What MOQ really means, and how to order small sensibly

What MOQ means

MOQ stands for minimum order quantity: the smallest number of pieces a factory will make for one order. It is usually quoted per style, but it can also apply per colour, per fabric or per print.

For a new brand, MOQ is often the first real constraint. You want to test a range without filling a warehouse. The factory wants each order to cover the time and material it costs to set up. A sensible MOQ sits where both sides can make it work.

Why factories set minimums

Every production run has fixed costs that do not change much whether you make 25 pieces or 500. The minimum exists so those costs are spread over enough pieces.

• Cutting. Fabric is laid in layers and cut together. Laying and cutting a few layers takes almost as much set-up as laying many.
• Marker efficiency. A marker is the layout of pattern pieces on fabric. With more sizes and pieces in one marker, pieces nest more tightly and less fabric is wasted. Small runs often waste more fabric per garment.
• Line set-up. A sewing line has to be arranged and balanced for each new style. Operators take time to reach their normal speed. Short runs end before the line is fully up to speed.
• Fabric minimums. Mills and fabric suppliers sell in minimum lengths. Stock fabric can be bought in smaller amounts. Fabric that is woven, knitted or dyed to order usually needs a much larger quantity.
• Dye lot minimums. Dyeing a custom colour means filling a dyeing machine or vat. A small lot costs nearly as much to run as a full one, and shades can vary between lots.
• Trim minimums. Custom buttons, zips with branded pullers, woven labels and printed tapes are made in minimum quantities by trim suppliers.
• Print and embellishment set-up. Screens, blocks, embroidery programmes and strike-offs cost the same whether you print a handful of pieces or hundreds.

MOQ per style, per colour and per fabric

When a factory quotes an MOQ, check exactly what it applies to. The same number can mean very different total quantities.

The example uses a round number for illustration only.

Always ask:

• Is the minimum per style, per colour, or both?
• Is there a separate minimum for the fabric or the dye lot?
• Can sizes be split freely, or is there a minimum per size?
• Are custom trims or labels subject to their own minimums?

Sourcingo's starting point: 25 pieces per style

Sourcingo's minimum order starts from 25 pieces per style. That lets a new brand sample and launch a range in quantities it can actually sell.

The minimum rises for some styles. Certain fabrics, dyes and prints need more pieces, usually because of the mill, dye lot or print set-up minimums described above. A custom-dyed shade or a specially woven fabric is more likely to need a higher quantity than a style made in stock fabric.

The exact minimum for each style is confirmed after the team sees your specs. That is why a complete brief matters: the more the team knows about fabric, colours, prints and trims, the more accurate the minimum and the costing will be.

How per-piece cost changes with quantity

Smaller orders cost more per piece. That is not a penalty. It is the fixed costs above being divided over fewer garments.

As quantity grows, the per-piece cost usually comes down because:

• Set-up costs for cutting, line set-up, screens or blocks are spread over more pieces.
• Fabric can be bought at better rates, and marker efficiency improves.
• Operators reach full speed and stay there longer.
• Trims are bought in larger lots at lower unit rates.

The drop is steepest at the low end. Moving from a very small run to a moderate one usually changes the per-piece cost far more than moving from a moderate run to a large one. Beyond a point, the curve flattens: material and stitching time per piece stay roughly the same however many you make.

For planning, ask for costings at two or three quantities. You can then see where the price steps down and decide whether the extra stock is worth it.

How to order small without overpaying

You can keep quantities low and still get a fair per-piece cost by designing the range around the drivers above.

• Use fewer colourways per style. Two strong colours at a reasonable quantity often make more sense than five colours at a token quantity each.
• Choose stock fabrics. Ready fabrics in standard colours avoid mill and dye lot minimums. Save custom dyeing for your hero styles.
• Reuse one fabric across your own styles. If a shirt, a dress and a pair of trousers in your range use the same fabric, the fabric order is larger even though each style is small.
• Repeat trims within your range. One button, one zip type and one set of labels across several styles helps you meet trim minimums.
• Keep prints and embellishment focused. A single print used on several of your styles spreads screen or block costs.
• Narrow the size range for a test. If you are testing demand, a tighter size range keeps quantities per size sensible.
• Plan the reorder. If a style sells, a second order at higher quantity brings the per-piece cost down. Sampling and approvals are already done.

Planning a first range around MOQ

A practical way to build a first order:

1. List the styles you want to launch and the quantity per style you can realistically sell.
2. Group styles by fabric. Look for chances to use the same fabric in more than one of your styles.
3. Decide the colourways for each style. Cut any colour you are not confident about.
4. Note which fabrics, prints or dyes are custom. These are the ones most likely to need a higher minimum.
5. Set a target cost or retail price for each style.
6. Share this as part of your brief, along with size range, fit, launch date and any sketches or tech packs.

A complete brief like this lets Sourcingo send a costing and line plan within 48 hours, with the minimum confirmed for each style.

Questions

Updated: 12 October 2026