Private label and custom: what the words mean here
Buyers use private label and custom to mean different things. In practice there is a scale. At one end, you choose an existing style and fabric from a partner factory and add your logo and labels. At the other end, you bring your own design, fit and fabric specification, and the garment exists only for your brand. Most programs sit somewhere in between: an existing base adjusted for fit, length and color, with full branding.
Both ends are workable. The difference is sampling time and minimums. The more that is new, the more decisions there are to confirm in writing before bulk.
What you can customize
Fabric
You can choose the fabric family, composition, weight and finish, within what partner mills supply. A buttery brushed nylon and spandex, a smooth performance interlock and a polyester base for prints each lead to a different product. The fabric library lists typical ranges. A fabric that is already a mill quality usually keeps minimums lower than a fully custom fabric.
Color
Colors are matched to a standard you provide, usually a physical swatch or a color reference agreed with the mill. Lab dips are approved before bulk dyeing. Each color is one dye lot and counts separately toward the MOQ. For sets, colors need to match across a top and bottom that may be cut from different fabrics; see matching yoga sets.
Fit
Fit is set on the tech pack: rise, waistband height, inseam options such as 25 in 7/8 length or 28 in full length, gusset shape, compression level and grading across sizes. Waistband height is often in the 4-6 in reference area for a high-rise legging, confirmed on the tech pack.
Logo methods
| Method | Look and feel | Good for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat transfer | Flat, smooth, thin | Waistbands, bras, most knit fabrics | Usually flexible on minimums; test adhesion after washing |
| Silicone | Raised, soft, slightly tacky | Premium leggings, logos with depth | Needs a mold or screen; check stretch at the placement |
| Embroidery | Textured, stitched | Loose wear, cotton tops, outer layers | Can stiffen thin stretch fabrics; avoid high-stretch zones |
| Reflective print | Visible in low light | Outdoor and running crossover styles | Check durability through laundering |
Placement matters as much as method. A logo on the back waistband stretches less than one on the thigh. Our logo methods note covers placement, size and wash testing.
Labels, tags and packaging
- Woven label - brand label, usually at the back waistband. Soft edges matter for skin contact.
- Printed or heat transfer label - tagless option that avoids a scratchy edge on bras and leggings.
- Care label - care instructions, fiber content and country of origin. For the US, see the US labeling rules.
- Hang tag - brand story, size, price sticker space, barcode if needed.
- Polybag - plain or printed, with size sticker and any warning text your market requires.
- Retail packaging - boxes or mailers where the program calls for them.
Trim minimums and how they set a floor
Each trim has its own supplier, and each supplier has its own minimum. A heat transfer logo is often flexible. A custom jacquard elastic, a printed waistband tape, a new molded cup shape or a run of woven labels may carry a minimum above your garment quantity. When that happens, the trim, not the garment, sets the effective MOQ.
We list trim minimums alongside the garment MOQ in the written quotation, so the full picture is visible before sampling. Typical garment reference ranges are 100-300 pcs per style per color for cut and sew and 300-500 pcs for seamless, confirmed in writing for each program. Options to keep trim minimums manageable include sharing one label and one elastic across several styles, or choosing a printed rather than woven label for a first order.
The private label flow
- Brief - references, target customer, quantities, colors and branding ideas.
- Base selection or tech pack - choose an existing partner factory base or provide your own specification.
- Fabric and color - fabric sheet and lab dips approved.
- Branding artwork - logo files, label layouts, care label text and hang tag design supplied by the buyer.
- Sample with branding - first sample, typically 7-15 days, with logo and labels where possible.
- Fit and branding approval - comments returned, second sample if needed.
- Written confirmation - all trims, packaging and quantities confirmed in writing.
- Bulk, inspection and packing - typically 30-45 days after approval, then final inspection.
What to decide before the first sample
Private label programs slow down when branding decisions arrive after the fit is approved. A label position that moves, or a logo that changes from heat transfer to silicone, can mean another sample round. Before sampling, settle the logo method and placement, the label type and position, the care label text, and whether the first sample should carry full branding or only placeholders. A sample with real branding takes slightly longer to make but shows how the logo behaves when stretched, how the label sits against skin and whether the hang tag fits the polybag. That is usually worth the extra days, because it removes surprises from the bulk order and from the final inspection.
Keeping a first private label order lean
Many new brands launch with two or three styles in two colors. Lean choices help: an existing mill fabric, a heat transfer logo, a printed care label and plain polybags with a printed sticker. Fit work goes into the core legging, which is reordered most. Our private label guide and brand start-up note go further.
When your artwork and references are ready, send a brief or check MOQ and lead time first.