A quote looks like one number. It is not. It is the sum of eight decisions, most of which the buyer made before the factory ever saw the style — the fabric, the colour count, the seam construction, the packaging, the market the goods are sold into.
That is why comparing two quotes is so difficult and so frequently done wrong. Two factories quoting “the same style” are usually quoting two different products, and the lower number is often the one with less in it.
The Eight Layers
| Cost layer | Type | When it occurs | What it depends on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pattern, grading and fit block | One-time | Before sampling | Whether it is a new block, an extension, or a repeat |
| Sample rounds and lab dips | One-time | Development | Number of sample rounds, number of colours to approve |
| Fabric and yield | Per unit | Bulk | Fabric specification, width, GSM, marker efficiency, shrinkage allowance |
| Trims and decoration | Per unit, plus setup | Bulk | Trim grade, print or embroidery method, number of colours and positions |
| Labour and line time | Per unit | Bulk | Seam count, stitch density, style complexity, line efficiency |
| Packaging | Per unit, plus tooling | Pre-production | Plain carton or printed box, hangtag, polybag, folding method |
| Testing and compliance | Per lot, often per colour | Pre-production | Target market, test scope, how many colours and prints need covering |
| Freight, duty and terms | Per shipment | After production | Incoterm, mode, volume, destination, whether duties are included |
Two structural facts follow.
The one-time layers are decided early and are largely independent of quantity. Pattern, sampling, tooling and screen setup cost what they cost whether you make a small run or a large one. They are the reason a first order carries a higher unit price.
The testing layer does not scale down. A test on a fabric reports on that fabric. Add a colour, add a print, and you may need another report regardless of how many pieces you are making. Compliance is a fixed cost attached to variation, not to volume.
Why Two Quotes for the Same Style Differ
Fabric specification and yield. “Cotton jersey” describes a family, not a fabric. GSM, yarn count, width and finish all move the price. Yield — fabric consumed per garment — depends on marker efficiency, width and the shrinkage allowance. Two factories can quote the same fabric at the same price per metre and produce different unit costs. Ask for the yield assumption in metres per garment.
Trim grade and construction. Elastic has grades, and so do zips, drawcords, labels and thread. A quote that names no trim grade has assumed a cheap one. Likewise a four-needle six-thread flatlock seam and a standard overlock seam are different operations with different time and equipment; if construction is not specified, one factory will quote the simpler option.
Decoration method. Screen print, digital print, puff print, embroidery and appliqué have different setup costs, and the number of colours and positions multiplies the setup.
Packaging. A plain carton and a printed gift box differ by more than the box. Tooling, minimums and folding labour all change.
Testing scope. Who pays, which tests are in scope, and which market they satisfy. Two quotes can both say “testing included” while covering different things.
Commercial terms. FOB and EXW are different prices for the same goods, and so is a price fixed for a month versus one adjusted for fabric movement.
Our guide to fabric specifications covers the fabric side, including the parameters that change price without changing the look.
Volume Tiers: Where Scale Helps and Where It Does Not
Where it helps. The one-time layers amortise: pattern, sampling, screen and plate setup, tooling. Fabric pricing improves once you cross the mill’s minimum and can buy a full dye lot rather than a split one. Trim pricing works the same way. Freight per unit falls as the shipment fills a container.
Where it does not. Per-unit labour does not fall much once the line is running efficiently — the operations are the same per garment. Testing does not fall at all, because it attaches to variation rather than volume. Packaging tooling is fixed.
The practical effect is a curve that drops sharply at the first tier and then flattens.
How to Compare Two Quotes Properly
A comparison is only valid if the inputs are the same. Before putting two numbers side by side, confirm that both rest on:
- The same tech pack revision, with the same measurements and tolerances.
- The same fabric specification, with GSM, composition, width and finish named.
- The same trim list and construction, with grades, seam types and stitch density named.
- The same decoration method, with colours and positions counted.
- The same packaging, including folding method and carton type.
- The same quantity band, and the same size mix within it.
- The same testing scope, and an explicit answer on who pays.
- The same Incoterm, payment terms, currency and quotation validity.
If any of the eight differs, the two numbers are not comparable, and the cheaper one is usually cheaper for a reason you have not been told. Our private label programme overview covers how these inputs are set before quoting starts.
What Is Usually Missing From a Quote
The most expensive line in a quotation is often the one that is absent.
- Pattern and grading fee, and whether any part is refundable against the first bulk order.
- Sample fees and lab dips, per round and per colour, and whether they are credited later.
- Print and packaging setup — screens, digitising, artwork preparation, printing plates, dies, or a box minimum you have not been told about.
- Testing costs, and who instructs the laboratory.
- Freight, insurance and duty, and which Incoterm the price is quoted on.
- Payment terms and quotation validity — deposit percentage, balance trigger, and whether the price flexes with fabric cost.
Ask for the missing lines in writing and put them into the quotation document. A quote that becomes a complete cost sheet is worth more than a quote with a lower headline number.
One Honest Note
We can put a cost sheet in front of you line by line, show you which layers are one-time and which are per unit, and tell you exactly what changes if you switch fabric, drop a colour or change the packaging.
What we cannot do is quote a price that ignores the spec. If a brief says only “cotton loungewear set,” the honest answer is a range with the assumptions named, not a single figure. A supplier who gives you one confident number against a vague brief has made the assumptions silently, and they will surface later as change costs.
We would rather quote a higher number that holds than a lower one that grows.
FAQ
Q: Should I compare quotes per piece or on the total programme cost?
A: On the total, then check the per-piece number against it. The per-piece price hides the one-time layers, which is exactly where two quotes diverge most. A quote with a lower unit price and a large unrefundable tooling charge can cost more across a first programme.
Q: Why is my second order sometimes not much cheaper than the first?
A: Because some of what you paid for the first time does not repeat, if you are reusing the pattern, the fit block and the screens. If the second order also introduces a new colour, a new print or new packaging, you have added fresh setup cost while removing old, and the two almost cancel.
Q: Does a higher GSM always mean a higher cost?
A: It usually means more fibre per garment, so yes in the fabric layer. But a heavier, cheaper yarn can cost less than a lighter, finer one, and a narrower width can cost more per garment because the marker wastes more. Compare cost per garment, not cost per metre.
Q: How much should I expect to pay before the first bulk order?
A: Pattern and grading, sampling rounds, lab dips, and any print or packaging setup. Treat these as development investment rather than production cost, and ask which are refundable against the first bulk order.