Clothing Manufacturer for Designer-Led Brands
VANRD helps designers, studios, and design-led apparel brands turn sketches, moodboards, reference garments, and creative concepts into production-ready samples and bulk-ready collections with fabric guidance, pattern support, custom branding, QC, and OEM/ODM manufacturing.
- Design-to-Sample Development
- Pattern & Fit Support
- Fabric & Trim Guidance
- Sample to Bulk Production
- IP & NDA Protection
- Quality-Controlled Manufacturing
From Sketch to Production
Your Challenge
Design Intent & Sample Accuracy
- Sketches and moodboards do not always translate clearly into first samples.
- Factories may simplify details that define your signature style.
- Fit, proportion, drape, and finishing details need careful interpretation.
Fabric, Construction & Finish Choices
- It can be difficult to choose fabrics that match your silhouette, hand feel, and target price.
- Special washes, quilting, trims, and finishing details may affect MOQ and lead time.
- Some design details look good in concept but are hard to repeat in bulk.
Sampling Rhythm & Collection Timing
- Multiple styles need to move together as a collection.
- Sample revisions can delay lookbook, showroom, buyer meeting, or launch timelines.
- Unclear approval steps make it hard to know where each style stands.
Cost, MOQ & Scale Planning
- Different fabrics, trims, techniques, and quantities can change cost and MOQ.
- A first test order may need a clear path to future scaling.
- Single-number quotes make it hard to understand what affects unit cost.
IP, Trust & Long-Term Production
- Original designs, patterns, artwork, and brand files need careful handling.
- Designer-led brands need clear communication, not unclear responsibilities.
- Future production should protect design consistency and brand standards.
Our Solution
Design-to-Sample Development
- Dedicated team reviews sketches, references, moodboards, and garment samples.
- Pattern makers translate design intent into workable garment construction.
- Sample comments are organized with photos, measurements, and revision notes.
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- Details
Design review notes covering proportion, fit, drape, construction details, and sample development direction.
Fabric & Technical Guidance
- We review fabric options based on structure, drape, season, price point, and production feasibility.
- Trims, washes, lining, rib, quilting, and logo methods are checked before sampling.
- We suggest scalable options for sample development and future bulk production.
- ➤
- Details
Fabric direction, trim suggestions, finish options, and production feasibility notes for each style.
Collection Sampling Plan
- Sampling can be organized by style, capsule, fabric group, or delivery priority.
- Key dates are planned for prototype, fit review, revision, and pre-production sample approval.
- Project updates help your team track each style before bulk production.
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- Details
Sample calendar, approval checkpoints, revision notes, and style-by-style development status.
Transparent Quote & MOQ Review
- We review cost based on fabric, workmanship, trims, logo method, packaging, and quantity.
- Quantity tiers can be discussed when a style has future repeat potential.
- We help balance design details, target price, MOQ, and bulk production feasibility.
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- Details
Quote guidance by material, construction, branding, packaging, MOQ, and quantity tier.
IP Protection & Dedicated Project Support
- Design files, artwork, patterns, and sample records are handled with controlled access.
- A dedicated project contact follows sampling, revisions, bulk production, QC, and shipment.
- Approved production details are recorded for future reorders and collection continuity.
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- Details
NDA support, file control, sample records, production notes, and repeat order reference.
Request a Designer Production Quote
Share your sketches, moodboards, reference garments, fabric direction, estimated quantity, and target timeline. VANRD will review your sample plan, MOQ, production cost, technical feasibility, and bulk lead time.
Apparel Categories for Designer-Led Brands
Custom Jackets
Varsity jackets, bomber jackets, work jackets, denim jackets, coach jackets, windbreakers, and padded outerwear with fabric, lining, hardware, wash, fit, and bulk quality control support.
Custom Hoodies & Sweatshirts
Pullover hoodies, zip-up hoodies, oversized sweatshirts, vintage fleece, embroidered hoodies, graphic hoodies, and heavyweight styles with fit, rib, drawcord, print, and finishing options.
Custom Tracksuits & Sets
Matching tops and bottoms, fleece tracksuits, nylon sets, poly tracksuits, warm-up sets, and coordinated collections with color, fabric, logo placement, and packaging control.
Custom Pants & Joggers
Cargo pants, sweatpants, joggers, casual pants, workwear bottoms, shorts, and relaxed trousers with waistband, pocket, zipper, paneling, fabric, and fit development support.
Custom Denim & Jeans
Jeans, denim jackets, trucker jackets, washed denim, vintage denim, and utility denim styles with wash control, hardware, stitching, shrinkage, fit, and bulk consistency support.
