Guide · May 20, 2026 · 10 min read
MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) is one of the first questions brands ask a garment manufacturer. It drives cash flow, stock risk and a brand's ability to iterate on collections. This guide explains where MOQ comes from, how to read it correctly and how to negotiate it.
The MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) is the smallest number of pieces a manufacturer will produce for a given style. It is not a commercial whim: it covers fixed costs that do not depend on volume.
An MOQ set too low against these fixed costs makes the unit price unsustainable for both the brand and the factory.
Orders of magnitude vary widely by production region:
| Region | Typical MOQ per style | Brand profile |
|---|---|---|
| China, Bangladesh, Vietnam | 1,000 to 3,000 pcs | Established brands, broad distribution |
| Turkey, Portugal | 500 to 1,000 pcs | Premium brands, fast cycles |
| Morocco, Tunisia | 300 to 800 pcs | DNVBs, European mid-market brands |
| Madagascar (LOI Confection) | 100 to 300 pcs | Designers, emerging brands, ceremony lines |
These figures must be weighted by product complexity (a simple layette piece does not carry the same MOQ as a hand-embroidered dress) and by material (a GOTS-certified organic cotton often comes with a higher fabric minimum).
MOQ reads at three layers that stack. A brand that only negotiates the per-style MOQ misses the essentials.
Concrete example. A brand orders 300 pieces of a dress in three colors and five sizes. If the manufacturer requires 100 pieces per color and 20 pieces per size, the plan works. If the per-color MOQ is 150, the brand must either raise the volume or drop one color.
LOI Confection operates 19 production lines split across two workshops:
This setup allows MOQs of 100 to 300 pieces on Workshop 2 without slowing down large-run output. Sampling follows the same lead time as bulk orders: 15 to 20 days per round, with unlimited revisions.
This is particularly suited to designer brands and emerging brands that want to test a collection before a larger commitment.
An MOQ is never set in stone. Five levers often help lower it without degrading the unit price:
The Sobika raffia workshop follows a different logic: each piece is woven or crocheted by hand, fixed cost per style is lower but production time per piece is higher. Raffia MOQs generally sit between 30 and 100 pieces per model, depending on weave complexity and color (24 natural shades available).
This lower MOQ fits accessory brands at launch and seasonal capsule collections.
The minimum MOQ is 100 to 300 pieces per style on Workshop 2, dedicated to small batches (4 lines). Workshop 1 (15 lines) takes over from 1,000 pieces up to 10,000+ pieces.
Yes. Sampling is a separate service, invoiced at the development cost. Production is a separate commitment, started only after prototype approval.
The per-color MOQ depends on the supplier fabric minimum. For GOTS-certified organic cotton, this minimum is often 300 to 500 m of fabric per color, which translates into roughly 100 to 200 pieces per color depending on fabric weight and meterage per piece.
Sobika MOQs sit between 30 and 100 pieces per model depending on weave complexity. The 24 natural shades available make it possible to vary colors without additional dyeing constraints.
Five levers: annual commitment on a rolling volume, material simplification (shared fabrics across styles), style bundling in a single launch, fewer sizes, and a rolling production plan integrated with the factory schedule.