01
Before you contact a factory
Manufacturer's Guide · 27 Years of Production Experience
How to Launch a Clothing Brand —
A Factory Guide
Most guides on starting a clothing brand are written by business coaches or e-commerce platforms. This one is written from the factory side — by people who have seen hundreds of first-time brands place their first order, and know exactly where things go wrong before a single garment is cut.
If you are planning your first clothing brand, or scaling from samples to real production, this guide covers what you need to know before contacting any manufacturer.
What This Guide Covers
02
Define your product
03
Choose your manufacturing model
04
The sampling process
05
Branding elements your factory needs
06
Certifications for your market
07
Your first order timeline
08
How to calculate landed cost
01
Before you contact a factory — what you need to have ready
The most common mistake brands make when launching is contacting a clothing manufacturer before they are ready. They send a vague message — "I want to start a clothing brand, can you make hoodies?" — and wonder why they get slow responses or inaccurate quotes.
A factory receives hundreds of inquiries a week. The ones that get fast, detailed responses are the ones that come with enough information to actually quote against. Here is the minimum a factory needs before they can give you a useful reply:
Garment category
T-shirt, hoodie, woven shirt, trouser — be specific
Approximate quantity
Total pieces per style you want to order
Target price range
Your maximum FOB cost per piece, even approximately
Fabric preference
Material type, weight (GSM), and any certification requirements
Destination market
EU, UK, USA, Australia — affects certifications and documentation
Timeline
When you need goods in your warehouse
Common mistake
You do not need a completed tech pack to get a preliminary quote. Any factory that requires a full tech pack before giving any pricing is creating an unnecessary barrier. A one-page brief is enough to start.
02
Define your product — the decisions that affect everything else
Every production decision downstream — MOQ, pricing, lead time, certifications, sampling — depends on your product definition. Brands that change their mind mid-sampling cost themselves weeks and hundreds in rework fees.
Before you go further, answer these four questions clearly:
What is the garment?
Not just 'a hoodie'. A 320 GSM brushed fleece heavyweight hoodie with a kangaroo pocket, flatlock seams, and a structured boxy fit is a different product — different price, different sampling process, different equipment — from a 280 GSM standard fleece pullover. The more specific you are, the more accurate the quote.
Who is it for?
Your target customer affects sizing (US vs EU vs Asian sizing grading), fabric choice (performance fabrics for active wearers, premium cottons for fashion-conscious buyers), and price point. A factory producing for a £60 retail hoodie has different quality expectations than one producing for a £20 retail hoodie.
Where will it be sold?
Destination market determines certifications (GOTS for organic claims, OEKO-TEX for EU safety, BSCI for UK retailer onboarding), labelling requirements (GINETEX care symbols are legally required in the EU), and sizing standards. A garment sold in Germany needs different label content than one sold in Australia.
What is your target retail price?
Work backwards from retail price to understand your maximum FOB cost. A typical fashion brand works on a 4–6x retail markup on cost. If your target retail is £40, your maximum landed cost (FOB + freight + duties) is approximately £7–10. If a factory quotes £12 FOB, the maths does not work before you start.
03
Choose your manufacturing model — OEM, private label, white label, or CMT
Four models exist. Choosing the wrong one for your stage wastes time and money. Here is an honest breakdown of each.
OEM — Original Equipment Manufacturing
Best for most brandsYou provide a tech pack with exact specifications. The factory sources all materials and produces under your brand. Maximum control over design, materials, and fit. Your design is exclusively yours.
Requires: A completed tech pack, or at least a clear reference garment with instructions.
Private Label / ODM
Best for brands without design resourcesThe factory develops the design from your brief. You approve samples and apply your brand. Less control over construction details, but faster to a proto sample if you do not have a pattern team.
Requires: A clear brief — category, style references, material preferences, and target customer description.
White Label
Best for market testing onlyThe factory has existing pre-designed styles. You add your label and branding. Fastest route to product — no development phase. 20–30 day production timeline.
The honest limitation: The same designs can be sold to other buyers — including your competitors. White label does not give you design exclusivity. It is suitable for market testing before committing to custom development, not for building a differentiated brand long-term.
Requires: Style selection from factory's existing catalog. Your brand labels and artwork.
CMT — Cut Make Trim
Best for established brands with their own fabricYou supply the fabric. The factory cuts, sews, and finishes. You retain full control over raw materials. Lower per-piece cost than full package because you are sourcing fabric independently.
Requires: Finished fabric delivered to the factory, plus a pattern and spec sheet. SDF accepts CMT orders from 100 pieces per style.
Recommendation
For a first brand launch, OEM or private label gives you the best combination of design control and manageable complexity. Start with one or two styles. Do not try to launch a full collection on a first order — the sampling and revision process multiplies with every style you add.
04
The sampling process — what to expect and how to manage it
Sampling is where most first-time brands lose time. Not because factories are slow, but because brands do not know what they are approving for.
Proto Sample
First physical interpretation of your spec or brief. Produced in the correct or nearest available fabric, with your intended construction. This is the stage to assess fit, proportion, and construction — not colour or exact fabric. Most brands need 1–3 revision rounds at this stage.