Custom T-Shirts & Tops
Heavyweight T-shirts, oversized tees, graphic tops, polos, jersey-inspired tops, and layering pieces with fabric, fit, neck rib, print, embroidery, label, and packaging support.
Designer Development Support
Design Brief Review
We review sketches, moodboards, reference garments, artwork, and target style direction before sample development starts.
Pattern & Fit Support
We help translate design intent into workable garment structure, fit direction, measurements, and pattern development notes.
Fabric & Trim Guidance
We review fabric options, trims, lining, rib, washes, logo methods, and finishing details based on design, cost, and production feasibility.
Sample & Revision Plan
We create samples for fit, proportion, fabric, workmanship, trims, logo placement, and finishing review before bulk approval.
MOQ & Cost Review
We review sample cost, bulk price, MOQ, fabric choices, branding details, packaging cost, and lead time based on your collection plan.
Branding & Packaging Setup
We support woven labels, printed neck labels, care labels, hangtags, packaging bags, barcode labels, carton marks, patches, printing, and embroidery.
Bulk Production & QC
We manage material preparation, cutting, sewing, logo application, finishing, measurement checks, packaging review, and final inspection.
Collection Continuity
We keep approved size charts, fabric records, trims, construction notes, packaging standards, and production details for repeat orders and future collections.
Quality Control for Designer-Led Production
Structured QC checkpoints help designer-led brands control fabric quality, sample accuracy, workmanship, measurements, trims, branding details, packaging, and shipment readiness.
- 1
Fabric Inspection
We check fabric width, shade consistency, stains, snags, defects, and hand feel before cutting to reduce material risks in bulk production.
- 2
Shrinkage & Wash Testing
For selected fabrics and washed styles, we review shrinkage, colorfastness, skewing, and wash performance to help control final fit and appearance.
- 3
Print & Embroidery Approval
We confirm logo size, placement, color, technique, patch quality, and strike-off samples before bulk application.
- 4
Cutting & Bundling Control
We verify markers, cutting accuracy, fabric direction, size bundles, and panel matching to reduce size mixing and construction errors.
- 5
In-Line Sewing Audit
During sewing, we check seams, stitch density, trims, zippers, symmetry, and key construction details to catch issues early.
- 6
End-Line Garment Check
Finished garments are reviewed for measurements, workmanship, appearance, trims, logo placement, and finishing before packing.
- 7
Pre-Pack AQL Inspection
Random inspection checks workmanship, measurements, labels, hangtags, folding, and packaging details before final packing.
- 8
Carton & Shipment Audit
We check carton marks, size ratio, quantity, packing method, carton weight, sealing, and shipment photos before delivery.
Manufacturing Timeline for Designer-Led Brands
| Project Stage | VANRD Commitment | Required From You |
|---|---|---|
| Design Review & Quote | Initial review within 1–2 working days. | Sketches, moodboards, reference garments, quantity, destination. |
| Sample Plan | Clear sample plan after quote confirmation. | Fabric direction, logo artwork, size details, sample requirements. |
| Sample Plan | Samples usually take 7–10 days. | Confirmed materials, colors, trims, and design details. |
| Sample Revision | Revision plan provided after sample feedback. | Fit comments, photos, measurements, and change notes. |
| Bulk Production Plan | Revision plan provided after sample feedback. | PO, quantity breakdown, size ratio, colorways, deposit. |
| PP Sample Approval | Revision plan provided after sample feedback. | Approved sample, size chart, labels, packaging details. |
| Production Updates | Key stages updated during production. | Confirmed contact person and project requirements. |
| Quality Issue Response | Initial response within 24 working hours. | Photos, order details, sample reference, issue description. |
| Quality Issue Response | QC, packing, and carton details checked before shipment. | Carton marks, packing method, shipping instructions. |
Reorder & Production Continuity
- Capacity PlanningReserve production windows for approved repeat styles when planned in advance.
- Price ValidityKeep confirmed quotations valid for a defined period, subject to fabric, trim, and material changes.
- Trim & Pattern RecordsArchive approved patterns, labels, trims, size charts, packaging details, and production notes.
- Material AlternativesSuggest substitute fabrics or trims when original materials have long lead times or limited availability.
Production Records & Review
- Sample Development RecordTrack sample development from design review to prototype, revision, and approval.
- Sample Development RecordTrack sample development from design review to prototype, revision, and approval.
- Production Status ReviewReview key stages including materials, cutting, sewing, logo application, finishing, QC, packing, and shipment.
- Improvement NotesRecord production issues, correction actions, and improvement points for future collections.
