I am in the process of starting a clothing company.  We will design
(but not manufacter) inexpensive jackets to market to the one time a
year skiers.  We have the designs and now are looking for a place to
go overseas that first can produce the prototype jacket and possibly
run full production on the jacket.  My experience in over seas trade
is limited but what I am looking for here is a company overseas/or in
america that can manufacter the prototype.  Secondly, a listing a
clothing manufacters overseas (preferrable china) who specialize in
clothing production.

I am doing import/export business with China for a while. I know some
of the manufctures in China which makes skiing jackets.Please tell me
your plan, and I think I can help you.
Bill018

Your approach should be in phases 

Phase 1) contact local importer of jackets to make samples for you
under non compete and nondisclosure agreement

Phase 2) Get pricing promote product with target market

Phase 3 and 4 will be detailed oriented if interested contact me. I
will give practical know how

First, being from Colorado, I?m going to say that your idea offhand
seems very wasteful, and that unless your really creative with your
design it is probably going to become a stigma new skiers aren?t going
to be interested in wearing.

I would think more about what to do with these one-time outfits after
they are worn on the slops. I would also pay particular attention to
designing something that isn?t too generic or ugly.

I do think it has possibly though, so I?d first say that you should
have the prototype made here. This will be important so you can work
with the designer to improve and change it as you work. If by the
prototype you mean having one made to test the quality of the
manufactures output, and not as a means to convince investors, then
this is different.

For this, after a non-discloser agreement, you should either contact
someone to represent you in China (or wherever) to manufacturers (get
you the best price/quality) or contact several manufactures there and
ask them to bid on your large order. Price is going to be based on
many factors, but most importantly the size of your order.

You are going to have to order enough initially to make it worth your
investment, i.e. for marketing, promotion, giveaways, first season
orders, etc. This is going to be how much you will have to get from
investors.

You may know a lot of this already, but I thought I?d say it anyway.

If I were you I?d research companies manufacturing clothing made with
that paper-plastic stuff which they use for painting and chemical
suits. I know they used to give away jackets made from it in the 80s.
3M might be a start, and then search for the generic/trade name on
manufacture sites in China and elsewhere. Even if you weren?t thinking
of that material, I bet they are using a facility which is doing it
very cheaply.

I?ve personally messed around with researching Asian electronics
manufacturing, so I don?t know of any sources for clothing
manufacture. I do know of a tailor who is going to make me some suits
and pants in Vietnam, but is too small a shop for what your looking
for . . .

I used to belong to this site, which you can search for similar
products and then contact them about your run.

http://www.globalsources.com/

Thanks for the comments thus far.... I was specifically brief in my
description for certain disclosure reasons.

Problem with most inexpensive jackets today = ugly.   

If you ever traveled to China, you know you can pick up a faux TNF
jacket for 20 or 30 bucks.  Now obivously, these are not the same high
quality hot taped seam, gortex jackets you or I would pay $300 or $400
dollars for.  As an expirment I took one of these out on slopes with
me for a week of skiing.  Guess what?  It performed beautifully.  No,
its not a Jacket you would want to take to Everest but for the basic
skiers who skis 10 or less days a year it worked perfect.  The casual
skier.  The value propistion here is the percieved value of a high end
jacket for cheap (for another example loook at old navy in comparions
to other retailers).  Please Note: I DO NOT want to import faux TNF
jacket, that is illegal.  But I do desire to manufacter inexpensive
jackets that have an ArcTerxy, TNF, or Marmot look without the price. 
Simple stated for the casual user a basic ski advantage does NOT
require to high standards of Gortex or other materials.  Water
resistances is perfectly fine, since skiing is at altitude where
humidty is low so mostiure is absorbed quickly.  The idea is jackets
only here, pants you would probably wany more water resistance than I
am offering.  Please advise.

Yeah, that sounds like a much better idea then how I envisioned it. 

Two things you might do: Either contact some American company which
has its label on cheap made-in-China jackets and ask them who their
buyer/representative in China is, in a way that they aren?t going to
think you?ll be competing with them. Maybe lie to them and tell them
you are interested in making snowmobile/fishing suits, or find a
similar label for snowmobiling/fishing and ask them about ski wear. Or
you could post a request saying you?re a buyer looking to buy ski
jackets for import on the various Asian import/export boards, and
after reviewing their samples, ask them about manufacturing your own
line of jackets.

Also you might think about sporting goods manufacturers in Eastern
Europe, as they may be almost as cheap and may not carry the stigma in
terms of sporting goods. Like for example, Slavonia, Slovakia, and
many other Eastern European countries have an established tradition of
making quality ski wear, and maybe able to be price competitively
against high end jackets and lower quality knock-offs.  You could
still fulfill your stated market niche, while standing out from, and
avoiding direct competition with Wal-Mart pricing and sweatshops. You
could go about it in the same way, listing yourself as a buyer on
eastern European Import/Export sites.