Autorin: Sophie Chen
Datum: 29. Dezember 2024
In the previous article, we learned about the impact of color on the minimum order quantity (MOQ) in the manufacturing process.https://blog.docsunhomeandliving.com/the-impacts-of-colors-on-minimum-order-quantity/ In this article, we will delve deeper into how the differences in fabric width lead to variations in the minimum order quantity.
In many industries, especially in textile production and customization, we often encounter the requirement of a Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ). This requirement often leads to questions from clients when placing an order: Why do some products require a minimum quantity to be ordered? Why does my supplier always say it’s impossible to produce 20 pieces in one color or 10 colors with 20 pieces each? To address this, I’ve written a series of articles titled Why Customized Partnerships Have a Minimum Order Quantity: An Analysis of Multiple Influencing Factors. This article explores how the fabric size influences the Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ).
In industrial printing or large-scale production, the size of the fabric is often a key factor which determines the Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ). For example, when performing large-format printing or layout, manufacturers need to arrange the production process based on the fabric’s width. Typically, to complete a full-width fabric layout, several finished products need to be produced to fully utilize the equipment’s layout capacity. If only a small quantity is ordered, fabric waste can be significant.
For example, some customers request the production of 60cm x 60cm pieces, but such small dimensions may not align well with the width of the fabric roll. This can result in a significant amount of unused fabric. When the production run is small, it’s difficult to optimize the fabric usage efficiently, leading to waste and higher material costs.
In these cases, manufacturers often have to adjust their pricing to cover the excess material and the inefficiency caused by the smaller order quantities.
Some customers might ask, “Can’t I use a little less fabric?” In reality, if less than a full roll of fabric is used, the fabric cost from the upstream supply chain shifts from wholesale prices to retail prices. This, in turn, leads to the final price being calculated based on the retail cost of the fabric, rather than the wholesale price.
Therefore, from the point of view of industrial usage and cost, customers need to have a certain understanding of the fabric width offered by their suppliers, especially for the suppliers who stock fabrics based on the main products they handle. For insistence of mulberry silk fabrics, the most commonly used fabric widths are 114 cm and 140 cm. For polyester fibers, the most common fabric widths range from 140 cm to 150 cm, while for pure cotton fabrics, the typical fabric width is also between 140 cm and 150 cm. For the home textile products which are in a separate product category from fashion textile, the fabric width can reach up to 260 cm.
This also indicates at why the typical sizes for pillowcases are 50 cm x 60 cm, 50 cm x 70 cm, and 50 cm x 91 cm, while the sizes of mulberry silk scarves are mostly 53 cm x 53 cm, 65 cm x 65 cm, 90 cm x 90 cm, and 135 cm x 135 cm. In contrast, duvet covers can have a fabric width of up to 250 cm, and duvet covers usually correspond to larger Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs).
Customers who often request mulberry silk scarves in sizes like 145 cm x 145 cm may not fully understand that their requirements mean the textile factory would need to produce fabric with a width of 150 cm specifically for them. This also implies that the minimum order quantity (MOQ) cannot be less than 2,000 pieces.
Other customers who request mulberry silk scarves in sizes like 120 cm x 120 cm may also not fully understand that their requirements lead to a 20 cm waste of mulberry silk fabric at each length being cut. This waste will be factored into their cost. Considering that the raw material cost for mulberry silk fabric is around $10–20 per meter ($0.25–0.51 per inch), this is essentially a complete waste of material.
Therefore, for entrepreneurs and designers, when starting their business, the design dimensions for textiles should firstly respect the standard fabric sizes commonly used in the market. As their business grows and sales increase, they can then request customized fabric sizes, which also implies a significant increase in order quantities.
According to the author’s experience, for digital printing silk scarves, 50 pieces per design is usually the minimum order quantity that balances both quality and quantity. For pillowcases, customized bamboo fiber pillowcases generally cannot be less than 100 pieces per color, while customized polyester fiber pillowcases can be made with a minimum of 50 pieces per color. This is only applicable when the colors are in stock. If special colors or other techniques are required, the MOQ will increase significantly. I will cover this in more detail in the next article.
