Compression Apparel Supplier for Amazon Sellers: Sourcing Workflow & Reorder Planning

# Compression Apparel Supplier for Amazon Sellers: Sourcing, Pricing, and Reorder Planning from a 20+ Year Factory You’ve got a compression shirt design ready, a listing nearly written, and a FBA shipment plan in your head. But the landed-cost calculation keeps slipping. Is the $8.50 unit price from that first factory real after you factor in sampling fees, shipping to Amazon, and the risk of your reorder taking twelve weeks? I’ve been running the cutting floor at Alpinario for two decades, and I hear that worry every week. That’s why I’m walking you through exactly how we handle sourcing workflow, price breaks, and reorder planning for Amazon sellers—so you can stop guessing and start ordering. ## Sourcing Workflow Our sourcing process is built around one rule: **you control the timeline, not us**. We’re a 20+ year Zhejiang factory, not a trading desk, so every step happens on our own floor. Here’s the workflow an Amazon seller can expect when they work with us as their compression apparel supplier. **Step 1 – Send your design or reference.** You send us a tech pack, a photo, or even a sketch of the compression garment you want. We work with almost any Pantone color (polyester is our main fabric, but we can do nylon blends if needed). Within 24 hours, our team replies with a feasibility note and a sampling quote. No hidden fees. **Step 2 – Sampling (3–7 days to ship).** We cut a sample in-house. For a compression shirt, that means we choose the right yarn (e.g., 150D/48F for a 4-way stretch garment in 180–220 GSM), stitch the seams, and test the fit. The sample ships within 3–7 days. If you need a logo—embroidered, heat-pressed, or woven label—we add it in the same sample. No extra MOQ for a custom logo, because our MOQ is 1 piece from the start. **Step 3 – Approval and bulk order.** Once you approve the sample, we move to bulk production. For a typical 300-piece order of compression tops, we ship within 4–6 weeks after sample confirmation. We can pre-apply FBA labels directly at our factory, so your shipment goes straight to Amazon without relabeling. That saves you a step—and the cost of a third-party inspection. **Step 4 – Quality checks before shipping.** Our QC team inspects every batch: seam strength, color fastness, size consistency, and packaging integrity. We don’t batch-pass; we check per-piece for orders under 500 units. For larger orders, we use AQL 2.5 sampling on finished goods. Here’s a quick comparison of how our workflow differs from a typical trading company: | Sourcing Stage | Alpinario (Direct Factory) | Typical Trading Company | |----------------|----------------------------|--------------------------| | MOQ | 1 piece | Usually 500–1000 pieces | | Sample turnaround | 3–7 days | 10–20 days (often multiple rounds) | | Lead time for 300 pcs | 4–6 weeks after sample | 8–12 weeks (includes factory scheduling) | | FBA labeling | Done at our factory | Must be done at a third-party or by you | | Price transparency | Factory-direct price, no margin stacking | 15–30% markup on factory price | ## Price breaks Amazon sellers need to understand how price per unit shifts as volume grows. We don’t lock you into a high minimum; our MOQ is 1 piece, but the real price breaks start at 300 units. **Typical compression shirt pricing (polyester-spandex blend, 180 GSM, with logo and tags):** - **1–99 pieces:** $9.80–$12.00 per unit (sample-grade pricing, includes one label and basic hang tag) - **100–499 pieces:** $7.20–$8.50 per unit (first real volume break; we run a single production line) - **500–999 pieces:** $6.10–$7.00 per unit (we can run multiple lines, reduce per-piece overhead) - **1,000–2,999 pieces:** $5.30–$5.90 per unit (fabric bulk discount kicks in) - **3,000+ pieces:** $4.60–$5.20 per unit (full container load economies) These are **FOB Zhejiang** prices. If you want us to handle FBA labeling and ship directly to Amazon, add $0.15–$0.25 per unit. Lead time for a 1,000-piece reorder is typically 3–4 weeks after sample approval, because we keep common fabric greige in stock. **Why the price drops?