7–14 days
Fit Sample (if needed)
After proto approval, a fit sample addresses measurement and construction corrections. Not always necessary if the proto was close enough.
7–10 days per round
Pre-Production Sample (PP Sample)
Made in the final production fabric, in the final colour, with all approved trims and branding. This is the sample you sign off on before bulk production begins. Once you approve this, the factory goes into full production.
7–10 days
Bulk Production
Full production run from approved PP sample. AQL 2.5 inspection performed before packing.
40–45 days knitwear, 45–55 days woven
Where brands lose weeks
The most common cause of sampling delays is not the factory — it is slow feedback from the brand. Set yourself a clear review deadline for every sample. If you receive a sample and take two weeks to give feedback, you have added two weeks to your timeline without the factory being responsible.
05
Branding elements your clothing manufacturer needs from you
A common point of confusion: brands assume the factory will handle their logo and brand identity. A clothing manufacturer is not a branding agency. We produce garments and apply your branding — we do not create it from scratch unless you specifically request design development as an add-on service.
Here is exactly what you need to have ready — in the right format — before production starts.
Woven Neck & Hem Labels
IncludedLogo in vector format (AI, EPS, or PDF with embedded fonts). Do not send a PNG. Woven label mills require vector files. Specify Pantone colour reference for each colour in the logo — not 'red' or '#e00000'. Standard neck label size: 3cm × 5cm. Confirm your brand name font or provide the font file.
Care Labels
IncludedCare labels must include GINETEX care symbols (washing, bleaching, tumble dry, ironing, dry cleaning) — legally required in the EU, UK, and Australia. Plus: fibre content percentage (e.g. 100% organic cotton), country of origin, and your brand's registered address. We can advise on the correct care symbols for your fabric and construction.
Hang Tags
IncludedArtwork file in AI, EPS, or print-ready PDF with 3mm bleed. Standard hang tag size: 55mm × 90mm (portrait) or 90mm × 55mm (landscape). Specify: stock weight (300–400gsm standard), finish (matte or gloss laminate), and string colour. If you include a barcode, provide the barcode file or EAN-13 number.
Poly Bag Packaging
IncludedSpecify bag size per garment category. Standard sizes: T-shirt 35×45cm, hoodie 45×55cm, trouser 45×60cm. If branded: logo in vector + Pantone reference. Specify if self-seal or resealable. EU packaging regulations require ventilation holes on bags accessible to children.
Embroidery
Add-onProvide a digitized embroidery file (.DST or .EMB) or a clean vector that we send for digitization (add 3–5 days). Specify thread colours in Pantone or Madeira/Robison-Anton thread reference. Maximum embroidery area: 15×15cm standard. Highly detailed or very fine text does not translate well to embroidery — confirm suitability before production.
Screen Print or Heat Transfer
Add-onArtwork file in AI or EPS, separated by colour. Specify Pantone colours per layer. Print position and size in centimetres from a defined reference point (e.g. 'centre chest, top of print 8cm from collar seam'). Screen printing has a minimum per colour — high colour count designs increase cost significantly.
If you do not have these assets yet
SDF offers design development for labels, hang tags, and packaging as part of our brand launch service — starting at $500 for a complete brand identity package covering woven label artwork, care label layout, and hang tag design. This is quoted separately from production. Contact us if you need this.
06
Certifications — what your brand actually needs
Certifications are one of the most misunderstood areas for new brands. Many brands assume they need everything, or assume they need nothing. The reality is more specific.
| If you want to... | You need... | SDF holds this? |
|---|---|---|
| Claim 'certified organic cotton' on your product | GOTS 7.0 — from your manufacturer, not just the fabric mill | ✓ |
| Claim 'certified recycled materials' | GRS — Global Recycled Standard from your manufacturer | ✓ |
| Claim 'tested for harmful substances' | OEKO-TEX Standard 100 | ✓ |
| Sell to major EU or UK retailers | BSCI or SEDEX SMETA audit from your factory — required for supplier onboarding | ✓ |
| Import into the US without customs delays | C-TPAT certified factory reduces screening time | ✓ |
| Make sustainability claims in the EU from 2026 | Third-party certification backing every claim — EU Green Claims Directive requires this | ✓ |
| Simply sell garments with no sustainability claims | No specific certification legally required (but OEKO-TEX recommended for consumer safety confidence) | ✓ |
All 13 SDF certifications with verification links — certifications page
07
Your first order timeline — realistic numbers
Plan backwards from when you need goods in your warehouse. Here are realistic timelines for each stage — not best-case, not worst-case.
Inquiry to quote
From brief to preliminary FOB quote
48 hours
Quote to proto sample
From accepted quote and tech pack / reference
7–14 days
Revision rounds
Most orders need 1–3 rounds — plan for 2
7–10 days each
PP sample approval
In final fabric and colour — sign-off before bulk
7–10 days
Bulk production (knitwear)
From PP sample approval
40–45 days
Bulk production (wovens)
Depending on construction complexity
45–55 days
AQL inspection + packing
In-house, included in lead time
3–5 days
Ocean freight (to Europe)
Chittagong to Rotterdam / Felixstowe
20–28 days
Ocean freight (to USA)
Chittagong to LA / New York
25–35 days
Customs clearance
Depends on port and broker efficiency
3–7 days
Total first-order timeline (knitwear, 2 sample rounds, ocean freight to EU)
~100–110 days
From first factory contact to goods in your EU warehouse. Plan accordingly.
