What small batch means here
In yoga wear manufacturing, a small batch usually means an order at the lower end of the reference MOQ range: typically 100-300 pcs per style per color on the cut and sew route, with sizes usually mixable within each color. Seamless styles typically start at 300-500 pcs per style per color because of knitting setup, so very small programs tend to lean on cut and sew. These are typical reference ranges, confirmed in writing for each program.
Small batches suit new brands testing a product, studios ordering for their own shelves and teacher uniforms, and established sellers trying a new style before committing. The aim is to learn quickly without carrying stock you cannot sell.
Design choices that make a small batch possible
Most of what decides whether a small batch is feasible is settled at the design stage, long before the factory sees an order. Every choice either fits within the partner factory's normal materials and processes or adds a supplier minimum of its own.
| Decision | Keeps the batch small | Tends to raise the floor |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric | An existing mill quality the factory already uses | A custom weight, blend or finish |
| Color | Colors the mill runs regularly, especially dark neutrals | A custom color needing its own dye lot |
| Logo | Heat transfer or silicone logo | Custom jacquard elastic or printed waistband tape |
| Labels and packing | Printed care labels, simple hang tag, stock polybag | Custom woven labels and printed packaging with high minimums |
| Construction | Proven pattern with few panels | Many panels, color blocking, new cup shapes |
| Route | Cut and sew | Seamless, unless the style is simple and quantity sits in the seamless range |
None of the right-hand choices is forbidden. They simply move the minimum, and it is better to know which ones you are paying for. Our MOQ layers note explains how to find which component sets the floor.
Plan a test capsule, not a collection
A small first batch works best as a capsule designed to answer a question. Will our customers buy a high-rise legging with a hidden waistband pocket? Do they prefer brushed or smooth fabric? Will a matching bra lift the basket? Choose the fewest styles that answer the question, in one or two colors, and keep everything else simple.
- Write the question the batch is meant to answer.
- Choose styles that answer it, usually a legging and a bra or top.
- Pick a stock fabric from the mill's running qualities, with a fabric sheet.
- Pick colors from running colors, and name the lightest for opacity approval.
- Keep branding flexible: heat transfer logo, printed labels.
- Agree the reorder path before you order, so success can be repeated quickly.
Sampling on a small budget
On a small program, sampling is a larger share of total effort, so it pays to make each round count. Start from a proven base pattern rather than a blank page, send a tech pack with measurements and tolerances, and consolidate comments per round. A first sample typically takes 7-15 days once fabric and specification are agreed. Sample charges and whether they are credited against bulk are set per program and confirmed in writing. See how to write a tech pack.
Unit cost on short runs
Short runs carry a higher unit cost than long runs of the same style. Setup work such as pattern, marker, line balancing and inspection is spread over fewer pieces, and fabric bought in small cuts can carry a premium. We never publish fixed prices; pricing is quoted per program. What you can control are the cost drivers: fabric choice, construction complexity, number of colors and trims. Our pricing page explains them, and the cost breakdown note shows how they add up.
Scheduling small batches
Small orders compete with larger ones for line time. Partner factories often fit short runs between bigger programs, which can be efficient but makes dates more sensitive to changes. Confirm the ex-factory date in writing, freeze the specification at pre-production approval and send label artwork with the order. Bulk typically takes 30-45 days after sample approval and fabric availability.
Quality control in proportion
A small batch still deserves a pre-shipment inspection measured against the approved sample. The sample size of the inspection is smaller, but the checks are the same: measurements against the tech pack, workmanship at seams and waistband, opacity in light colors, labels and packing. One defect pattern found before shipment is far cheaper to fix than in a customer's hands. Our quality control page outlines how inspections are run.
Labels still matter at small volume
Small quantities do not change labeling rules. US-bound garments need fiber content, country of origin and RN under 16 CFR 303 and care instructions under 16 CFR 423, whether you sell a hundred pieces or many thousands. Get label content right in the first batch so that reorders do not need relabeling.
Printed care labels and a simple hang tag are usually enough for a test batch. If the style succeeds, upgrade to woven labels and custom packaging on the reorder, when the quantity can carry their minimums more comfortably and you know the product is worth the investment.
The reorder loop
The value of a small batch is what you learn. Track sell-through by size and color from the first week, collect fit feedback from customers or studio teachers, and decide quickly whether to reorder as is, adjust, or drop the style. A reorder in a running color with an approved sample skips most sampling and is often accepted at the same or a smaller quantity, confirmed in writing. Once a style proves itself, moving it to a custom color or a seamless version becomes a safer investment.
Getting started
Tell the desk the question your first batch should answer, the styles you have in mind and a realistic quantity per color. We coordinate with a partner factory on the cut and sew or seamless route, propose stock fabrics and colors that fit the quantity, and confirm the MOQ and dates in writing. Send a brief to start.