7 top resources for textiles prototyping and manufacturing in the San Francisco, Bay Area

We had a client ask where they could get quick turn, low-volume production for their innovative textile device. Reaching out to our You3Dit Network, we were able to quickly obtain the following Bay Area resources:

1. Cosmo Design Lab – San Francisco, CA – this advanced prototyping lab seems to focus on textiles and production hardware manufacturing. Specifically mobile device accessories, peripherals and precision enclosures. Accessories for smart home assistants. Smart and active lifestyle wearables. Engineered small leather goods and luxury accessories. And lastly, Beauty and cosmetics accessories.
2. Precision Technical Sewing – Mountain Ranch, CA – this supplier comes highly recommended by veterans in the hardware industry. Textiles have always been a bit outside of our wheelhouse at You3Dit (we specifically focus on mechanical design engineering and prototyping), but they have an “anything’s possible” attitude. “If you can visualize it, we can make it” which resonates with our capabilities and capacity here at You3Dit (at least leveraging our network).
3. Pineapple Sails – Alameda, CA – again highly recommended by hardware veterans. It seems they are experts at sail production but if your project is small, they can likely navigate you to shore considering their vast experience making sails.
4. The Port Workspaces (Kaiser) – Oakland, CA – Nestled in their brand new makerspace, The Port Workspaces Kaiser location features a sewing center that is “Sew Awesome” and large maker space for short-run manufacturing efforts.
5. Bilio – Oakland, CA – “at Bilio, we let truth to materials inspire design and product creation.” Check them out in Jack London Square in Oakland, CA.
6. Simplexity Product Development – Mountain View, CA – a product development firm that has specific expertise with wearables and other textile manufacturing. If you’re curious to learn more and meet their team, they are regulars at HardwareCon.
7. Alibaba – good ol’ fashion Alibaba was also recommended for basic textiles and related parts.

Thanks to Jeff M. at https://www.grandengineering.net, Sheena N. from Vertebar and Andy H. from Humm.tech for their contributions to this list.