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Fabric MOQ and Order Quantity Estimator
MOQ is the number that most often stops a small brand from ordering, and it is also the number most often quoted without explanation. A mill quoting 500 metres per colour is not being difficult — they are describing the smallest batch their dye house can hold consistently. This estimator shows the working minimum for each construction, what happens below it, and the four routes that genuinely get a smaller run produced.
Fabric MOQ and Order Quantity Estimator
Pick a construction and finish to see the working minimum per colour, and what a smaller run would cost.
Sets the base minimum for the construction.
Each extra process carries its own minimum.
Most mills apply the minimum per colour, not per order.
Heavier fabric raises the minimum slightly.
Open width, excluding selvage.
Compare against the minimum to see which route applies.
Change any field, then press Enter again to recalculate.
Working out the order plan
- Reading the fabric construction
- Looking up the working minimum
- Comparing against your quantity
- Pricing the dye lot and the routes below it
Press the button to see the figures
Select a construction to see its working minimum.
Order plan
Minimum per colour
— m
Total order
— m
Order weight
— kg
Price position
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Your position
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Standard minimums by construction
Per colour, piece dyed, no special finish. Special processes add their own minimum on top.
Minimums are normal working figures for knit and flocked fabric, not a quotation. A mill may quote a different minimum depending on machine availability, whether the greige is in stock, and how busy the dye house is that month.
Minimum Order Quantity by Fabric Type
These are the figures we treat as a working minimum for a new production run. They reflect the smallest batch that keeps a dye lot consistent and a machine economically set, not a marketing number.
| Construction | Minimum per colour | Typical mill range | What sets the floor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single jersey, plain | 300 m | 200 – 500 m | Dye lot size; the most flexible construction we run |
| Single jersey, yarn-dyed or stripe | 500 m | 400 – 800 m | Yarn set-up per colour, plus a longer greige lead time |
| Piqué | 400 m | 300 – 600 m | Structured construction runs slower, so batches are smaller |
| Interlock | 400 m | 300 – 600 m | Two yarn layers, tighter machine scheduling |
| French terry | 500 m | 400 – 800 m | Loop formation and sinker setting limit batch size |
| Two-layer fleece | 600 m | 500 – 900 m | Two layers must stay matched across the batch |
| Three-layer fleece | 700 m | 600 – 1,000 m | Three matched layers; the largest minimum in common knits |
| Rib 1×1 or 2×2 | 300 m | 200 – 500 m | Often knitted to match a body fabric, so it follows that minimum |
| Mesh and sports | 400 m | 300 – 600 m | Open construction, dye absorption differs from normal knits |
| Stretch jersey with elastane | 500 m | 400 – 800 m | Elastane is bought separately and has its own lot minimum |
| Flocked, brushed base | 800 m | 600 – 1,200 m | Flock adhesive and fibre are bought per batch, on top of the base minimum |
| Flocked, jersey base | 700 m | 500 – 1,000 m | As above, with a lighter base to dye |
| Canvas and heavy woven | 800 m | 600 – 1,200 m | Heavier looms run slower and finishing is a separate constraint |
What Raises the Minimum
The construction sets the base figure. Four things move it up, and it is worth knowing which one is binding before you go back to the mill:
- Special finishes. Brushing, peach finishing, enzyme washing, coating and flocking each carry their own minimum, because the machinery is set up per batch. A 300 metre fleece minimum becomes 600 metres once brushing is added, not because the fleece needs it but because the brush line does.
- Number of colours. The minimum almost always applies per colour rather than per order. Three colours at 300 metres each is a 900 metre order, and it is scheduled as three dye lots.
- Weight. Above roughly 350 GSM, the minimum rises because heavier fabric needs a longer dye cycle and a stronger finishing line. Below 150 GSM it can fall, because the fabric moves through the machine faster.
- Greige availability. If the greige is already knitted and in stock, the minimum drops sharply, because you are dyeing existing fabric rather than knitting to order.
Four Routes to a Smaller Run
If your quantity sits below the minimum, these are the options that actually work. In rough order of how often they succeed:
1. Stock programme fabric
Greige held in stock and dyed to your colour. This is the single most effective route, because the knitting step is already paid for. Lead time shortens and the minimum drops, often to 100 to 200 metres per colour. The constraint is colour availability.
2. Piggyback on an existing dye lot
Adding your colour to a lot the mill is already running. This works well when your colour is close to something in production, and it can bring a 300 metre order down to a 100 metre addition. Ask what is currently in the dye house that week.
3. Deadstock and cancelled programmes
Over-ordered or cancelled runs sold off at a discount, typically 30 to 60 percent below list. Excellent for sampling and for a capsule colour, poor for a core colour you will reorder, since matching the dye lot again later is not guaranteed.
4. Below-MOQ surcharge
Some mills will run below their minimum for a surcharge. Ask for both figures in the same reply, so you can see the actual premium: typically 15 to 30 percent, and sometimes more on flocked or printed fabric. A surcharge is often cheaper than holding 600 metres of the wrong colour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is MOQ per colour rather than per order?
Because dyeing is a batch operation. A dye lot is one consistent colour, so a three-colour order is three lots. A mill that quotes 300 metres per colour for a 300 metre order will tell you the total is 900 metres, not 300.
Can I split the minimum across colours?
Often yes, and it is worth asking. Some mills will accept a total quantity spread across colours rather than the full minimum in each, for example 600 metres total across three colours instead of 300 per colour. This depends on machine scheduling, so it is a conversation rather than a right.
What is the smallest order most mills will accept?
For plain single jersey from a stock programme, 100 to 200 metres per colour is achievable. For flocked or printed fabric, expect 500 metres minimum even with a surcharge, because the flock and print setup costs dominate at low volume.
Does paying more per metre lower the minimum?
It lowers the total order cost, not the minimum quantity. A mill will not knit 150 metres just because you offer a premium, because the machine setup cost is the same. If you need a small run, the route is stock, deadstock, a shared dye lot or a surcharge — not a higher price.
How much does MOQ affect the price per metre?
More than most buyers expect. Small specialty mills quote 30 to 50 percent above standard mill cost below their minimum, because they cannot spread setup across enough metres. At full minimum, price typically sits at the base rate. Use the landed cost calculator to see what a small run really costs per metre once freight is added.
Should I order more colours than I need to hit the minimum?
No. The minimum applies per colour, so extra colours increase the order rather than reducing it. What does help is ordering a generous quantity in fewer colours, which improves the price per metre and reduces your inventory risk.
Planning freight for the resulting order? The container loading calculator converts metres and weight into roll count, CBM and container type.
Need the target weight first? Use the fleece and flocked GSM picker to turn an end use into a specification, then return here for the minimum.