Step 1: Pick a niche and one first product
One customer, one product. Everything else comes later.
Read the details
A brand for everyone is a brand for no one. Describe one customer and one problem: linen shirts for hot-climate commuters is a brand, nice basics is not. Then pick one product, not a collection. A first drop of one or two styles keeps sampling, stock and photography under control. Every extra style, colour and size multiplies your minimum order, as step 8 shows.
Step 2: Test demand before you pay for stock
Get emails or pre-orders before you pay for stock.
Read the details
Look at what your competitors sell, at what price, and what their reviews complain about. Then get proof from real people:
- A waiting list on a simple landing page
- Pre-orders on a prototype or a sample
- Direct feedback from 20 people who match your customer
If nobody leaves an email for a free waiting list, a production order will not fix that.
- 1A waiting list on a simple landing page
- 2Pre-orders on a prototype or a sample
- 3Direct feedback from 20 people who match your customer
Step 3: Choose a name and protect it
Check the name is free, then register it.
Read the details
Check that the name is free as a trademark, a domain and a social handle before you pay for a logo. Clothing is registered in Nice class 25.
- France: the INPI fee is €190 for one class, plus €40 per extra class.
- European Union: the EUIPO online fee starts at €850 for one class and covers all EU countries.
Check the current fees before filing, and take legal advice if the name matters to your business.
Step 4: Set up the business
Set up the business before your first invoice.
Read the details
Register a company or sole trader status in your country, open a business bank account, and sort out VAT before your first invoice. Manufacturers expect a real business, and a company name and VAT number will get you better replies. Rules vary by country, so check with an accountant.
Step 5: Choose your production route
Your route sets your budget, your MOQ and your control.
Read the details
This decision sets your budget, your minimums and how much control you have.
| Route | What it means | Control | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blanks and printing | You buy ready garments and add print or embroidery | Low | Testing a design with very small quantities |
| Private label | A factory adapts its existing styles with your fabric, colour and labels | Medium | A first collection without pattern work |
| CMT (cut, make, trim) | You supply patterns and fabric, the factory sews | High | Brands that can source fabric themselves |
| Full package | The factory handles fabric, patterns, sampling and production | High | Founders who want one partner for everything |
Not sure if a company really produces? Read how to tell a manufacturer from a wholesaler.
Blanks and printing
- What it means
- You buy ready garments and add print or embroidery
- Control
- Low
- Good for
- Testing a design with very small quantities
Private label
- What it means
- A factory adapts its existing styles with your fabric, colour and labels
- Control
- Medium
- Good for
- A first collection without pattern work
CMT (cut, make, trim)
- What it means
- You supply patterns and fabric, the factory sews
- Control
- High
- Good for
- Brands that can source fabric themselves
Full package
- What it means
- The factory handles fabric, patterns, sampling and production
- Control
- High
- Good for
- Founders who want one partner for everything
Step 6: Write a tech pack
Same document to every factory means comparable quotes.
Read the details
A tech pack is the document a factory uses to quote, sample and produce your garment: sketches, fabric, measurements, construction, labels and quantities. It gets you faster, comparable quotes, and it is your reference if production goes wrong.
Build yours with our free tech pack template. It takes about 10 minutes, needs no sign-up and gives you a PDF to send to factories. No tech pack yet? Reference photos, a quantity and a fabric are enough for a first conversation.
Step 7: Find clothing manufacturers
Contact three to five suppliers with the same brief.
Read the details
Contact three to five suppliers, not one. Send all of them the same brief so you can compare answers. Ask for the MOQ per style and per colour, sample cost and timing, and whether they have made something similar.
Low-MOQ manufacturers for a first run
These suppliers list a minimum of 100 pieces or fewer, which suits a first drop or a test.
See more on our page for low-MOQ clothing manufacturers in Europe.
Manufacturers for a larger first batch
Starting bigger usually means a lower unit price, and it means more cash tied up in stock. These suppliers list a minimum of 150 pieces or more.
Always confirm the MOQ with the supplier, as it depends on fabric, branding and style.
Where to produce
Portugal is known for jersey, premium basics and smaller European runs. Turkey offers broad capacity across knitwear, denim and sportswear. Compare them in Portugal vs Turkey for clothing manufacturing, or browse clothing manufacturers in Portugal and clothing manufacturers in Turkey. For specific products, see T-shirt, hoodie and sportswear manufacturers.
Turkey is in a customs union with the EU, so ask your supplier about the A.TR certificate when you import. Import VAT still applies.