Manufacturing Capabilities for Designer-Led Brands
Team & Governance
Designer projects are handled by a named project manager supported by pattern, sampling and production leads. We are used to dealing with design language, moodboards and reference garments, not only full tech packs, and can bridge between creative direction and factory execution.
Facilities & Equipment
Our sampling rooms and lines can handle jackets, hoodies, tracksuits, pants, denim and knits with access to embroidery, printing, washing and basic embellishment facilities. This allows multi-style capsules to be developed under one roof with consistent fit and workmanship.
Capacity & Lead Times
Built for sample development, multi-style collections, and scalable bulk production. Samples usually take 7–10 days, with bulk production usually taking 25–35 days after approval.
Quality & Compliance
Structured QC for fabric, workmanship, measurements, trims, logo placement, labels, packaging, carton marks, and pre-shipment inspection before delivery.
10000m²
Production area
568
People
180000+/mo
Mixed Capacity
25-30days
Fastest case
- Jackets & outerwear
- Hoodies & sweatshirts
- T‑shirts & polos
- Pants & joggers
- Shorts
- Tracksuits & sets
FAQs — Working with VANRD for Designer-Led Brands
- Is this normal print quality? How do I check screen print vs DTF on dark garments?Direct answer
On a dark garment, print quality is settled by four things you can check in about two minutes: whether a white underbase was printed, whether the ink is fully cured, whether the screen stayed clean, and how the edge of a transfer has bonded. Check all four on the sample — none of them improve once the run goes to bulk, which is why print approval should be a separate, signed step rather than a line in an email.
Why dark is the hard case
On a white or light garment the ink sits over a surface that reflects light back, so it reads close to the colour on the ink card. On black or navy that surface returns almost nothing. Every light colour on a dark ground is therefore a white layer with a thin colour layer on top. If the white is thin, printed once instead of twice, or cured at the wrong temperature, the garment colour comes back through and the white reads grey, blue-grey or dirty.
None of that is visible in a photo taken under warehouse lighting, and none of it appears on the first wear. It appears after the first wash — which is exactly why the judgement has to be made at sample stage rather than on the delivered order.
The four checks, in the order that finds problems fastest
1. Turn it inside out first. Look at the back of the print area from inside the garment. A correctly built white underbase shows a soft, even halo with the fabric weave still readable through it. Hard white patches where ink has pushed through mean the print was over-inked — it will feel stiff and crack sooner. If there is almost nothing on the reverse, the base is too thin and the face will read grey.
2. Rake the light across it. Hold the print at a low angle under a desk lamp or window light. Edges should be clean and continuous. Pinholes, missed dots, a smeared edge or a screen that clogged mid-run all show up instantly at this angle and are invisible face-on.
3. Pull it. Take a corner of the print and stretch the fabric across the print direction by roughly 20–30%, firmly but not violently. Plastisol should flex and recover. A print that opens into white cracks or lifts at the edge has an under-cure or a bonding problem, and it will behave the same way in the machine.
4. Wash it three times before you judge it. Three domestic wash cycles — the conditions described in AATCC 135 or ISO 6330 — is the cheapest test a brand can run. Wash one sample and keep an unwashed twin. Uniform, slight softening across the whole print is normal. Cracking, edge lift, colour shift or patchy loss is a reject, not wear.
Failed after washing. Cracks opening along the print edge, or corners lifting under a fingernail, point to an under-cure or a weak bond — not to normal wear. Screen print on dark: the underbase is the whole story
A light colour on a dark ground needs at least two passes: a white base, then the colour over it. White on black frequently needs the base printed twice — a double hit — before the face reaches full opacity. This is where cost arguments begin: every extra pass adds a screen, a setup and press time, and it is the first thing removed when a quotation is squeezed.
The tell is simple. Compare the printed white against a white swatch under the same light. Grey or blue cast means the base was under-built. Full opacity with a soft hand means it was built properly. If the sample instead feels papery and stiff, the opposite mistake was made — too much ink, or a base flashed off too hard between passes.
Built right. White reads opaque and the black weave stays under the ink. Photograph the same fabric and the same white as the image beside it. 
Under-built. Same white ink, but the ground colour comes back through — the print reads grey, blue-grey or dirty rather than white. DTF on dark: read the film edge
Direct-to-film transfers carry their own white ink layer, so opacity is usually easier than screen print — but the failure moves to the edge and the bond. Look at the perimeter of the design: it should soften into the fabric rather than sit on it as a ridge. A glossy rim, a saw-tooth edge or a corner that lifts under a fingernail means press temperature, pressure or dwell time was wrong, or the film was pulled while still hot.
