If you’re launching or growing a clothing brand, the biggest wall you hit is the MOQ — the minimum order quantity a factory will run. The big export hubs commonly demand 3,000–10,000 pieces per style and colour — impossible cash-flow for a brand testing a range. Here’s how to work with low-MOQ manufacturers instead.
Why MOQs exist
Every style needs setup — pattern, marker, fabric ordering, machine changeover, a sample round. Big factories spread that cost over huge runs, so small orders aren’t worth their time. Smaller, flexible factories are structured differently and can run around 1,000 pieces per style economically — and structure colour splits so a test order stays lean.
What MOQ to realistically expect
- Knit basics (tees, polos): from around 1,000 pieces per style at a low-MOQ export factory — the honest floor where real production economics start.
- Below ~100 pieces you’re usually into print-on-demand or local makers, at far higher unit cost.
- Fabric minimums can drive the real floor — using in-stock fabrics keeps MOQ low.
How to keep your first order small
- Limit colours — minimums usually apply per colour, so consolidating three colours into one hero colour keeps a test at 1,000 pieces instead of 3,000.
- Use common fabrics the factory already stocks or buys in volume.
- Start with 1–2 hero styles, prove sell-through, then scale.
- Be clear about your growth plan — factories flex minimums for brands they expect to grow with.
The landed-cost angle small brands miss
A low MOQ is worth little if duty eats your margin. Sourcing from an LDC like Nepal, your knit basics enter the EU, UK, and Canada duty-free — so a small, affordable run also lands cheaply. Here’s how that works.
Built for growing brands
We’re a small-batch-friendly factory — minimums from about 1,000 pieces per style, flexible planning, and the attention a growing brand actually needs. Start small, scale as you sell. Here’s exactly where we sit on the MOQ map. See our line or tell us what you’re launching.