What private label means in yoga wear
Private label means you sell a garment under your brand that is based on a style the factory already makes. The pattern, the construction and often the fabric already exist. You choose the colors, the logo, the labels and the packaging, and sometimes small changes such as length or an added pocket.
Custom development is different. You bring your own design, sample or tech pack and the factory builds a new pattern for it. Both routes end in a product with your name on it. The difference is how much is new, and that changes timing, sampling rounds, risk and how distinctive the product is.
| Factor | Private label | Custom development |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Existing factory style | Your design, sample or tech pack |
| Pattern | Factory pattern, small adjustments | New pattern made for your program |
| Sampling rounds | Usually fewer; fit is already proven | More; fit is developed from scratch |
| Distinctiveness | Color, fabric, logo and packaging | Silhouette, details and construction |
| Minimums | Per style per color, confirmed in writing | Per style per color, confirmed in writing |
| Typical buyer | First drops, studios, boutiques, merch | Brands with a clear design signature |
What you can usually change
Most private label programs allow changes that sit on top of the pattern. These are the levers that make a shared base style feel like your product:
- Color: choose from the mill's stock colors, or request a custom dye matched to your standard. Custom colors usually need lab dip approval and can affect minimums and timing.
- Fabric: switch between the fabrics the factory already sews in that style, such as a smooth or brushed nylon and spandex, as long as the stretch suits the pattern.
- Logo: method and placement, for example a heat transfer on the back waistband or a silicone mark on the hip.
- Labels and packaging: printed neck labels, care labels, hang tags, polybags and carton marks.
- Small details: inseam length, a hidden waistband pocket or a different strap, if the factory confirms the change does not need a new pattern.
What you usually cannot change
The core block of the pattern, the knit program on a seamless style and the basic construction stay as they are. If you want a different rise, a new gusset shape or a different bra support structure, you are into custom development, even if the change looks small on a sketch. A fabric with a very different stretch level can also change how the existing pattern fits, so a fabric switch needs a new fit sample.
Ask the desk to state which changes count as private label and which count as development before you approve the quote. That avoids surprises when a "small" change turns into a new sampling cycle.
Pattern ownership and exclusivity
In a private label program the pattern normally stays with the factory, and other buyers can order the same base style in their own colors and labels. That is the trade-off for speed. If exclusivity matters, there are two common paths: modify the style enough that it becomes a new pattern, or move to custom development. Either way, write down who owns the resulting pattern and whether the factory may sell the style to others. Do not assume exclusivity unless it is confirmed in writing.
Minimums and size mixing
Minimums in private label are set per style per color, because each color needs its own fabric dyeing and cutting. Typical reference ranges are 100-300 pieces per style per color for cut and sew and 300-500 for seamless, and sizes can usually be mixed within the minimum. Stock fabric colors sometimes allow lower minimums than custom dyes, because the mill is not dyeing a lot just for you. All figures are confirmed in writing for each program. Our MOQ explainer shows how these numbers are built.
Approvals in a private label program
- Select base styles and fabrics from the factory's range, with reference photos and fabric sheets.
- Confirm colors: stock color cards or lab dips for custom colors.
- Approve logo artwork, method and placement on a strike-off or sample.
- Approve labels, hang tags and packaging layouts.
- Approve a sample in your fabric and color, including an opacity check on the lightest color.
- Confirm quantities, size split and delivery in the written quotation.
Because the pattern is proven, the main risks move to color, logo durability and labeling. Our sampling process note explains what each sample round should check.
Quality and compliance are still yours
The factory made the style before, but your name is on the label. Customers, retailers and regulators see your brand, not the factory. For the US, labels need fiber content by percentage, country of origin and dealer identity such as an RN number under 16 CFR 303, and care instructions under the Care Labeling Rule. See US labeling rules for the details.
Ask for test results on the actual production fabric, not a generic report on a similar fabric: colorfastness to laundering and perspiration, pilling and stretch and recovery are the usual set for leggings. Then plan an inspection before shipment. Our AQL inspection note covers how sample sizes and defect classes work.
When to move from private label to custom
Private label is a strong start, and many brands keep a few private label basics in their line permanently. The signals that it is time to develop your own patterns are usually clear: customers ask for a fit you cannot get from the base style, you see the same silhouette elsewhere in your channel, or your sell-through is strong enough that a signature detail would justify a development cycle.
A practical path is to keep private label core pieces running while developing one custom hero style. The hero style builds identity; the core pieces keep cash flowing while it is in sampling. Keep the fabric sheet and color standards from the private label pieces, so the new style can be matched to them and sold as part of the same family.
How the desk handles private label programs
We coordinate the partner factory assigned to your program, share the base styles and fabric sheets it already produces, check samples against your brief and confirm minimums, timing and pattern ownership in writing. Read more on the private label program page, browse garment categories, or send a brief with the styles you have in mind.