Check what the design loses as well. Fine lines below about one point, small reversed-out type and delicate halftones are where DTF gives up detail first on a dark ground — the white layer fills in and the negative space closes. If those elements matter to the artwork, that is a reason to choose screen print at the development stage, not a defect to argue about after delivery.
What is normal, and what should be rejected
- Normal: a visible ink film with a slight hand on plastisol; a white that reads marginally warm or cool against a pure white swatch, because inks are not pigment-perfect; a DTF you can feel as a thin film; a small, even softening across the whole print after washing.
- Reject: pinholes, missed dots or a broken edge before any wash; registration visibly off at arm’s length on a multi-colour print; white reading grey, blue or dirty on a black or navy ground; cracks, edge lift or flaking after three domestic washes; a DTF edge that is glossy, ragged, or lifts under a fingernail.
The distinction matters commercially more than technically. A defect present on the sample is a two-hour fix on a 100-piece-per-colour run. The same defect found on delivery is a reprint of the whole run, plus the schedule you lose while it happens.
Field example
The disagreement that comes up most often on dark goods: the brand says the white logo looks grey, the factory says black fabric always does that. Turning the sample inside out settles it in seconds — the base had been run once and the weave was showing through. With a second white pass and the cure time restored to the value on the process card, the same artwork on the same fabric came back to full opacity. Caught at sample stage that conversation costs an afternoon. Caught after washing, it costs a batch.
Numbers that matter
- Light ink on a dark ground: minimum two passes — white base plus colour; white on black often needs a double-hit base
- Practical stretch check: 20–30% across the print direction, then look for opening cracks
- Wash verification: three domestic cycles before approval, per AATCC 135 or ISO 6330
- DTF on dark depends on its own white ink layer — without it the ground colour contaminates the design
- Detail limit on DTF: fine lines under about one point and small reversed-out type are the first to fill in
- What is included in the landed cost, and who pays freight and duty?
VANRD · SERVICE PROCESS
What is included in the landed cost, and who pays freight and duty?
Neither question can be answered from the unit price alone. The Incoterm on your quotation decides where our responsibility stops and yours starts — and that single line moves the landed cost more than any negotiation on the piece price.
Direct answer
Under FOB, which is how most apparel from China is quoted, we pay export clearance and the cost of loading your goods onto the vessel at the named port; you pay ocean freight, insurance, import clearance and duty. Under DDP, we carry all of it, duty included, to the address you name. Everything else — EXW, FCA, CFR, CIF, CPT, CIP, DAP, DPU — is a position between those two. So the honest answer to "who pays the duty" is: whoever the Incoterm says, and nothing else.
Why the term decides the landed cost
A piece price is only one line of a landed cost. Add freight, insurance, destination port charges, clearance, duty and the last mile, and the number you actually pay per unit can sit well above the FOB figure you negotiated. Two suppliers quoting the same garment can look 20% apart on the unit price and land within 5% of each other once the terms are aligned — which is why comparing quotations without checking the Incoterm is comparing two different products.
The same logic applies to risk, not just money. Under CIF we pay the freight and insurance, but the goods are yours from the moment they are loaded on the vessel, not when they reach your port. A container damaged mid-voyage is an insurance claim you file, not something we can fix by re-cutting. If that distinction feels uncomfortable, DAP or DDP is the term to ask for.
Who does what, by term
This is the table worth printing. It covers all eleven Incoterms 2020 rules against the five costs that matter in apparel.
Term Export clearance Main freight Cargo insurance Import clearance Import duty EXW Buyer Buyer Buyer arranges Buyer Buyer FCA Seller Buyer Buyer arranges Buyer Buyer FAS Seller Buyer Buyer arranges Buyer Buyer FOB Seller Buyer Buyer arranges Buyer Buyer CFR Seller Seller Buyer arranges Buyer Buyer CIF Seller Seller Seller buys Buyer Buyer CPT Seller Seller Buyer arranges Buyer Buyer CIP Seller Seller Seller buys Buyer Buyer DAP Seller Seller Not required Buyer Buyer DPU Seller Seller Not required Buyer Buyer DDP Seller Seller Not required Seller Seller Incoterms 2020. FAS, FOB, CFR and CIF apply to sea and inland waterway transport only; the other seven work with any mode, including air and courier.
The six you will actually meet
Least seller responsibilityEXW — Ex Works
We make the goods and set them down at our premises. You arrange loading, export clearance, freight and everything after. It looks cheap and usually is not: you are buying export handling in China as a foreign buyer, and the paperwork is yours.
