Belt sizes for re-sale

[js5972]

I thought I would make a few belts on spec. What are the more common sized that you make for resale? I have never made anything to sell before and am only looking to make a few things. I haven't been very active since I moved to OKC in 2013. it seems that I now have some free time.

[Lobo]

The main thing to keep in mind is that trouser waist sizes have no relationship with the actual measurement of the user's waist. Clothing manufacturers have engaged in "vanity sizing" for so many years that very few people really know what their true waist size is.

I wear a size 34 trouser waist. My belts are made to fit at 37.5" from the buckle engagement point to the tongue hole to be used.

Over the years I made a point of asking each customer to measure a belt now in use, from the buckle engagement to the tongue hole in use. Without fail, that measurement will be from 2" to 4" different than the customer's stated trouser size. This created problems so frequently that I made it a policy that belts would not be accepted for return due to size. I always made a point of asking for the exact measurement, then I made the belts to the size provided by the customer, period, end of discussion.

Another issue that can arise with specialty or custom belts is the buckle to be used. Not every buckle has the same "throw length"; the distance from the point at which the buckle is installed on the belt to the point at which the buckle engages the belt tongue. These distances can be as short as 1.25" or as long as 3" or 4" with some custom buckles. If the customer expects the belt to fit his waist with his buckle in use I suggest having the customer send his buckle in with his order so the belt can be sized properly for use with that buckle.

Nearly all of my belts were heavy-duty for carrying a holstered handgun, most being double-layer construction. The time required to make such a belt is very close to the time required for a typical holster. Every time I had to re-make a belt order I was taking time away from completing another order for another customer (and generating some income in the process). Add in some hand-carving, tooling, or customization (initials, names, etc) and you can end up with a lot of completed product for which there may be no buyers.

I am happily retired now, but I have many years of memories dealing with customers who couldn't be troubled to take a simple measurement, and expected me to absorb the costs of their mistakes.

[ABC3]

Lobo, great information and right on the money.

 

js5972:  Maybe this will help a little.  This is our 15th year making gun belts. We sell both wholesale and retail and it seems that the most common size for both is 40.

The younger guys, generally  will  need smaller sizes  (for the most part) while  the older folks will go up from 40. (either they get a little larger or our  larger size belts seem to shrink).  The older guys seem to  go for Black .  While the the younger fellows like the Dark Brown.

This is a breakdown of  sales (2019): Black -52%, Dark Brown= 33%, Lite Brown - 10%,  Mahogany -4, Saddle Tan -1. We started keeping track about 4 years ago  and the breakdown does seem to change a little each year  but not much.

 

Anyway, I hope this helps a little.  Good luck.

 

[RockyAussie]

This is just a copy of one of my larger customer's orders that I have been supplying for 10+ years now. You will have to percent it down to your own needs.

30" - 10

32" - 60

34" - 115

36" - 220

38" - 220

40" - 220

42" - 215

44"- 110

46" - 60

48" - 55

50" - 25

52" - 25

54" - 25

Up until about 5 years back the longest belts stopped at 48" but as times have gone a fast foods more available this seems to be more now the size range required.

34" back then was closer to the 36" numbers.

I would think about making a removable extension version in order to have a lesser stock range. A lot of shops like them as they can then sell a longer belt and have it shortened easily if needed. This comes in handy when people are buying someone other than themselves a belt as a gift. This is a couple of my versions below-

[Bert51]

@RockyAussie

Nice, very nice.

Thanks,

Bert.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Bert51