What is MOQ?
Minimum Order Quantity is an acronym that is used in almost all industries. MOQ is the abbreviation of “Minimum Order Quantity”. That means it’s the minimum order quantity you can order from the manufacturer. Again, this is the minimum order quantity required for the manufacturer to accept your production order. In the fashion industry, clothing manufacturers are known for producing garments in high volumes, so when a brand or retailer approaches them. Clothing manufacturers need them to place orders with a minimum order quantity specified by them. For example, suppose a Chinese clothing manufacturer offers a MOQ of 50 pieces per design. In this case, you will need to order at least 50 pieces or more of each design in order for the manufacturer to produce your clothing line.
When we talk about the fashion industry, there are tons of clothing manufacturers and suppliers, each with its own minimum order quantity.
Why MOQ is so important?
According to the meaning of MOQ provided above, it plays an important role in many aspects of buyers and sellers. MOQ is essential for sellers as it helps them know which businesses they can and cannot work with. If we refer to the MOQ business term, this allows the supplier to communicate to the buyer how many units they have to accept the job.
But, what MOQ means to buyers will vary depending on the size of their business, target market and needs. Some businesses are small, so they only need to manufacture a small number of orders. They need to find a supplier that meets the low product MOQ. For example, if the buyer’s business is in line with clothing, they need to find a low MOQ clothing manufacturer.
Additionally, other businesses operate at scale and must many products. These companies need to find suppliers who can meet both high and low MOQs. At the same time, suppliers who can meet their needs have high-quality materials, fast production processes, and even low labor costs. Buyers will only know whether the supplier can produce the required number of units by looking at the MOQ.
Pros and Cons of MOQ
The biggest advantage of MOQ is that they give you the best price per unit. Generally, the more bulk you buy from your supplier, the lower your cost per unit. This means you’ll pay less per unit produced, so you can maximize the profit you’re getting when it comes to actually selling that product.
The biggest downside to MOQ is the upfront cost required to be able to produce your device. For example, 1,000 units at $10 per unit means a production run will cost $10,000 upfront, which can be daunting or unsatisfactory if you’re a new business. This fee also does not include other costs associated with doing business with the supplier, such as the cost of shipping the product to you after the production run is complete, or the necessary paperwork required to get the product through customs, etc. It’s the cost of actually producing the item.
How do you find low MOQ clothing manufacturers?
1. Trade fairs:
Visiting trade fairs is a great way to find the ideal custom clothing manufacturer for getting your product off the ground. Any country which heavily imports clothing from overseas manufacturers, will have its fair share of conventions and apparel trade fairs, and you will find manufacturers from a diverse range of countries. Bangladesh clothing factories for one tend to have a large presence in these fairs. Premiere Vision Paris for example is a very popular global fashion convention. New York City, and Los Angeles are two other hubs where you will be able to meet a lot of reliable low MOQ Asian clothing manufacturers.
2. Searching on Google:
Chances are, Google will probably be your first point of contact to find a low MOQ garment manufacturer. Before one link leads to another and then to another though, keep these points in mind:
- Don’t trust poorly made web 2.0 websites
- Always double check any manufacturing company against records online
- Browse through their online catalogs and customers
- Make sure they have certifications in their website
A quick search of the following title will probably lead you to forums, Reddit, or Quora. These boards are one of the best ways to find reliable, small MOQ, manufacturers because of the validation of the community. Just be sure to keep an eye out on the date those comments were posted.
conclusion
MOQs are there for a reason, so if you do feel the need to negotiate, make sure to abide by them and negotiate reasonably with the supplier. While meeting MOQs can be frustrating, or downright impossible if you’re just starting your business, remember that MOQs are set by suppliers to cover their own business costs, so , if you can’t meet the supplier’s MOQ, then you need to find a different supplier or make other adjustments. In any case, find a MOQ from a supplier that you can meet, if not, try sourcing your products through wholesale or dropshipping so you can buy products individually as needed.
If you are a start-up company looking for a low MOQ clothing manufacturer, why not contact us, Jingqi Apparel is a professional private label clothing manufacturer. The minimum order quantity of our hoodies is only 50 pieces, which can fully meet your requirements.
