MOQ is not a policy, it is arithmetic. Once you see which costs are fixed and which scale, the number stops looking arbitrary and starts looking negotiable in specific ways.
How the number is built
Every line in this category has the same cost structure in miniature: a setup that does not scale, a run that does, and a colour change that resets both. For Oxford the published MOQ is 500-1000 m per colour; for Oxford it is 500-1000 m per colour. The difference is the size of the batch the process needs, not the willingness of the factory.
| Family | Typical MOQ | Sampling | Production |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3D mesh | 300-500 m per colour | 5-7 days | 15-25 days |
| Oxford | 500-1000 m per colour | 7-10 days | 20-30 days |
| knitted fabric | 500-800 kg per colour | 7-10 days | 20-30 days |
| basswood | 300-500 sets per colour | 7-10 days | 25-35 days |
| paulownia | 300-500 sets per colour | 7-10 days | 25-35 days |
| PVC slats | 500-800 sets per colour | 7-10 days | 20-30 days |
Why it is quoted per colour
A dye bath, a print screen or a machine run is a fixed cost. Five colours at the minimum is five setups; one colour at five times the minimum is one. That is why consolidating shades usually beats negotiating the unit price, and why a supplier will sometimes accept a lower total if it comes in fewer colours.
Anatomy of the lead time
Quoted production is measured from sample approval, not from the purchase order. Sampling runs 5-7 days to 7-10 days depending on the family, and the buyer’s approval time sits on top of that. A quotation that gives one number without saying where it starts is hiding the stage that most often slips.
- Sampling and lab dip, then your approval.
- Material: usually in stock, occasionally 2-3 weeks for a specific grade.
- Production, quoted from approval.
- Inspection and packing, 2-4 days, longer if a third party is booked late.
- Transit: 28-40 days to Europe or the US, plus port dwell.
Three ways to reduce MOQ without paying more
Consolidate colours, launch the first run on a stock shade, and accept a longer production slot. The third is the cheapest concession available and it is almost never asked for, because buyers negotiate on price and volume rather than on timing.
Where the time actually goes
| Stage | Duration | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sampling and lab dip | 5-7 days | Buyer approval sits on top of this |
| Material procurement | 0-3 weeks | Only when a specific grade is not stocked |
| Production | 15-25 days to 20-30 days | Quoted from approval, not from PO |
| Inspection and packing | 2-4 days | Longer if a third party is booked late |
| Sea transit | 28-40 days | Plus port dwell at both ends |
This table is not a scoring system. It is a set of follow-up questions, because the first answer in each row is the one that sounds best and reveals least.
Related detail
Family specifications start from the fabric overview or the wooden blinds overview. Our documentation and testing regime is on the quality control page, and commercial terms are on the logistics page.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
Can you quote against a specification I write myself?
Yes. Send it as written and we will respond line by line, including where we would deviate and why. That is more useful than a price against a document we have silently reinterpreted.
What do you need to start?
End use, quantity per colour, destination market and the date you need the goods. With those four we can quote; without them we are guessing.
Questions worth asking before the price is agreed
The questions below are the ones that cannot be answered from a catalogue, which is exactly why they are worth asking.
| Question | Answer that should worry you | Answer that holds up |
|---|---|---|
| Who signs the test report, and against which standard? | “Our QC department signs it.” | A named standard, a named method and a signature that belongs to somebody who can be asked again next year. |
| How do you hold stretch recovery at >= 90 % after 5 cycles? | “That is standard for us, no problem.” | The last three lots’ readings, the instrument used and who signs the report. Recovery loss at seams starts here. |
| What happens if upf misses the UPF 50+ requirement? | “It will not happen.” | A re-test clause, the tolerance on the re-test, and the point at which the lot is remade rather than discounted. |
Failure modes worth a clause in the purchase order
Claims rarely come from a batch that was obviously wrong. They come from a chlorine resistance figure that sat inside the quoted band and outside what the product needed.
| Failure | What triggers it | Test to demand on the production lot |
|---|---|---|
| Snagging | Loose cover factor and fine denier without a compacted surface. | Chlorine resistance — ISO 105-E03 / retained elongation 50 h; acceptance >= 80 % retained |
| Recovery loss at seams | Seam construction that does not stretch with the fabric. | Colour fastness to chlorinated water — ISO 105-E03; acceptance >= grade 4 |
The other two, with acceptance numbers attached, are in the full failure analysis for swimwear fabric. A supplier who cannot name the mode he sees most often is describing a catalogue, not a process.
The same question, asked of motorised blinds
The two lines fail differently, so the wording that protects you differs too. On motorised blinds the recurring modes are these, caught with a different test.
| Failure | What triggers it | Test to demand on the production lot |
|---|---|---|
| motorised blinds: Limit drift | Mechanical limit switches or unstable encoder counts. | IP rating — IEC 60529; acceptance IP44 for bathroom use |
| motorised blinds: Motor stall on wide blinds | Torque below what the blind weight and friction require. | Operation noise — 1 m, anechoic or quiet room; acceptance <= 35 dB |
Send the five inputs and get a quotable answer.
Send the end use, the quantity and the destination market, and we will come back with a specification that meets it, a price at your volume and the test reports that back it up. Samples are free for qualified programmes; we charge the courier only.
Related reading
- How to Write an RFQ for Textile and Window Covering That Gets a Quotable Answer
- Shipping Textile and Window Covering from China
- How to Vet a Textile and Window Covering Supplier
Sample cut with your values on it · Neutral packing and private label · Consolidation, documents and lead times