FCA — Free Carrier
We clear export and hand the goods to the carrier you nominate at the agreed place. The sensible choice when your forwarder collects from the factory door but you still want us handling export declaration.
Standard in apparel exportFOB — Free On Board
We clear export and load the goods onto the vessel at the named port, for example FOB Shenzhen. Freight, insurance, duty and import clearance are yours. This is the standard term in apparel because both sides keep the part they can control: we know the port, you know your forwarder.
CIF — Cost, Insurance and Freight
We pay freight and buy the minimum cover insurance. Risk still transfers when the goods are loaded on the vessel, not on arrival — the most misunderstood point in the whole set. CIF is CFR plus insurance, nothing more.
DAP — Delivered at Place
We deliver to your named address, ready for unloading, with import clearance and duty still yours. The right term when you have a customs broker but want the transport handled end to end.
Most seller responsibilityDDP — Delivered Duty Paid
We carry freight, export, import clearance and duty to your door. One number, no surprises at the border — but only if the quotation states the duty rate it assumed and who absorbs a change in that rate.
Terms that get confused
Pair The real difference EXW vs FCA Under EXW you load and clear export; under FCA we clear export and hand over to your carrier. FOB vs CIF CIF adds main freight and insurance paid by us. Risk transfers at the same point in both. CFR vs CIF Identical except that CIF obliges us to buy insurance and CFR does not. CPT vs CIP Same pair for any transport mode: CIP adds the insurance obligation. DAP vs DDP DDP adds import clearance and import duty; DAP leaves both with you. DAP vs DPU DPU obliges us to unload at destination; DAP delivers ready for unloading. How to build the landed cost
Start from FOB and add, in this order: main freight, insurance, destination port or airport charges, customs clearance, duty and taxes, then inland delivery. Freight is the variable that moves most: sea freight on apparel from China typically runs USD 3–8 per kg, air freight USD 8–20 per kg, and air is roughly three to four times the cost of sea for three times the speed. A 300-piece fleece order at about 0.8 kg per piece is roughly 240 kg, so the freight line alone sits between USD 720 and USD 1,920 by sea before any duty.
Two details that quietly change the number. Air and courier charge volumetric weight, not actual weight — a carton of bulky hoodies can bill at nearly twice what the scale says, so pack density matters as much as total kilos. And duty is assessed on the customs value of the goods, by HTS code and country of origin, not on the freight-inclusive price; a DDP quote that does not name the code it priced is a quote you cannot audit.
For lead times by stage and the freight figures behind these ranges, see typical lead time and shipping cost from China to the US and Europe.
Five things to pin down on a DDP quote
- Which duty rate was assumed. US apparel rates have moved more than once in 2026; the quote should name the rate and the date it was checked.
- Who absorbs a rate change between order and entry. If the answer is "we will see", the DDP number is an estimate, not a price.
- Whether destination charges are included — terminal handling, customs brokerage, and any demurrage if clearance is delayed.
- Whether the last mile is included or stops at a warehouse dock, and who unloads.
- What happens if the shipment is held for inspection or a document query, and who pays storage while it waits.
VANRD quotes whichever term the buyer needs — FOB, CIF, DAP or DDP — rather than pushing one house default, because the right term depends on whether you already have a forwarder and a customs broker. For DDP we state the assumed duty rate on the invoice, so the comparison with the FOB number is real. Give us the delivery address and we will price the order landed as well as FOB, and you can decide which side of the border you want to own.
Related questions
Tell us the delivery city and the quantity, and we will quote both FOB and DDP so you can see the landed number side by side. Send your spec to VANRD.
- What payment terms are standard for custom clothing manufacturing?
VANRD · SERVICE PROCESS
What payment terms are standard for custom clothing manufacturing?
A deposit on order confirmation, a pre-production sample approval, and the balance released after inspection and before shipment. That is the normal structure. What varies is the split — and the split is the one number worth getting in writing.
Direct answer
Most apparel factories work on a deposit of 30–50% to start, with the balance due before the goods leave. Ours is fixed at 30% deposit and 70% balance for bulk orders, tied to production gates rather than calendar dates: deposit to book fabric and a line slot, balance after the bulk order passes inspection and before shipment. Samples and development work are quoted and paid separately, because a sample is a one-off cost rather than the first instalment of the order.
