Question 1

What is the minimum order quantity for custom apparel and cut-and-sew?

Accepted Answer

Roughly 100–300 pieces per style per colourway for cut-and-sew, because pattern grading, cutting and line set-up are per-style costs. Stock blanks with printed branding start far lower, at 50 and sometimes 1.

Question 2

How long does custom apparel and cut-and-sew take to manufacture and ship?

Accepted Answer

Sampling and fit approval: 10–20 days. Production: 20–40 days. Add transit.

Question 3

What does tooling cost for custom apparel and cut-and-sew?

Accepted Answer

No metal tool. Pattern making and grading is the equivalent cost, typically USD 100–400 per style, plus sample costs of USD 30–150 per sample round.

Question 4

How much does custom apparel and cut-and-sew cost per unit?

Accepted Answer

Roughly USD 3–12 per T-shirt at 500–2,000 units in a mid-weight combed cotton, fully printed. Fabric choice moves this more than labour does.

Question 5

Which HS code applies to custom apparel and cut-and-sew?

Accepted Answer

Chapter 61 for knitted apparel, chapter 62 for woven. The heading depends on the garment type and the 4-digit subheading on the fibre content, and the duty rate varies sharply between them — a cotton T-shirt and a synthetic T-shirt are different lines.

Question 6

What certifications does custom apparel and cut-and-sew need?

Accepted Answer

Textile labelling requirements differ by market: fibre content, country of origin and care instructions are mandatory in the US, EU and UK. OEKO-TEX or GOTS matter if you claim them, and claiming without certification is a liability.

Question 7

What duty and tariff issues apply to custom apparel and cut-and-sew?

Accepted Answer

Apparel tariffs are high and fibre-specific, commonly in the 12% US range for cotton knits and higher for some synthetics. This is the category where the HS subheading most changes the landed cost, and it needs to be verified rather than estimated.

Custom apparel and cut-and-sew: MOQ, tooling, lead time and landed cost

Quick answers

Common mistakes

Detailed answers

Sources

Get custom apparel and cut-and-sew quoted

Minimum order quantity	Roughly 100–300 pieces per style per colourway for cut-and-sew, because pattern grading, cutting and line set-up are per-style costs. Stock blanks with printed branding start far lower, at 50 and sometimes 1.
Lead time	Sampling and fit approval: 10–20 days. Production: 20–40 days. Add transit.
Tooling	No metal tool. Pattern making and grading is the equivalent cost, typically USD 100–400 per style, plus sample costs of USD 30–150 per sample round.
Unit cost	Roughly USD 3–12 per T-shirt at 500–2,000 units in a mid-weight combed cotton, fully printed. Fabric choice moves this more than labour does.
HS classification	Chapter 61 for knitted apparel, chapter 62 for woven. The heading depends on the garment type and the 4-digit subheading on the fibre content, and the duty rate varies sharply between them — a cotton T-shirt and a synthetic T-shirt are different lines.
Certification	Textile labelling requirements differ by market: fibre content, country of origin and care instructions are mandatory in the US, EU and UK. OEKO-TEX or GOTS matter if you claim them, and claiming without certification is a liability.
Duty	Apparel tariffs are high and fibre-specific, commonly in the 12% US range for cotton knits and higher for some synthetics. This is the category where the HS subheading most changes the landed cost, and it needs to be verified rather than estimated.