The most common sourcing mistake isn’t choosing the wrong factory — it’s starting too late. Garment production runs on a chain of steps, and the smart move is to count backwards from your in-store date. Here’s how the timeline actually works.
The full production cycle
- Tech pack & quote — align the design, spec, MOQ, and price.
- Sampling — make and approve a pre-production sample.
- Bulk fabric — order and receive fabric (often the longest single step).
- Bulk production — cut, sew, and finish under QC.
- Inspection — in-line and final/pre-shipment checks.
- Freight — transit to your market (sea or air).
Fabric is usually the critical path
Sewing is fast; sourcing the right fabric often isn’t. Experienced buyers order bulk fabric as early as possible — sometimes in parallel with sampling — because a fabric delay pushes everything else. If you nominate a specific fabric or mill, factor its lead time in early.
Our lead times
For our knit basics, we typically quote sampling in 7–14 days and bulk production in 40–50 days after tech-pack approval, with exact timing confirmed per program. On top of that, add your freight transit time — see our guide on shipping from Nepal.
Count back from your in-store date
Work backwards: in-store date → minus freight → minus QC and production → minus fabric → minus sampling. That’s when your order really needs to start. For a seasonal launch, this often means beginning several months ahead — and booking capacity early, because peak seasons fill up.
Reorders run faster: once a spec is approved, repeat production skips much of the development time. Plan your first order with the most buffer.
Tell us your target delivery date and we’ll build a realistic timeline back from it. Start planning your order.