Guides
Sourcing guides
40 guides on sourcing for apparel importers.
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Sourcing · Pricing
Tirupur or Nepal? Where Indian brands should make their knitwear
Tirupur or Nepal for your T-shirts and hoodies? Tax and duty, MOQ, fabric, lead time and delivery compared for Indian brands, with a quote checklist.
Published · 5 min read
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Duty-free · Sourcing
The Nepal–India Treaty of Trade for garments: what qualifies for 0% duty
How Nepali garments enter India at 0% basic customs duty under the Treaty of Trade: the two origin tests, a worked example, treaty vs SAFTA, and documents.
Published · 5 min read
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Duty-free · Sourcing
Form B255, box by box: claiming Canada’s 0% LDCT on knitwear from Nepal
CBSA Form B255 field by field: who signs it, criterion C for T-shirts vs B for hoodies, LDCT code 08, direct shipment via India and six-year records.
Updated · 6 min read
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Sourcing · Duty-free
Sourcing knitwear from Nepal: a guide for Italian buyers
How Italian importers bring in Nepali knitwear at 0% EU duty: paperwork, 22% import VAT, Italian fibre labels, textile EPR and small first orders.
Updated · 5 min read
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Duty-free · Sourcing
Sourcing knitwear from Nepal for Australian brands: the 50% rule, GST and lead times
Nepali knitwear enters Australia duty-free only if 50% of factory cost qualifies. Here is how the 25% fabric cap, paperwork, GST and lead times work.
Updated · 7 min read
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Sourcing · Logistics
Sourcing knitwear from Nepal: a guide for UAE and Dubai buyers
Nepal-made knitwear pays 5% UAE duty on CIF plus 5% import VAT. Here is the landed-cost arithmetic, invoice attestation, documents and freight to Dubai.
Updated · 7 min read
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Sourcing · China plus one
Best countries to manufacture clothing in 2026: an honest comparison
China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, Turkey, Pakistan, Portugal and the small origins listicles skip, compared on price, MOQ, speed, duty and risk.
Updated · 3 min read
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Sourcing · How to
CMT vs FPP: which garment manufacturing model fits your brand?
CMT or full-package production? How each model works, what it costs, who carries which risk, and how to compare quotes across the two.
Updated · 3 min read
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Sourcing · Quality
CVC vs TC vs 100% polyester for uniform programmes: the blend decision
Compare cotton-rich CVC, poly-rich TC and 100% polyester for uniforms on comfort, industrial washing, embroidery, colour life and cost, by role.
Updated · 2 min read
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Sourcing · How to
Choosing a school uniform manufacturer: the buyer’s guide
Learn what separates a good school uniform manufacturer from a risky one: colour continuity, fabrics, built-in childrenswear safety and realistic minimums.
Updated · 4 min read
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Quality · Sourcing
Single jersey vs interlock vs piqué: knit constructions explained for buyers
Learn how single jersey, interlock and piqué are made, what each does to weight, stretch, print and cost, and which construction fits which product.
Updated · 2 min read
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Sourcing · How to
Buying agents, buying houses & sourcing offices: how apparel middlemen work
Learn how apparel buying agents and buying houses work, what they really cost, when a middleman earns the fee, and when factory-direct is smarter.
Updated · 4 min read
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Sourcing · How to
Corporate uniform programmes: a sourcing guide for hotels, restaurants & fleets
How hotel, restaurant and fleet uniform programmes are bought, why matching colours and sizes over years is the hard part, and when factory-direct helps.
Updated · 4 min read
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How to · Sourcing
FOB, CMT, MOQ, AQL: a plain-English garment sourcing glossary
Learn the vocabulary of garment sourcing, from FOB, CMT, MOQ and AQL to trade paperwork, each term in one plain sentence with links to deeper guides.
Updated · 5 min read
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Sourcing · Duty-free
Sourcing knitwear from Nepal: a guide for French buyers — duty, EPR, and the paperwork that matters
For French importers and brands: 0% EU duty on Nepal-made knitwear, Refashion textile EPR since 2007, and the paperwork a Nepali supplier can handle.
Updated · 4 min read
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Sourcing · Duty-free
Sourcing knitwear from Nepal: a guide for Dutch buyers — direct, with numbers
For Dutch importers: 0% EBA duty on Nepal-made knitwear, Article 23 VAT cash flow, UPV Textiel obligations, and Rotterdam as a door to the whole EU.
Updated · 4 min read
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Sourcing · China plus one
Nepal vs. Pakistan for knitwear sourcing: an honest comparison
Nepal or Pakistan for knitwear? Duty, wages, scale, risk and minimums compared honestly, with when to pick each and when to use both.
Updated · 5 min read
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Sourcing · Quality
The polo, specified properly: piqué vs jersey, collars that stay flat, and the details buyers miss
Learn how to specify a polo properly: piqué vs jersey as a decoration choice, collars that stay flat, and how to prevent curl, twist and fade at spec.
Updated · 4 min read
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Sourcing · Private label
Small-batch activewear manufacturing: a guide for independent gym-wear brands
Small-batch activewear for independent gym brands: what squat-proof means as a spec, the MOQ walls in China, and factory-direct runs at 0% EU/UK duty.
Updated · 4 min read
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Sourcing · Duty-free
Sourcing from Nepal to the US: the honest 2026 tariff picture
Nepal has no duty-free access to the US: a cotton tee pays the standard 16.5%. As of 24 Sep 2026, no Section 301 tariffs sit on top, but that could change.
