MOQ and pricing: how to compare a clothing quotation

Start with one specification, not several different prices

A lower unit price is meaningful only when the suppliers are pricing comparable work. An oversized cotton T-shirt with garment washing and a large graphic is not the same request as a plain, unwashed T-shirt with a small chest print. Ask each supplier to quote the same specification revision, then record any proposed substitute beside the price.

Your enquiry should identify the style, measurements, material direction, artwork, label requirements and quantity. If the fabric has not been chosen, request a clearly identified option rather than a vague promise of premium cotton. A quotation based on a provisional material remains provisional until the material is accepted.

What does the minimum order apply to?

Ask whether the minimum applies per style, per fabric, per color or to a particular decoration or trim. Also clarify whether sizes can be mixed within the agreed quantity. A collection containing several designs can have a substantial total while each individual style remains below its practical production minimum.

A simple example is a proposal for 300 pieces across three styles and two colors. An even split produces only 50 pieces in each style-color combination. This is an illustration of the breakdown, not a SALATI minimum. Send your actual size and color allocation so the team can review material purchasing, preparation and production together.

Separate the unit price from the project cost

Request a breakdown that makes one-time development and recurring production charges distinguishable. Pattern development, sample work and artwork preparation may be treated differently from the bulk unit price. Confirm the number and purpose of samples, the revision scope and whether any fees are credited against production. Do not assume that a sample-fee credit is automatic.

The decoration scope also matters. Artwork size, color count, placement, coverage and the chosen effect can change the work required. A complex embroidery design or several print locations should be visible in the brief. Discuss a change in artwork before treating an earlier quotation as current.

How to use prices in the SALATI product archive

The product archive contains reference listings from SALATI’s Alibaba store. A price range helps you identify styles to discuss, but it does not constitute a current quotation for a customized garment. The listed minimum and price unit belong to the individual listing. Keep the product ID or link in your enquiry so the team can locate the reference.

Ask for a fresh quotation when you change the fabric, weight, fit, artwork, quantity or packaging. Also confirm whether the reference price is per piece or per set. Comparing a set price with the price of a single hoodie produces a misleading result even before customization is considered.

Compare the schedule as carefully as the price

A requested launch date should be worked back through material selection, sample development, your review time, production and shipment. Ask when the quoted schedule starts: after the brief, material confirmation, sample approval or another agreed milestone. Supplier lead time and time spent waiting for your feedback are different parts of the calendar.

Record any deadline-sensitive input, such as final artwork, size allocation or packaging approval. If one of these changes, reconfirm the schedule. A practical quotation identifies what must be ready before work can proceed, rather than showing a date detached from its assumptions.

Send a request the team can evaluate

Put the selected reference, target quantity, customization needs and destination into one enquiry. If you are flexible, say which variable can change: a stock material, fewer colorways, a simpler decoration or a different schedule. This gives the manufacturer a useful basis for proposing alternatives without changing the identity of the collection.

• One current brief and product reference per style.
• Quantity by style, color and size; identify complete sets.
• Material, decoration, label and packing requirements.
• Requested date and destination, with any flexibility.
• A written list of inclusions, exclusions and unresolved assumptions.

Example: compare quotations before choosing a supplier

Build one comparison sheet with a column for each proposal and a separate column for unresolved questions. Record whether a charge is included, separately priced or still unanswered. An empty cell is not a zero cost, and an attractive unit price should not hide a missing development or delivery item.

The example below uses descriptions rather than prices because its purpose is to expose differences in scope. It is not a SALATI quotation. If one proposal includes printed packaging and another uses plain packaging, either request the same scope or record that you are deliberately comparing different options. Keep the quotation date and specification revision above the table.

Before making your choice, ask for a complete written proposal that closes the relevant questions. Record the payment milestones and the conditions for any additional charge in the agreed documents. Revisit the comparison when quantity, material, artwork or destination changes; the earlier ranking may no longer reflect the project you intend to order.

Common questions