MOQ = Minimum Order Quantity. The smallest number of units a factory will manufacture for you in a single order.

It's the most common dealbreaker between first-time fashion founders and the factories they approach. Founders want to test with 50 units. Factories quote 500-piece minimums. Why? And what's actually negotiable?

Why factories set minimums

A factory's MOQ isn't arbitrary — it reflects real economics:

• Setup costs: every new style requires pattern engineering, marker making, fabric inspection, sample sewing. Fixed costs spread over more units.
• Fabric minimums: most fabric mills have their own MOQs (often 100m+). A factory needs enough orders to use up the bolt.
• Production efficiency: factories optimize for runs of 300-1000+ units. Shorter runs leave equipment idle.
• Floor space: a 50-unit order ties up the same cutting table as a 500-unit order, but at 10% of the revenue.

When a factory quotes "500-unit MOQ," they're telling you the economics of their existing setup. They're not being arbitrary.

Standard MOQ ranges by category

Cut-and-sew (knit/woven basics)

Standard: 300-500 per style per colorway. Low-MOQ specialists: 50-100. Below 50 is rare.

Denim

Standard: 500-1,000 per style. Denim requires specific washes/finishes, which adds setup. Below 200 is unusual.

Activewear

Standard: 200-500 per style. Technical fabrics often available at lower MOQs because performance brands run multiple drops.

Knitwear (fully-fashioned)

Standard: 100-300 per style. Lower because each piece is more bespoke. Custom yarn callouts can push higher.

Lingerie / swim

Standard: 300-500 per style. Fit-critical, so fewer factories offer low MOQ.

How low-MOQ manufacturers make it work

Low-MOQ factories (like Fabrickly) make 50-piece minimums economical through:

• Stocking common fabrics in-house (no per-order fabric minimums passed to you)
• Combining multiple brands' orders into single production runs
• Vertical integration (we own the supply chain from yarn to finished garment)
• Standardized construction templates (we know how to spec a basic hoodie quickly)
• Tech pack rigour upfront (better spec = less iteration = lower per-unit cost)

Low MOQ isn't magic. It's a different business model — designed around emerging brands. The trade-off is per-unit cost: low-MOQ factories charge slightly more per piece because the run isn't big enough to amortize setup as much.

Is paying more per-unit at low MOQ worth it?

Yes if you're launching. Doing the math:

Standard 500 MOQ at £6/unit = £3,000 minimum. If you sell 80%: £4,800 revenue at 2.5x retail = £4,800 - £3,000 = £1,800 gross. But if your style flops, you have 500 unsold units. Hard to clear without discounting.

Low-MOQ 50 at £10/unit = £500 minimum. If style flops, you've lost £500. If it sells, reorder 200 next time at slightly better pricing. Test multiple styles cheaply, scale up only what works.

Low MOQ is risk insurance. Higher per-unit cost = lower total risk. For first-time founders, the maths almost always favour low MOQ.

How to negotiate MOQ with a factory

Some tactics that work:

• Bundle multiple styles into one order. 5 styles × 60 units = 300 total. Some factories accept this even if their stated MOQ per style is higher.
• Match their existing fabric runs. If they're already cutting your fabric for another brand, you can piggyback at lower MOQ.
• Pay a slightly higher per-unit price. Most factories will accept lower MOQ if you offset their economics.
• Sign a multi-style commitment. "I'll do 5 styles at 100 each this year" can unlock 100-unit MOQ even if their default is 300.
• Go to specialists. Factories explicitly positioned for low MOQ (like ours) don't need to be negotiated with — that's already their model.

Wholesale MOQ vs manufacturing MOQ — not the same thing

If you're reading this as a boutique buyer: wholesale MOQ is the minimum the supplier will sell to you. Manufacturing MOQ is the minimum the factory will produce. These are different numbers.

Most wholesale suppliers set MOQs at 12-24 pieces per style (vs factory MOQs of 100-500). Some — like our boutique wholesale program — go as low as 6 pieces.

50-piece MOQ. Quote in 24h.

Cut-and-sew manufacturing from 50 pieces per style. No 500-unit commitment.