Buyer FAQ
What is a fabric-to-garment development process?
It is one managed route from the performance brief to shipped bulk: material engineering, performance validation, pattern and prototype, fit and grading, a pre-production sample and controlled bulk. Each stage ends in a written gate, so the fabric that was chosen and tested is the fabric that ends up in the garment you sell.
Do you make the fabric yourselves?
We specify and co-develop it; specialist mill partners knit, dye and finish it to that specification. We do not own knitting or dyeing machines. Lab dips are checked by our team against your standard, and fabric developed for you is contractually exclusive. Garments are then cut, sewn, inspected and packed on our own floor in Dongguan.
Which tests happen before bulk?
The ones your activity depends on. In-house, we run a four-way stretch gate and a squat check at about 400 lux before sampling. Programme tests — for example colourfastness, pilling, abrasion, chlorine, UPF or dimensional stability — are written on the PO and run at a lab you accept. AquaForm™ 220 already has an Intertek report on file (GZHT03093360). Suggested validation is a development path, not a claim that every listed test has already been completed on every fabric.
What is a PPS, and why does bulk wait for it?
A pre-production sample is made on bulk fabric, bulk trims and the bulk dye lot. When you sign it, it becomes the sealed standard the line is inspected against. Nothing goes into bulk before that signature, and the payment terms follow it: 30% after PPS · 70% after final inspection (AQL).
How do you keep bulk consistent with the approved sample?
Bulk is cut by dye lot, moved on TEGOTE hanger lines and tracked in MES + ERP. Inline inspection runs at 20, 50 and 80% of output against the sealed PPS, and final random inspection follows an agreed AQL plan (ISO 2859-1 / ANSI/ASQ Z1.4, General Inspection Level II as the usual starting point). If a lot fails, rework is at our cost. Third-party inspectors such as SGS, QIMA and BV are welcome.
What happens if a gate is not met?
The stage repeats; the standard does not move. A lab dip is re-dipped or the base is changed, a failed critical test sends the fabric back for a new finish or base, fit runs another round until every comment is closed, and a rejected PPS is corrected and resubmitted — the bulk date moves instead. If a bulk lot fails final inspection, rework is at our cost and the lot is re-inspected against the same plan before the balance is due.
Can I start with only a sketch or a photo?
Yes. We accept design images, sketches, drafts, moodboards, simple design files, tech packs or library links. The development desk turns them into a written brief with ranked performance priorities and a measurable sample in 7–9 working days.
What are MOQ, sample cost and lead time?
Standard 150 pcs / style / colour · library trial from 100 · below 100 +15%. Samples US$50–100 per garment piece · 7–9 working days. Custom fabric is typically 500m–1300m+ per colour and adds about 15–20 days. Bulk runs ~25–30 days after PPS for activewear, ~25–32 days after PPS for knit and typically 30–40 days after PPS for swim.
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