Over the last two years, about 60% of our new buyer inquiries come from people who have never imported knitwear from China before. They are e-commerce sellers launching their first private label line, boutique owners expanding into sweaters, or startup brands moving from sample sourcing to production planning.
Their questions follow a pattern. Whether the buyer is in Texas, Berlin, or Tokyo, the first email almost always asks the same things: minimum order, price, sampling process, and "is this real or a scam." We answer each of these dozens of times per month, so we put the answers into this single article.
This is the single most common question. Our standard MOQ is 300 pcs per style per colour. For jacquard, intarsia, or complex constructions, the MOQ is 500 pcs.
Mixed colour orders within a style are generally possible — for example, one style in 3 colours as long as the total across all colours reaches 300 pcs. Size splits (S/M/L/XL) within each colour are free — you decide the allocation per style.
We have found 300 pcs is the sweet spot for cost efficiency in yarn procurement, machine setup, and linking time. Below this threshold, the unit price rises disproportionately because the fixed costs (pattern grading, yarn dye lot minimums, machine programming) have fewer units to spread across.
If 300 is too high for a first test, sampling + a smaller trial batch is a common path — 4-5 samples first, then 100-300 pcs of the winning style as a paid trial, then the full 300-pc repeat order once sell-through data comes back.
Sample cost varies by complexity:
- Simple sweater, basic yarn (cotton, acrylic): USD 80-120 — includes pattern grading, yarn, knitting, finishing, and shipping
- Mid-tier (merino, blend): USD 120-180
- Premium (cashmere, fine merino, complex pattern): USD 150-250
The sample fee is deducted from your first bulk invoice once you proceed to production. So if you pay USD 120 for a sample and later place a USD 3,000 bulk order, the invoice is USD 2,880. This is standard practice among Dalang factories.
Sampling timeline: 7-10 working days for standard, 10-14 for cashmere or complex constructions. Express shipping (DHL/FedEx) adds 3-5 days to your door.
Related: What to send before sampling starts helps you prepare the right brief.
Legitimate question, and one we welcome. Here is how you can verify us:
- Business license — Dongguan Tuosheng Apparel Co., Ltd. We can share a scanned copy on request
- Factory visit — We are in Dalang, Dongguan. Buyers visit in person. Google Maps: show up at our address any working day
- Video call walkthrough — We do live WhatsApp video tours of the workshop, linking floor, and sample room. No pre-recorded footage
- Existing buyer references — We have 800+ brand client relationships. We can connect you with past buyers in similar categories
- Third-party verification — Our Alibaba Gold Supplier profile, business registration in Guangdong, and 26 years in Dalang (China's knitwear capital)
We also wrote a full guide on how to vet a knitwear factory that covers what signals to look for, including the ones we score well on and the ones we are still improving.
Prices depend on yarn, gauge, construction complexity, and quantity. Broad ranges for a standard crewneck sweater at 300 pcs:
- Acrylic or cotton-acrylic blend: FOB USD 6-10
- 100% cotton (combed, 21S/2): FOB USD 9-14
- Merino wool 19μm: FOB USD 16-24
- Wool-cashmere blend: FOB USD 22-38
- 100% cashmere (Grade A): FOB USD 45-80
Yes, we can quote from a reference image. The more detail you provide (target weight, yarn direction, quantity), the closer the initial quote. We aim to send a quote within 1-2 working days.
For a deeper breakdown with worked examples, see our full cost guide and how to read a factory quote.
Standard documents we provide with every shipment:
- Commercial invoice — with HTS code, declared value, country of origin
- Packing list — carton weights, dimensions, units per carton
- Bill of lading (B/L) or air waybill
- Certificate of Origin (CO)
- FORMA — for preferential duty rates (if your country has a trade agreement with China)
For Amazon FBA shipments, we additionally provide: carton labels with FBA ID, polybag warnings if needed, and a commercial invoice formatted for Amazon customs clearance.
We ship FOB Shenzhen (you arrange shipping and customs clearance on arrival) or DDP (Delivered Duty Paid — we handle everything to your door, including all duties and taxes). DDP is popular with first-time importers because it removes surprise fees at the destination port.
Related: Our export documents guide has details on each document type.
