What a clothing sample costs from a Chinese factory
A sample of one style usually costs about $30, or 200 RMB, when the fabric and the trims are already in stock. That is what we charge for a second style and beyond. Your first style is free with us, one per company. The sample price is not the same as the unit price of a bulk order, and it is not a deposit. You are paying for one piece to be cut and sewn on its own, outside a production run.
Why one sample costs more per piece than a bulk order
A factory sets up for a run. The marker, the cutting, the machine settings and the operator time are all spread across hundreds or thousands of pieces. A single sample carries all of that on its own. That is the whole reason a sample looks expensive next to a unit price.
What changes the sample price
- Whether the fabric is in stock. Fabric bought from stock costs a sample nothing extra. Fabric that has to be sourced, dyed or knitted to your color is the main reason a sample price moves.
- Trims. Custom labels, zippers, drawcords and hardware are ordered in minimums. One sample may force a minimum order of a trim.
- How complex the product is. More panels, more topstitching and more fittings mean more hours.
- How many rounds you want. The first sample answers whether the pattern is right. Fit changes mean a second round.
How long a sample takes
- About 3 days when the fabric and the trims are in stock.
- Usually about 2 weeks when the fabric and the trims have to be sourced.
- About a month for a complex product.
Bulk production starts after you approve the final set of samples in every size and color, and that takes about one month. Sea freight is on top of that, and you can estimate the landed cost before you order. If the goods are going to the United States and you want the freight and the import duty inside one price per piece, ask us to quote it that way. The trade calls that DDP.
What comes with the sample
A sample is evidence, not a souvenir. Every sample we send goes out with all four of these:
- the sample itself, in the size you asked for,
- the measurements taken off it, against your size chart,
- the name and the composition of the fabric that was used,
- photos of the trims that went on it.
Without the measurements and the fabric name, a sample only tells you that somebody can sew. It does not tell you what the bulk order will look like. Ask for all four from any supplier you are testing, and compare the measurements against the size chart yourself before you approve anything.
How the first style works with us
Your first style comes with an indicative price and a free sample. One per company, first style only. Further styles are about $30, or 200 RMB, per style. The measurements, the fabric name and the trim photos come with every sample, free or paid. After that the order runs on our normal terms: the sample is paid first, a 30 percent deposit follows sample approval, and the balance is due after every piece has been checked and counted in our warehouse in Yiwu. Goods leave China after full payment.
If you are still deciding who should make your clothing, the sample is only one of the tests. The rest are in our guide to how to verify a Chinese manufacturer.
Questions people ask
Is the sample price refunded if I place a bulk order?
With us the first style is free, so there is nothing to refund on it. For later styles the $30 covers that sample. Treat any promise to credit a sample fee against bulk as something to get in writing before you pay.
Can I get a sample without paying for the fabric?
Only if the fabric is already in stock. If your color has to be dyed, the dye lot has a minimum, and that minimum is larger than one garment.
Why do some factories quote a much higher sample fee?
Usually because the fabric is not in stock, the trims are custom, or the price includes a pattern made from scratch. Ask which of the three it is.
Do I need a tech pack to get a sample?
No, but a tech pack reduces the number of rounds. A sketch with measurements and a reference garment is enough to start.
Is a free sample a good sign or a bad sign?
On its own, neither. What matters is whether the measurements and the fabric name come with it. Ours do.
Updated · Written by Fred Lee, CEO, GD TRADE