Planning tip
If you are launching for a specific season or sale date, count back 110 days minimum from your target in-warehouse date and that is your deadline for first factory contact. Many brands miss their season because they started the process 60 days out rather than 120.
08
How to calculate your landed cost — and why FOB is just the start
FOB price is what you pay the factory to get goods loaded onto a ship. It is not what you pay to get goods into your warehouse. Here is how to build a full landed cost calculation.
FOB Price
£10.00 per piece
Factory price including fabric, production, AQL, packing, export docs, loading
Ocean Freight
£0.80–2.00 per piece
Depends on shipment volume — per-piece cost drops with larger orders
Import Duty
£0.00–1.20 per piece
EU buyers: 0–12% under GSP. UK buyers: similar. Applies to garment value.
Customs Clearance
£0.20–0.50 per piece
Freight forwarder / customs broker fee, spread across shipment
Destination Handling
£0.10–0.30 per piece
Port handling and delivery to warehouse
Landed Cost Total
£11.10–14.00 per piece
What you actually pay per garment in your warehouse
EU and UK buyers sourcing from certified Bangladesh manufacturers benefit from GSP duty reductions — 0–12% depending on garment HS code. This is a real cost advantage that reduces your landed cost compared to sourcing from China, Vietnam, or Turkey where these duty preferences do not apply.
Once you have your landed cost per piece, calculate your gross margin at your target retail price. Most fashion brands target a 60–70% gross margin (retail minus landed cost, divided by retail). If the margin does not work at your target retail price, the answer is either to increase the order quantity (improving per-piece FOB pricing) or to increase the retail price.
Questions
What brands ask us before placing their first order
How much does it cost to launch a clothing brand?
Minimum realistic budget for 2–3 styles at 300 pieces each with knitwear: production cost $5,400–13,500 FOB, plus sampling ($300–1,200), labels and packaging design (if needed, $500–1,000), ocean freight ($300–800 per style), and import duties. Total first-order budget: approximately $8,000–20,000 landed for a small brand with 2–3 styles. This varies significantly based on garment complexity and destination market.
Do I need a tech pack to start?
Not for a quote. A one-page brief is enough. For sampling: either a tech pack or a reference garment with clear instructions. A factory that requires a full tech pack before giving any pricing is adding an unnecessary barrier.
What is the difference between OEM, private label, white label, and CMT?
OEM: you provide the spec, factory produces under your brand. Private label: factory develops from your brief. White label: pre-designed factory styles — faster but same designs available to competitors, not exclusive. CMT: you supply fabric, factory cuts and sews. SDF offers all four models.
How long does a first clothing brand launch take?
Plan for 100–120 days from first factory contact to goods in your warehouse. That is: 48 hours to quote, 7–14 days proto sample, 14–20 days revisions, 7–10 days PP sample, 40–45 days bulk production, 25–35 days ocean freight, plus customs clearance. Start earlier than you think you need to.
What certifications do I need?
Depends on your market and claims. For organic cotton claims: GOTS from your manufacturer. For recycled material claims: GRS. For EU retail onboarding: BSCI or SEDEX from your factory. For US customs speed: C-TPAT helps. If no sustainability claims: no certification legally required, though OEKO-TEX is recommended for consumer confidence.
What file formats does a factory need for my branding?
Woven labels: vector AI, EPS, or PDF — not PNG. Hang tags: print-ready PDF with 3mm bleed, Pantone references for every colour. Embroidery: DST or EMB file, or a vector for digitization. Always include Pantone references — never expect colour matching from a JPEG or screen colour.
SDF Manufacturing Services
Ready to move from planning to production?
Choose the manufacturing model that fits your current stage. All start from 300 pieces per style (100 for CMT), with FOB pricing and 13 active international certifications.
Clothing Manufacturers
Full overview — OEM, private label, CMT, all certifications
View →
Apparel Manufacturers
OEM & CMT — compliance by market, AQL 2.5, FOB breakdown
View →
Fashion Manufacturers
Design brief to finished garment — tech packs, sampling, branding
View →
Private Label
Factory develops from your brief — your brand, your label
View →
White Label
Pre-designed styles — fastest route to market
View →
Cut & Sew / CMT
You supply fabric — from 100 pieces per style
View →
Fabric Sourcing
GOTS, GRS, OEKO-TEX certified mills — full traceability
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Garments Manufacturers
Trade buyers — duty advantages, audit verification, compliance
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Start Your Brand
Send us a brief. We respond in 48 hours.
Tell us your garment type, approximate quantity, target market, and any material or certification requirements. No tech pack needed at this stage.
We respond to every inquiry within 48 hours, Monday to Saturday.