21 suppliers
Amaral FactoryPortugal
From 50 MOQ
Hoodies & Sweatshirts · T-Shirts · Trousers & Shorts
Imperio AlpakaySpain
From 80 MOQ
Hoodies & Sweatshirts · Jackets & Outerwear · Knitwear
I.I. Alexandru C-tin RodicaRomania
From 1 MOQ
Children's Clothing · Dresses & Skirts
Kira CreativeBulgaria
From 1 MOQ
T-Shirts
LMP MACRO PRINT SRLRomania
From 10 MOQ
Hoodies & Sweatshirts · Shirts · T-Shirts
SLAMMANTI UNIP LDAPortugal
From 30 MOQ
Denim · Dresses & Skirts · Hoodies & Sweatshirts
Real ModaItaly
From 40 MOQ
Hoodies & Sweatshirts · T-Shirts
CREATE FASHION BRANDPortugal
From 50 MOQ
Children's Clothing · Denim · Dresses & Skirts
- Fabric Art
Armenia
From 50 MOQ
T-Shirts · Workwear Uniforms
ImpaqqtTurkey
From 50 MOQ
Hoodies & Sweatshirts · Jackets & Outerwear · T-Shirts
Jante TextileTurkey
From 50 MOQ
T-Shirts
NB TextilePortugal
From 50 MOQ
Hoodies & Sweatshirts · Sportswear
Olimpia srlItaly
From 50 MOQ
Knitwear
- OMM COMPANY UNIPESSOAL LDA
Portugal
From 50 MOQ
Hoodies & Sweatshirts · T-Shirts · Workwear Uniforms
Raka TextilGermany, Turkey, Portugal
From 50 MOQ
Children's Clothing · Hoodies & Sweatshirts · Jackets & Outerwear
JasebitextileTurkey
From 75 MOQ
Trousers & Shorts · Denim · Hoodies & Sweatshirts
Cen TextileTurkey
From 100 MOQ
Denim · Hoodies & Sweatshirts · Jackets & Outerwear
JeetexTurkey
From 100 MOQ
Hoodies & Sweatshirts · Jackets & Outerwear · Shirts
From 100 MOQ
Knitwear · Sportswear · T-Shirts
TB UniformTurkey
From 100 MOQ
Workwear Uniforms
ZestletUnited Kingdom
From 100 MOQ
Hoodies & Sweatshirts
WAT.Portugal
From 200 MOQ
Jackets & Outerwear · Shirts · Sportswear
RoniteksTurkey
From 500 MOQ
Children's Clothing · Shirts
SahinbeytekstilTurkey
From 150 MOQ
Children's Clothing · Dresses & Skirts · Hoodies & Sweatshirts
- Vera Nadar Tekstil
Turkey
From 150 MOQ
Children's Clothing · Dresses & Skirts · Hoodies & Sweatshirts
From 250 MOQ
Children's Clothing
Dany fashion ltdBulgaria
From 300 MOQ
Dresses & Skirts · Hoodies & Sweatshirts · Sportswear
PTMGPortugal
From 300 MOQ
Denim · Hoodies & Sweatshirts · Jackets & Outerwear
Seam FactoriesPortugal
From 300 MOQ
Children's Clothing · Dresses & Skirts · Hoodies & Sweatshirts
Têxtil NortenhaPortugal
From 300 MOQ
Jackets & Outerwear · Shirts
SeamlessnfTurkey
From 500 MOQ
Sportswear
- Yasemin Tekstil
Turkey
From 500 MOQ
Children's Clothing · T-Shirts
SOMANIPortugal
From 1000 MOQ
Children's Clothing · Hoodies & Sweatshirts · T-Shirts
Ready to talk to suppliers?
Step 8: Sample, then work out your real MOQ
Approve a sample first, then check how the MOQ really works.
Read the details
Pay for a sample before you pay for production. Wash it, wear it, check the measurements against your tech pack, and write your corrections down. Expect more than one round.
Then check how the minimum really works. An MOQ can apply per style, per colour or per order, and fabric mills can set their own minimum on top. For example, an MOQ of 50 per colour on 3 styles in 2 colours means 300 pieces, not 50. Read more on MOQs for small fashion brands.
Ask for quotes at two quantities. That shows you how much the unit price really falls.
per colour × styles × colours
Step 9: Budget the full cost
Unit price is only part of what you will pay.
Read the details
The unit price is only part of it. Your budget should cover:
- Samples and pattern work
- Production and fabric
- Labels, hangtags and packaging
- Transport, duties and import VAT
- Trademark, company and accounting costs
- Photography, website and launch marketing
- Cash for your next order
Set your retail price from this total, not from competitors alone. If the numbers fail at your price, change the product before production. Check them with our production cost calculator.
Step 10: Get labels right, then launch
Get the labels right, then sell before the stock arrives.
Read the details
Clothing sold in the EU must carry a fibre composition label, in the language of the country of sale. Under the General Product Safety Regulation, a brand selling under its own name is generally treated as the manufacturer, so your name, contact details and a batch or product identifier must be on the product or its packaging. If you sell in France, you must also join the textile take-back scheme: register with Refashion from your first unit sold. Children's clothing has extra safety rules.
Certifications such as GOTS and OEKO-TEX are optional, but only claim one if your supplier can give you the certificate.
For launch, sell the story before the stock arrives: build your waiting list, photograph your samples, and give early buyers a reason to order first. Start with your own website, and add wholesale or stockists once you have sales to show.
Brand name
100% cotton
Size M
Batch 0425
Made in Portugal
- 1Composition required
- 2Your name and contact
- 3Batch or product ID
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start a clothing brand?
It depends mostly on your production route and MOQ. Printing on blanks can start with a few pieces, while a custom collection means paying for samples, fabric and a full minimum order per style. Multiply the MOQ by your styles, colours and unit quote, then add samples, labels, shipping, trademark and marketing.
Can I start a clothing brand with no money?
Not really, though you can start with very little. Blanks and print on demand limit your stock risk, and pre-orders can fund a first small run. You still need to pay for samples, a website and marketing.
What is a good MOQ for a new clothing brand?
One you can sell through without discounting. Many brands start with 50 to 300 pieces per style. On Supply EU, the suppliers above list their current minimums, and it pays to ask if the MOQ is per style or per colour.
How long does it take to launch a clothing brand?
Commonly 6 to 12 months from idea to first sale. Sampling rounds and fabric availability cause the most delay, so build in time for them.
Do I need a tech pack?
Not for a first conversation, but you do before sampling or production. It keeps every factory quoting the same product. You can make one with our free tech pack template.
Should I produce in Europe or Asia?
Europe and Turkey usually mean lower minimums, closer contact and shorter transport. Asia can offer lower unit prices at higher volumes. For a small first run, the ability to reorder quickly often matters more than the lowest unit price.