Why a deposit exists at all
A deposit is not a trust test. It buys the material that has to be committed before a single garment is cut. Fabric is usually the largest single share of a garment’s cost — on heavyweight knits it commonly runs well past half the FOB price — and a mill will not knit or dye a colourway without an order. A factory that starts your run on a promise is funding your inventory from its own cash, which is not a position it can hold for long or repeat reliably. If you want the line-item view of where that money goes, our guide to what it actually costs to manufacture clothing breaks the same numbers down by fabric, labour and trim.
The opposite mistake costs more. A brand that pays 100% upfront gives away the only leverage it has: once the money is gone, a crooked seam or a shade two steps off the approved swatch becomes something you can only ask about politely. The structure that protects both sides keeps something at stake until the goods are proven.
The three gates
01Deposit on order confirmation
Books the fabric, the trims with their own supplier minimums, and a slot on the line. The spec sheet freezes here: quality code, GSM, composition, shade, trims, label and artwork placement.
02Approval of the pre-production sample
Nothing reaches bulk cutting until you sign off the PP sample against your measurement chart and the approved swatch. A change after this point is a new round, and a new round carries a date. Our tech pack guide covers what has to be settled before that sign-off.
03Balance after inspection, before shipment
The balance releases once the bulk order has been inspected and compared with the sealed sample. Tying it to a passed inspection rather than a shipping date is what makes a failed lot the factory’s problem to fix.
What each gate actually locks
Gate What is committed What you should receive Deposit Fabric booking, trims, line slot, spec freeze Proforma invoice with the split stated, spec sheet, lab dip or swatch plan PP sample Pattern, grading, decoration setup Physical sample with measurements, plus photos of the fit on a form Balance Nothing further — this closes the order Inspection report against AQL 2.5, packing list, shipping documents How you pay
We accept bank transfer (T/T) and PayPal. Both are available for bulk orders; bank transfer is the more common route because PayPal charges a percentage on larger amounts, and PayPal is often used for sample fees and smaller payments. Whichever you use, the proforma invoice states the currency and the exact amount due at each gate, so there is no re-invoicing halfway through the run. Any change to bank details is confirmed by phone on a number you already hold, never by email alone — that single rule prevents most of the payment fraud in this trade.
Third-party inspection
You are welcome to appoint an inspection company — SGS, BV, TUV Rheinland, Intertek, QIMA or a smaller local agency — to inspect the bulk order in our workshop before it ships. We agree the date with you once the goods are packed, the agency inspects against your specification and AQL level, and the report goes to whoever you nominate. We do not choose the agency; that is the entire point of a third-party check. Our own inspection at AQL 2.5 runs regardless, so a third-party visit is a second pair of eyes rather than the only pair. What happens when a bulk lot does not match the approved sample is covered under bulk not matching the approved sample.
Two practical notes. Book the inspection before you book the freight: agencies are usually booked 3–7 days out, and a failed inspection that has to be reworked moves the shipping date, not the other way round. And ask the agency to send the report to you directly rather than to us, so the copy you rely on has not passed through our hands.
A representative sequence
Take a 300-piece order: three colourways of a 320 GSM brushed-back fleece hoodie, embroidered chest badge, custom woven neck label. The deposit is paid on order confirmation and the fabric for all three colourways is booked at once, because a mill dyes a colourway as a lot — splitting the booking across two weeks risks a visible shade step between the first and last delivery. Pattern and grading are finalised while the fabric is in production. The PP sample arrives in the first colourway, is measured against the chart, and is either approved or marked up. Bulk cutting follows the approved sample. At the end of the run the order is inspected against the approved sample and AQL 2.5, the inspection record is shared with you before the balance is released, and the goods move to the forwarder once it clears.
Where this differs from a repeat: a stock-colour reorder on a quality we already carry can often move on a lighter deposit, because the fabric is not a new commitment. Custom Pantone dyeing, custom jacquard, or a trim that needs its own tooling does not get that treatment — the material cost is sunk the moment the mill starts. For the fabric side of that decision, see French terry vs fleece, which is usually where a first order either locks its cost or loses it.
The numbers behind the terms
30 / 70VANRD bulk order split: deposit, then balance before shipmentOver 50%Fabric share of a knit garment’s FOB cost — usually the largest single lineAQL 2.5Inspection level applied before the balance releases40–50 daysOur bulk production lead time after sample approvalDeposit ranges reflect common industry practice across cut-and-sew programmes. The share of fabric in FOB cost moves with quality, order size and dyeing method: on a 300 GSM hoodie, published cost breakdowns commonly put fabric at two-thirds of the FOB price, while lighter jersey and larger runs sit lower.
