Key Takeaways
- Fashion and apparel businesses with retail or wholesale revenue qualify for Bankable funding
- Production run financing, inventory lines, and retail expansion all eligible
- Import-sourced brands with US distribution are a natural L-1 holder business model
- SBA closed to L-1 holders — Bankable funds apparel businesses on revenue
- Decisions in 48 hours, up to $3M
Fashion is inherently global, and the capital cycle of apparel production is intensely front-loaded. A US-based fashion brand must commit to a production run — typically 3-6 months before the selling season — paying factories in full or with a 30-50% deposit before a single unit reaches a retail shelf or an ecommerce customer. L-1 holders with backgrounds in fashion sourcing, textile manufacturing, or luxury brand management are increasingly establishing US fashion businesses that leverage their overseas production relationships to create brands with favorable landed costs.
The capital gap is acute: a $500K annual revenue fashion brand needs $150K-$250K in production capital deployed in January to have inventory available for the April-June selling season. Without working capital, the brand cannot scale to meet demand. With it, the brand can grow production to match its sales velocity. Traditional lenders see a non-citizen owner and close the file. Bankable sees a business with documented revenue and a production plan that the revenue supports.
Fashion Business Capital for L-1 Holders
- Production run financing: Factory deposits and production payments 90-120 days before the selling season
- Inventory purchasing lines: Revolving lines for ongoing inventory replenishment as products sell
- Wholesale account launch capital: Net-30/60 wholesale accounts require you to ship product before you collect — working capital bridges this
- Pop-up and retail store buildout: Fixtures, displays, and initial inventory for a brand's first physical retail presence
- Trade show participation: MAGIC, New York Fashion Week, and Coterie showroom costs for wholesale buyer meetings
Check your Bankability Score or call (786) 443-5511.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Fashion and apparel businesses owned by L-1 holders with documented retail or wholesale revenue qualify for Bankable funding. No green card required.
Bankable provides working capital advances that you use to pay factory deposits and production costs. The advance is repaid as your selling season revenue arrives — typically 90-120 days after the production advance.
Yes. Revolving inventory lines for ongoing apparel inventory purchasing are available. Draw to purchase inventory, sell through your channels (DTC, wholesale, retail), collect, and repay.
All channels qualify: Shopify DTC, wholesale (boutiques, department stores), Amazon fashion, and brick-and-mortar retail. We evaluate revenue across all channels together for the strongest qualification.
Yes. MAGIC, NYFW, Coterie, and regional trade show participation costs (booth fees, samples, travel) qualify as business development expenses funded through working capital.
No. Fashion businesses in any segment — fast fashion, luxury, sustainable, athletic — are evaluated equally on revenue performance. Sustainable sourcing certifications may be positive brand signals but do not affect funding eligibility.
Consignment arrangements create delayed revenue recognition. We evaluate net collected revenue (what actually hits your bank account) rather than gross consignment shipments. Direct wholesale and DTC revenue is more straightforward for qualification.
If you are the licensor receiving royalty revenue, that royalty income qualifies as business revenue. If you are the licensee paying royalties, we evaluate the business revenue net of royalty obligations.