When the leaves start falling and the weather turns crisp, the first thing you’ll want to reach for is a cozy sweater. Sweaters are so synonymous with fall that it’s often cheekily called “sweater season”. Since sweater season is upon us, time is ticking for boutique owners everywhere to get their inventory in order.
Mastering the art of sourcing the best wholesale sweaters doesn’t need to be overwhelming. With the right strategy, you’ll have an enjoyable shopping experience that leads to sweaters flying off your shelves. Keep reading for expert tips to get you started.
Sweaters That Always Sell: The Classics
Sweater trends come and go, but the classics are sweater styles that remain steadily popular despite trends. Think of crewnecks, turtlenecks, v-necks, and cardigans.
Simple sweater cuts in solid colors are always a safe bet since they’re essential layering pieces. They can be dressed up for office wear, or mixed with more trendy statement pieces to create a chic everyday look.
Another great reason to stock some classics is that they allow less fashion-forward customers to participate in trends in subtle ways. Simple touches like selecting trendy colors (hello, chocolate brown), a modern fit, and emphasizing quality or sustainability are great ways to add freshness to recurring styles.
This season, slightly oversized fits are in, along with soft, durable, yet easy-to-care-for fabrics. Bonus points for shopping from wholesale sweater suppliers that use sustainable materials or incorporate other sustainability practices into their business model.
Sweaters That Are HOT Right Now: The Trendsetters
Classic sweater aside, the new and exciting trends are what many shoppers are looking for! New colors, soft fabrics, cool prints, and daring cuts are perfect items to have displayed front and center to bring interest to your store.
This season has various trending sweater aesthetics that appeal to different clientele. Narrowing in on a specific niche that caters to your actual shoppers is usually the best way to navigate various conflicting trends.
One major trend is preppy academic sweaters. Argyle, polo collars, and stripes are easy examples of this. Any sweater that would be spotted at an Ivy League is a go.
On the opposite end of the posh spectrum, chunky and comfortable sweaters and cardigans are also in! Fisherman sweaters, thick knits, and oversized wholesale sweaters in general create a laid-back vibe that many customers are loving.
Rich, earthy color palettes are another hot trend to watch. Butter yellow, deep browns, terracotta and burnt orange especially. Warm neutrals are flattering on many skin tones, and they offer a pop of warmth in an otherwise cold and dreary season.
How To Find The Perfect Balance
Including both classic and trendy sweaters is the best way to create a profitable sweater inventory. The trick is finding out the perfect ratio and deciding how bold to go with trendy options.
Generally, classic items sell better than overly trendy pieces, but sweaters that hit the perfect middle ground of classic and trendy sell the best.
The most common approach for boutique owners is to buy a more limited supply of bold, trendy sweaters compared to classic ones, and advertise them early on in the season. Trends lose their appeal fast, so running out of stock later in the season can sometimes be beneficial, but you’ll want to keep staple classic pieces stocked up.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to nailing a perfect wholesale sweater inventory, these tips can help you make an informed choice, and each season you’ll get better at predicting trends and shopping patterns.