If the order changes or is cancelled
This is the part most quotes leave out, and it is the part that decides how much of your deposit you get back. Our practice is to state the refund boundary on the proforma invoice, before anything is paid:
Stage when you cancel What is recoverable Why Before fabric is booked Full deposit, less any sample or pattern work already delivered No material has been committed on your colourway Fabric booked or dyed to your shade Deposit less the fabric and dyeing cost A custom dye lot cannot be resold to another brand After bulk cutting Deposit less fabric and labour already committed Cut panels are your pattern and your size grade Specification changes follow the same logic. A change before the PP sample is approved is normally absorbable; a change after bulk cutting has started is a partial re-run, and the price and the ship date both move. That is why the spec sheet freezes at the deposit and the sample exists: the cheapest place to change your mind is before either commitment is made.
What should make you walk away
- 100% upfront before any sampling. There is rarely a production reason to need the whole invoice before fabric is even booked.
- Payment to a personal account, or a bank change sent by email. Verify any change by phone on a number you already hold, never by replying to the email that requested it.
- No sample step. If the schedule has no room for a pre-production sample, the balance is being paid against a promise.
- Balance demanded before inspection. A balance tied to a shipping date rather than a passed inspection moves all the quality risk onto you. What that inspection should cover is set out in our garment quality control guide.
Related questions
Want the payment schedule against your own order? Send your spec and quantity to VANRD and we will return a quotation with the deposit, sample stage and balance stated line by line.
- What garment labels and compliance documents are required for the US or EU market?Direct answer
For the US: fibre content, country of origin, manufacturer identity (an RN number or name) and care instructions, all permanently attached. For the EU: fibre composition under Regulation (EU) 1007/2011, REACH compliance, and since 13 December 2024 an EU-based responsible person under GPSR. In both markets the legal labeler is the brand or importer, not the factory.
What has to be on the garment
The two markets overlap on fibre and care, then diverge on identity and on who is accountable. The table is the working checklist we use when a label artwork is submitted for approval.
Requirement United States European Union Fibre content Textile Fiber Products Identification Act: generic names and percentages Regulation (EU) 1007/2011: fibre names and percentages, ±3 percentage points tolerance Country of origin Required on imported textile products Origin claims must be accurate; "made in" is not mandatory for all goods Manufacturer identity RN number, or name and address Name and address of the EU responsible person under GPSR Care instructions Care Labeling Rule, 16 CFR 423: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, warnings ISO 3758 symbols; national rules apply in several member states Restricted substances CPSIA for children's wear; California Prop 65 warning where applicable REACH Annex XVII; GPSR safety and traceability Children's safety Tracking label, lead and phthalate limits EN 14682 drawcord and cord requirements What we need from you before we sew a label
Label content is the brand's legal statement, so we do not draft it. We need the approved artwork, the fibre percentages from the actual fabric and trim composition, the care symbols or text, the RN number or the EU responsible person's details, and the placement and size for each label.
Fibre percentages have to come from the fabric and trim composition, not from the marketing description. A hoodie described as "cotton" with a polyester rib and poly drawcord still has to declare those fibres.
What we produce and what we do not
We sew woven labels, printed care labels, heat-transfer labels and hangtags to the approved artwork, and we can add polybag warnings and carton marks. We check the artwork against the approved fibre list before production, because a label error is a recall risk, not a rework.
What we cannot do is take legal responsibility for the label content. The brand or importer signs the artwork, and that signature is what the factory produces to.
Field example
A US launch of 600 poly-fleece hoodies needed four label elements: 80/20 cotton-poly composition, country of origin, the brand's RN number and four care symbols. The EU sibling order added the GPSR responsible person's name and address, a REACH statement in the technical file, and EN 14682 checks on the drawcord. Artwork was approved in three working days because the fibre list came from the fabric and trim card rather than from the product description.
Numbers that matter
- US: four core label elements — fibre, origin, identity (RN), care
- EU: fibre composition tolerance is ±3 percentage points under Regulation 1007/2011
- GPSR applies from 13 December 2024 and requires an EU-based responsible person
- Care symbols follow EN ISO 3758; keep the approved artwork with the order file
Related questions
- What is the difference between OEKO-TEX and GOTS certification?Direct answer
They answer different questions. OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 tests the finished article for harmful substances and is granted per product, with no requirement for organic fibre. GOTS certifies organic fibre content and the environmental and social performance of every processing stage, from fibre to finished garment, and requires chain-of-custody documents at each step.
Side by side
A garment can hold OEKO-TEX without a gram of organic cotton, and a GOTS garment also has to meet chemical limits — GOTS includes them, but goes further into fibre, water, energy and labour.
