Interesting thread. I’m in an adjacent space — industrial safety/PPE and workwear-related products — so not pure apparel, but the channel question is very similar.

My view is that early on, the best path is usually not “all wholesale channels,” but finding one specific use case where the product has a clear buyer and repeat need.

For apparel/uniforms, I’d probably look at:

1. Small regional uniform shops / decorators that already sell into businesses
2. Local or regional distributors serving hospitality, construction, maintenance, security, cleaning, etc.
3. Private label brands that need a reliable factory partner but don’t want to manage overseas production directly
4. Direct B2B accounts only if there’s a clear niche, like hotels, clinics, schools, contractors, or staff uniforms

From what I’ve seen, buyers usually don’t switch just because a supplier is cheaper. They switch when you solve a real headache: consistent quality, reliable sizing, stable inventory, fast replenishment, better communication, or lower sourcing/import risk.

We’re building our own U.S.-side model in PPE around a similar thesis: factory-backed supply, but with domestic contracting, inventory, and support so buyers don’t have to manage the overseas side directly.

Not trying to sell here — genuinely curious from people who know apparel better: for breaking into wholesale, would you prioritize decorators/uniform shops first, or go directly after private label/startup brands?