light Tee
Super Light LS Tee
Rain Jacket
UR-3.1 Jacket
Hooded
Tracksuit
Down Jacket LS
Down Vest
Ignite Pant
SA5 Shorts
1/2 Tight Shorts
Every style here is a development platform. Bonded, hybrid or stitched, in your fabric, your fit and your colourway. Start from one of these
From idea to product
What actually happens after you email us.
Six stages, 45 to 60 days for most first samples. A subcontracted chain typically runs 90 to 120, because every handoff adds delay and quality drift. We are not faster because we rush. We are faster because we are not waiting on third parties to answer emails.
Stage 01 of 06
Discovery & R&D
We talk about the product, the athlete or customer, the price point and the volume. You get an honest read on what is buildable and what it will cost before anyone commits.
1–2 weeks · NDA on request
Stage 02 of 06
Design & pattern engineering
Functional design, pattern innovation and 3D modelling. We resolve fit and construction digitally, so the first physical sample is close rather than a starting point.
1–3 weeks
Stage 03 of 06
Material development
Fabric selected or developed to your performance spec (weight, stretch, breathability, recycled content), then colour graded and matched to your palette.
2–4 weeks · runs in parallel
Stage 04 of 06
Prototype & sampling
Your first prototype, built on the same floor that will build the production run. We iterate until the sample is the product, not an approximation of it.
7–10 days per round
Stage 05 of 06
Testing & refinement
Wear testing, wash and durability checks, and athlete feedback where the product calls for it. Refinements go back through pattern and construction, not just finishing.
2–3 weeks
Stage 06 of 06
Production & delivery
Bulk production with multi-level QC from raw material to final check, then packing and worldwide freight. Anything that misses our standard is repaired or replaced.
30–45 days · ships worldwide
Custom work
Built for brands, clubs and teams.
From an eleven-piece collection for Google to a single club kit. Same engineering, same floor, whatever the volume.
Who we build for
From a first sample to a full season.
The engineering is the same whether you are launching a brand or re-tooling an existing range. What changes is how much of the journey you need us for.
Established brands
You have a design team and need an engineering partner for the products your current factory says are not possible.
Clubs & teams
Running, cycling, trail and multisport clubs who want kit their members actually choose to wear.
Corporate & events
Merchandise and event apparel engineered to the standard of technical sportswear, not printed blanks.
The difference
No subcontracting. Ever.
Your brief does not travel. R&D, pattern engineering, prototyping, bonding, laser cutting and finishing all happen under one roof in Dongguan. If a factory tells you it handles everything, ask to see the address. We show you the floor.
50–100K
Garments produced per year
11+
Years in performance apparel R&D
10+ yrs
Experience across much of the technical team
45–60 d
Development cycle, against 90–120 on a subcontracted chain
Questions
The things buyers ask us first.
If your question is not here, ask it in the form below. We would rather answer it properly than have you guess.
What is your minimum order quantity?
It depends on the construction and the fabric. Development and sampling start at a single piece. Production minimums typically begin around 100 pieces per style for standard constructions, and higher where a custom fabric has to be knitted or dyed to order. We will give you a firm number once we know the garment.
How long does sampling take?
A first prototype usually takes 7 to 10 working days once the design and materials are agreed. Most products settle after two or three sample rounds. Bulk production typically runs 30 to 45 days after sample approval, depending on quantity and material lead time.
Do you work with startups and first-time founders?
Yes. A significant part of our work is helping first-time brands get from an idea or a sketch to a manufacturable product. We handle the technical decisions you have not made yet, including construction, materials, grading and cost engineering.
Will my design and idea stay confidential?
Yes. Development happens entirely in-house rather than through third-party workshops, and we sign an NDA before any technical discussion if you would like one. We do not show client work publicly without written permission.
Start your project
Tell us what you want to build.
A few fields to start. You will hear back from a person who can actually answer technical questions, not a sales inbox.
- uglowfactorylab@uglow.com
- Facility
- Zhuyuanshan Industrial Park, Zengbu,
Cha Shan Town, Dongguan 523378, China - Confidentiality
- NDA signed on request, before any technical discussion.
- Response
- Every project enquiry answered within 2 working days.
- Already a client?
- Tell us how your project went
Know what you want to build?
The quote builder walks through services, product, construction and volume in six short steps. It gets you a far more useful first reply than a message can.
Or just send us a message