Dimension OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 GOTS What is certified The finished article and its components The organic fibre and the processing chain Fibre requirement None ≥70% organic; ≥95% for the "organic" grade Chain of custody Not required Required at every stage, with transaction certificates Chemical inputs Tested against limit values Must come from the approved input list Social criteria Not covered Covered, audited annually Validity 12 months, product-specific Annual audit and certification Who holds it The mill or garment maker for that article Each certified operator in the chain What each one is good for
OEKO-TEX is the practical answer for a brand that needs to state the garment is safe against a recognised limit list, including for children's wear through product classes I to IV. It is what a European retailer will normally ask for on a fabric and trim file.
GOTS is the answer for an organic claim. It is also harder to arrange, because every operator in the chain has to be certified and each shipment needs a transaction certificate. A brand cannot decide to "add GOTS" at the packing stage.
How to verify a certificate, and what we can provide
OEKO-TEX certificates carry a number that can be checked in the OEKO-TEX buying guide, and the scope has to name the article or component. GOTS certificates can be checked in the public GOTS database, and the transaction certificate is the document that ties a specific shipment to a certified operator.
Certificates sit with the mill, the printer or the trim supplier that holds them, not with the garment factory. We request the scope that covers your specific fabric, print paste and trims, check that the article description matches, and pass the documents with your order file. We do not describe VANRD as certified for a standard we do not hold.
If a certificate's scope names a different quality code or a different mill, it does not cover your order, even if it is the same fibre.
Field example
A European kidswear brand needed OEKO-TEX product class I for a 320 GSM cotton hoodie. The fabric mill held a certificate covering the quality code, the print paste had a separate certificate from the printer, and the drawcord supplier provided its own. Three documents, one order file. On a later organic programme the same brand moved to GOTS and discovered the fabric mill was not certified, so the order had to be re-sourced before sampling could start.
Numbers that matter
- OEKO-TEX product classes I-IV: baby, direct skin, outerwear, decoration
- GOTS requires ≥70% organic fibre, and ≥95% for the "organic" grade
- OEKO-TEX certificates are valid for 12 months and name the article
- GOTS needs a transaction certificate per shipment, not one certificate per year
Related questions
- How are defective garments handled after inspection or delivery?Direct answer
Handling depends on when the defect is found. In-line defects are repaired at the station and the cause is logged. Units that fail final inspection are sorted 100% and repaired or replaced before packing. After delivery, a claim is checked against the batch code on the carton and the inspection report, and the outcome is replacement or credit depending on whether the fault is ours.
Who handles what, and who pays
The principle is simple: a defect we caused is our cost at any stage; a defect caused after delivery is not. The grey area is wear and wash damage, which is why care labels and wash-test results are kept with the order file.
Stage Action Cost carried by In-line, during sewing Repair at the station, log the cause VANRD Final inspection fail 100% sort, repair or replace before packing VANRD After delivery, production fault Replacement in the next run or credit VANRD After delivery, not a production fault Repair quote or technical advice Buyer What cannot be repaired
Some faults are terminal: a hole in the body panel, a shade that is out of tolerance across the lot, a label with the wrong fibre content, or a decoration that has cured in the wrong position. These are replaced or credited, not repaired, because a repair would still leave a trace the customer can find.
Repairs are also capped. If more than a small share of a lot needs repair, the honest answer is to remake the affected size rather than ship a garment that has been through the needle twice.
Claims and traceability
Every carton carries a batch code that links to the cutting lot, the sewing line and the fabric roll. A claim with a photo and a batch code can be traced in a day; a claim with a photo alone usually ends in a negotiation.
The claim window is set in the contract, typically 30 days from delivery, and decorated styles usually ship with 1-3% spare units so a small number of defects does not become a reorder.
Field example
A 2,400-piece tee order showed 1.8% wavy neck ribs at final inspection, just under the AQL but visible in a retail fold. We sorted 100%, set aside 43 pieces, replaced them from the 2% spare units packed with the order, and changed the rib attaching tension on the next run. No credit was needed and the delivery date held.
Numbers that matter
- 100% sort is triggered when majors exceed the agreed AQL, not when a single defect appears
- 1-3% spare units are standard for decorated styles
- Claim window typically 30 days from delivery, stated in the contract
- Batch code on every carton links to cutting lot, sewing line and fabric roll
Related questions
- What quality control checks matter most for custom streetwear production?
- What causes a custom tracksuit sample to be rejected, and how can brands avoid it?
- Can a third-party inspection company check my bulk order?
- What measurement tolerances are acceptable in bulk clothing production?
- Quality control and inspection at VANRD
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