** Fabric is the biggest lever. A 180 GSM polyester-spandex jersey costs about $3.20 per yard at 500-yard orders. At 5,000 yards, the same fabric drops to $2.40. We pass that saving directly. Plus, we spread the cutting and sewing setup cost over more units. For a 300-piece order, setup is about $180; for 3,000 pieces, it’s still $180—a 90% reduction per unit. ## Private label at supplier tier We handle private label for brands that want their own label from day one. Since we’re a factory, not a middleman, we can do things that most trading desks can’t: - **Woven labels, printed labels, heat transfers** – we produce them in-house. No waiting for a third-party embroidery shop. - **Wash care labels** – we print your brand name, care instructions, and even your Amazon ASIN on the care label. - **Hang tags and barcode stickers** – we can print them and attach to each garment. - **FBA-ready packaging** – we polybag each shirt with your barcode visible, and put the FBA shipping label on the outer carton. We’ve seen too many Amazon sellers get stuck with a supplier who says “we can do private label” but then outsources the label making, creating a two-week delay. With us, it’s all under one roof. You send us your logo artwork, and we have the sample with your label in 3–7 days. No extra charge for the first label setup. ## Reorder planning Amazon sellers who treat reordering as an afterthought often end up with stockouts during Q4. Here’s how we plan reorders with our clients. **Lead time calendar.** We work backwards from your Amazon inventory date. If you want stock in Amazon’s warehouse by October 1, we need to ship from our factory by September 1. That means production starts in mid-August. So a reorder placed in late July is safe. We recommend placing reorders for a best-selling compression shirt at least 10 weeks before you need it in FBA, giving you a 2-week buffer. **Reorder triggers.** We share a simple spreadsheet with our repeat clients: your current order quantity, your average weekly sales on Amazon, and your safety stock level. When your inventory drops below 8 weeks of sales, we send a reminder. We’ve seen clients who reorder at 6 weeks run out of stock in 4 weeks because of a demand spike. **Fabric protection.** For compression apparel, we often hold greige fabric (unfinished polyester-spandex) on our floor for recurring styles. That means your reorder lead time can drop to 2 weeks instead of 4–6 weeks, because we don’t have to wait for yarn. We only do this for clients who reorder at least 500 pieces per style every 3 months. **Price lock.** We guarantee your unit price for 6 months after the first order, as long as the fabric and spec stay the same. If the yarn cost changes by more than 5%, we discuss it before we cut. No surprise price hikes when you reorder. ## FAQ **What is the MOQ?** Our MOQ is 1 piece. You can order a single compression shirt with your own logo, and we’ll produce it. That’s not a marketing gimmick—we’ve been doing it for years. It’s useful for testing a design before committing to a larger production run. For bulk orders, the price breaks start at 100 pieces, but there’s no minimum you must hit. **Sampling timeline?** From the moment you send us your design, we ship a sample within 3–7 days. That includes custom logo placement, Pantone color matching, and any size adjustments. If you need a rush sample, we can do it in 48 hours (express shipping extra). The sample is made on our own production line, not a prototype unit, so when you approve the sample, the bulk order is a straight copy. **Can you do FBA labeling?** Yes. We pre-apply FBA labels and polybag each garment with the barcode visible. We also palletize and label the outer cartons for Amazon’s inbound requirements. You give us the PDF labels, and we handle the rest. **Do you have a minimum order for custom colors?** No. We can dye any Pantone color for a single order of 100 pieces or more. For orders under 100, we use our standard colors (black, navy, white, gray, red) unless you pay a small color-matching fee (about $30). But we don’t force you to buy 500 yards of fabric just to get a specific shade. **What payment terms do you offer?** For first-time orders, we require 30% deposit, 70% balance before shipment. For repeat clients, we can offer net 30 after three successful orders. We accept bank wire, PayPal, and Credit Card (via Stripe, with a small fee). **How do I know you’re a real factory?** We’re a 20+ year factory in Zhejiang, China. We can send you a video walkthrough of our cutting floor, sewing lines, and QC room. We also offer a factory audit report from a third party (BSCI or similar) upon request. No trade desk, no forwarded emails. --- **Ready to move from sourcing delays to a predictable workflow?** If you’re an Amazon seller looking for a compression apparel supplier that works with your MOQ, your timeline, and your margin, let’s talk. We’ll send you a sample within 7 days, a quote within 24 hours, and a plan for your reorder cycle. [Request a Quote](mailto:support@alpinario.com) *For more on our full range of custom sportswear, visit our [wholesale sportswear page](/wholesale-sportswear) or [low MOQ sportswear page](/low-moq-sportswear). If you’re specifically interested in compression tops, our [compression shirts product page](/pages/compression-shirts) has details on fabric, fit, and packability. And for Amazon sellers who want to start small, check out [private label activewear](/private-label-activewear).*