Updated · 4 min read
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Sourcing · Duty-free
The UK importer’s guide to sourcing knitwear from Nepal
Nepal-made knitwear enters the UK at 0% under the DCTS until at least 2029: what the scheme requires, plus EORI, CDS, postponed VAT and UK label rules.
Updated · 3 min read
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Private label · Sourcing
Buying blanks direct from the factory: a guide for decorators, promo distributors & uniform suppliers
Learn when importing custom blanks direct from a factory beats a next-day wholesaler, and when it doesn’t, with real costs, MOQs, lead times and duty.
Updated · 7 min read
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Private label · Sourcing
Heavyweight and oversized tees: sourcing 240 gsm blanks for your streetwear brand
What heavyweight means for streetwear tees (220–300 gsm), why catalogue blanks run out, and how to get a custom heavyweight blank made to your spec.
Updated · 6 min read
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Duty-free · Sourcing
Importing apparel from Nepal to Canada: the 18% duty advantage explained
Canada charges 18% MFN duty on knit apparel; Nepal-made garments enter at 0% under LDCT. Learn the 2025 origin rules, the paperwork and the labels.
Updated · 5 min read
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Sourcing · Duty-free
Sourcing knitwear from Nepal: a guide for German & DACH buyers
For German and DACH buyers: 0% EU duty under EBA, the certifications DACH buyers expect, supply-chain documentation and importing from Nepal in practice.
Updated · 5 min read
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Sourcing · Duty-free
Sourcing knitwear from Nepal to Japan: duty-free access as China’s share falls
Knitwear from Nepal enters Japan at 0% duty instead of 7.4–10.9% MFN, under a cut-and-sew origin rule, with small-lot minimums that suit Japanese buyers.
Updated · 4 min read
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Sourcing · Private label
Schoolwear sourcing after the three-item cap: a guide for UK uniform retailers
What England’s three-item cap on branded school uniform means for UK schoolwear retailers, and when buying core school colours direct from a factory pays.
Updated · 5 min read
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Pricing · Sourcing
What does a hoodie cost to manufacture? The full breakdown
Learn why blank hoodies sell for $10 to $30: fleece consumption, CMT, trims, what moves the number, and how to sanity-check a quote that looks too good.
Updated · 4 min read
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Sourcing · How to
Apparel production lead time & buying calendar: when to place your order
Learn how long a garment order really takes, from sampling and fabric to bulk, QC and freight, and count back to know when to place your order.
Updated · 2 min read
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China plus one · Sourcing
China Plus One for apparel: is Nepal your second sourcing country?
How to run a China Plus One apparel programme: split styles or volume, keep fit and shade consistent, and where Nepal fits for knit basics.
Updated · 8 min read
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Pricing · Sourcing
What does it cost to manufacture a t-shirt? A cost breakdown for brands
How a t-shirt’s price is built: fabric, consumption, CMT, trims and packing, with a worked example, why quotes differ, and how duty changes landed cost.
Updated · 8 min read
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Ethics · Sourcing
Ethical garment manufacturing: the questions to ask any factory
The questions on wages, hours, subcontracting, safety, audits and energy that separate responsible garment factories from greenwashing.
Updated · 6 min read
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Sourcing · Trust
How to find and vet an overseas clothing manufacturer (without getting scammed)
Learn how to find an overseas garment factory, spot scam red flags, verify a supplier and structure payments so you’re protected.
Updated · 3 min read
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Sourcing · How to
How to import clothing from Nepal: a step-by-step buyer’s guide
Learn how to import garments from Nepal step by step, from first inquiry to delivery, including duty-free access, export paperwork, freight and payment.
Updated · 3 min read
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Sourcing · Trust
Paying a new overseas factory safely: TT vs Letter of Credit
Learn how to pay a garment manufacturer safely: TT vs Letter of Credit, deposit structures, and the red flags that mean you should walk away.
Updated · 2 min read
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Duty-free · Sourcing
How EU, UK & Canadian buyers save import duty sourcing garments from Nepal
Why Nepal-made knit garments enter the EU, UK and Canada at 0% duty even with imported fabric, how the origin rules work, and the 2026 window to plan for.
Updated · 4 min read
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Duty-free · Sourcing
Nepal LDC graduation 2026: what apparel importers need to know
Nepal’s LDC graduation is scheduled for 24 November 2026. See what happens to garment duty in the EU, UK, Canada and Japan, and when each transition ends.
Updated · 9 min read
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Sourcing · China plus one
Nepal vs. Bangladesh vs. India for knit basics: a 2026 sourcing comparison
Where to make t-shirts and polos in 2026: Nepal, Bangladesh and India compared on duty access, tariffs, minimum orders and supply-chain risk.
Updated · 4 min read
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How to · Sourcing
Private label vs. white label vs. OEM vs. ODM: which do you actually need?
What private label, white label, OEM and ODM mean for clothing brands: who owns the design, and what each does to MOQ, cost, lead time and exclusivity.
Updated · 7 min read
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Sourcing · Logistics
Shipping garments from a landlocked country: how orders leave Nepal
Nepal is landlocked, so how do garments ship? Sea freight via Kolkata or Visakhapatnam, air from Kathmandu, and the lead times and Incoterms to plan for.
Updated · 2 min read
Namaste — let’s talk
Tell us what you want to make.
Send a tech pack, a photo or just an idea. You’ll hear back from the people who run the floor — usually within 24 hours, Nepal time.
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