Skims has become one of the most influential shapewear and loungewear brands in the world—famous for its inclusive sizing, modern neutral tones, and body-sculpting fits. Founded by Kim Kardashian and entrepreneur Jens Grede, the brand skyrocketed from a direct-to-consumer startup to a multi-billion-dollar powerhouse worn by celebrities, athletes, and everyday consumers alike.
But while Skims dominates social media feeds and sells out instantly during new drops, many shoppers don’t know who actually manufactures Skims shapewear. Like most fast-growing fashion labels, Skims does not own its own factories. Instead, it relies on a sophisticated network of overseas textile mills, garment manufacturers, and production partners that specialize in seamless knitting, microfibers, and performance-grade stretch fabrics.
Understanding where Skims shapewear is made—and who makes it—offers transparency into the manufacturing expertise behind the brand’s smooth, sculpting fit. Here is what happens behind the scenes.
Skims: Designed in Los Angeles, Manufactured Globally
Skims is headquartered in Los Angeles, where the company handles design direction, fabric approvals, product development, fitting sessions, and brand strategy. However, the physical production of Skims shapewear and underwear takes place internationally.
Skims works with third-party manufacturers primarily located in China, Turkey, and Vietnam, with additional sourcing in Peru and Jordan for select collections. These regions are world leaders in seamless garment construction, circular knitting, high-stretch synthetic fibers, and technically advanced shaping fabrics.
Rather than depending on a single factory, Skims uses a multi-factory network, allowing the company to scale quickly, diversify risk, and maintain volume flexibility as demand fluctuates.
China: The Core Production Hub
The majority of Skims shapewear—especially the signature seamless sculpting pieces—is manufactured in China. China is home to some of the world’s most advanced knitting mills and garment factories specializing in:
- seamless circular knitting machinery
- high-compression nylon blends
- microfiber technology
- heat-bonded finishes
- laser cutting and bonding
Factories in Fujian, Guangdong, and Zhejiang provinces are known for producing activewear and shapewear for many global brands. These facilities offer the technical skill required to create the smooth, stretchy, second-skin fit Skims is known for.
Because seamless shapewear requires ultra-precise knitting techniques, high-speed Santoni knitting machines, and layered compression zones, China remains the ideal region for large-scale production.
Turkey: A Key Supplier for Seamless and High-Stretch Fabrics
Turkey is another crucial manufacturing region for Skims, particularly for its seamless lines and certain underwear collections. The country is one of the world’s top producers of:
- seamless shapewear
- circular-knit lingerie
- elastic garments
- technical performance fabrics
Turkish factories offer a combination of textile innovation and excellent quality control—often comparable to Italian mills but with more flexible production costs. Turkish-made Skims pieces are especially common in sculpting, smoothing, and everyday underwear ranges.
Vietnam: A Growing Production Base
Vietnam has rapidly become a major apparel manufacturing hub, especially for performance fabrics and activewear. Several Skims collections, including soft loungewear and ribbed essentials, are produced in Vietnamese factories specializing in:
- high-stretch polyamide blends
- lightweight rib knits
- brushed loungewear fabrics
- seamless or low-seam construction
Vietnam’s garment industry offers consistent quality, strong compliance standards, and highly skilled sewing teams—making it ideal for Skims as the brand expands.
Jordan and Peru: Smaller but Specialized Suppliers
Some Skims products, particularly certain cotton-based, ribbed, or soft-lounge items, have been manufactured in:
- Jordan, a rising hub for U.S.-market fashion manufacturing thanks to preferential trade agreements
- Peru, known for its exceptionally soft pima cotton and luxurious cotton blends
These regions do not handle the bulk of Skims production but offer specialty materials that complement core pieces.
Do Skims Factories Produce for Other Brands? Yes.
Skims does not use exclusive or Skims-owned factories. The company partners with high-end OEM and ODM manufacturers that also produce for:
- athleticwear brands
- luxury lingerie labels
- major global shapewear companies
- high-fashion knitwear brands
This shared-factory model is standard across the fashion industry. What differentiates Skims is:
- its proprietary fabric blends
- custom dye colors
- unique knitting patterns
- sculpting panel placement
- quality standards directed from Los Angeles
Factories execute the technical production, but Skims fully controls the product specifications.
Quality Control: Overseen by Skims, Executed by Manufacturing Partners
Skims maintains internal quality and compliance teams that work closely with its overseas manufacturers. These teams oversee:
- prototype testing
- fabric performance evaluation
- fit consistency
- color accuracy
- seam durability
- stretch and recovery behavior
Because shapewear must balance comfort with compression, Skims invests heavily in technical testing before approving a production run. This is one of the reasons the brand avoids using the lowest-cost factories—it prioritizes factories with advanced machinery and reliable consistency.
Ethical Manufacturing and Transparency
Skims publicly states that it works with manufacturing partners that follow international labor, safety, and environmental standards. The company collaborates with factories certified under widely recognized programs including:
- WRAP
- BSCI
- Sedex
- OEKO-TEX (for certain fabrics)
While Skims does not publish a full supplier list, it emphasizes responsible production, which is increasingly important to consumers demanding transparency from celebrity-led beauty and fashion brands.
Why Skims Doesn’t Manufacture in the U.S.
Although Skims is an American brand, manufacturing shapewear in the U.S. at scale is extremely difficult. Seamless shapewear requires:
- specialized circular knitting machines
- compression-engineered nylon blends
- large-scale dyeing operations
- texture bonding and finishing techniques
These capabilities are concentrated overseas—especially in China and Turkey. U.S. garment factories focus more on cut-and-sew apparel, denim, and basics, not high-tech knit shapewear.
Producing Skims shapewear in the U.S. would dramatically increase costs and limit availability, reducing the brand’s accessibility.
So, Who Manufactures Skims Shapewear?
The most accurate summary is:
Skims shapewear is designed in Los Angeles but manufactured globally, primarily in China, Turkey, Vietnam, and select factories in Peru and Jordan.
The brand partners with specialized textile mills and garment manufacturers that produce shapewear for multiple global brands. Skims does not own its factories—but it sets strict product specifications, fabric standards, and quality requirements.
This hybrid model allows Skims to offer high-performance shapewear and comfortable essentials while maintaining scalability for international demand.
Conclusion: A Global Manufacturing Network Behind a Modern Icon
Skims has redefined the shapewear category through modern design, inclusive sizing, and high-performance fabrics. But its success also relies on a strategic manufacturing model that draws on the world’s best textile regions:
- China for seamless shaping technology
- Turkey for elastic knits and advanced circular knitting
- Vietnam for soft loungewear and ribbed essentials
- Peru and Jordan for specialized cottons and supporting collections
This global supply chain allows Skims to maintain quality, agility, and innovation—turning each product into a technically engineered garment rather than basic lingerie.
Knowing who manufactures Skims shapewear reveals the sophisticated industrial backbone that makes the brand possible. It’s not just celebrity marketing—it’s a combination of textile engineering, global logistics, and next-generation garment manufacturing.
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