Yes. Amazon FBA shipments are a significant portion of our orders. We handle:
- FBA-compliant packing: polybagged units, barcoded cartons, FBA ID labels on each carton
- Amazon's unique shipment ID on the commercial invoice
- Direct delivery to US, UK, DE, FR, IT, ES, and JP Amazon warehouse addresses
- DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) — we calculate duties, arrange customs clearance, pay all taxes, and deliver to the Amazon warehouse. The buyer pays one all-in price per unit and receives at their Amazon receiving dock without additional costs
DDP is especially valuable for Amazon sellers because customs holds at destination can delay FBA receiving windows. By handling customs on our end, we reduce that risk.
See our Amazon FBA sweater supplier guide for a full breakdown.
Standard: 30% T/T deposit to start production, 70% balance against copy of B/L (bill of lading). For first-time buyers, we may ask for a 50% deposit on the first order. After one or two successful orders, the standard 30/70 applies.
Payment methods we accept:
- T/T wire transfer (preferred for larger amounts)
- PayPal or Wise (for samples and smaller orders)
- L/C at sight (for orders above USD 20,000)
Security tip: always send the deposit to the company's business bank account, not a personal account. Our company: Dongguan Tuosheng Apparel Co., Ltd., registered in Guangdong. We provide a formal proforma invoice with our bank details on the company letterhead. If anything feels off, request a video call — a real factory can show its workshop on the spot.
Realistic timeline for a first order:
- Sampling phase: 7-10 working days (sample production) + 3-5 days (shipping via DHL/FedEx) = ~2 weeks
- PP sample approval: 3-5 days (you receive, review, and approve or request revision)
- Yarn procurement: 5-10 days (depending on availability — stock yarn is faster: 2-3 days)
- Bulk production: 25-30 days for typical 200-500 pc orders
- Shipping: 15-25 days sea (FCL/LCL) or 5-8 days air
Total estimate: 8-12 weeks from initial contact to FOB delivery for a first order. Repeat orders typically reduce to 5-8 weeks because the specs, patterns, and relationships are already established.
Seasonal timing matters. For autumn/winter delivery (retail Sep-Nov): place your order by May-June. Our order timing guide has the full calendar.
Yes. Most of our buyers start with a reference image and ask "what yarn should I use for this." Our recommendation process:
- We look at the reference silhouette and intended season
- We match the gauge — a chunky cable knit needs a different yarn weight than a fine knit V-neck
- We offer 3-4 yarn options at different price points: typically a budget, a mid-tier, and a premium
- For the sample round, we often recommend making one sample in each of 2 yarn options (e.g., 100% cotton and a cotton-acrylic blend). The cost increase is marginal (USD 80-120 per extra sample), and the comparison answers more questions than any amount of yarn specification sheets
Our yarn library stocks 200+ yarns across cotton, wool, merino, cashmere, alpaca, acrylic, and blends. We also connect buyers to our partner fibre suppliers for specialised needs (organic cotton, recycled yarn, linen blends).
For detailed material guidance: compare cotton vs merino vs cashmere, read our acrylic vs wool guide, or the cashmere grades explainer.
This is the anxiety behind many first-time importer questions. Here is our position:
- Before bulk production, we send a PP (Pre-Production) sample — the exact garment made on the same machine and process that will run the bulk order. You approve the PP sample in writing. If the bulk does not match the approved PP sample, it is our responsibility to fix it
- Third-party inspection — we welcome independent QC inspectors (e.g., SGS, QIMA) to visit during production and before shipment. Many of our Amazon FBA buyers use this service
- Photo/video updates — we send progress photos of the production run: yarn arrival, knitting stage, linking stage, finished goods on the rack. You can request specific checkpoints
- Defect policy — our internal QC standard is 2.5% AQL (Acceptable Quality Level, level II). If third-party inspection finds defects above this threshold, we sort the affected units or negotiate a remedy
The PP sample stage is where 90% of quality issues are caught. Our article on how to approve a PP sample walks through the sign-off process in detail.
One bonus question: "Should I visit the factory?"
The answer depends on your order size and risk tolerance. For a first order under USD 3,000, a factory visit may not be cost-effective — a WhatsApp video walkthrough plus third-party inspection covers most concerns. For orders above USD 10,000, a visit to Dalang is time well spent. We welcome in-person visits, show you the workshop floor, introduce the team, and pull yarn from the same shelves your order will use.
If you cannot visit but want more confidence, we can arrange a live video call where one of our team does a full factory tour on WhatsApp — workshop, linking machines, QC table, sample room, and packing area. Most buyers who do this proceed to order within the same week.
Have a question that is not on this list?
Every inquiry is different. Send us a message on WhatsApp or email, and we will answer within 24 hours — even the tough ones.