D2C Sportswear Apparel Supplier for D2C Brands

# Sourcing Workflow for D2C Brands: From Landing Cost to Production Run You’re a brand founder, gym owner, or Amazon seller dropping a sportswear line. You’ve got a spec sheet, a Pantone code, and a launch date. The question that keeps you awake: *What is my actual landed cost, and how fast can I get a sample that doesn’t look like a compromise?* We’ve been on the factory floor in Zhejiang for over 20 years. We’re not a middleman, not a trading desk. We’re Alpinario, a sportswear apparel supplier for D2C brands that owns every step of the cut, sew, and pack. Here’s how we walk a D2C buyer from first email to container load, with concrete numbers. ### Step 1: Inquiry and Spec Review (24 hours) Send us your tech pack or reference images. Our production team checks garment construction, fabric weight (we recommend 180–280 GSM for polyester performance wear, 150–180 GSM for yoga), and trim details. We reply within 24 hours with a preliminary cost sheet. This sheet breaks down fabric cost, cutting, sewing, trims, packaging, and FBA labeling if you need it. No hidden line items. ### Step 2: Sampling (3–7 days) We produce a sample from your art or our existing block patterns. Standard turnaround: **3–7 days door-to-door** for a first proto. You pay sample cost, refundable on production orders. We ship via DHL or FedEx. If you need a second revision, those are usually 2–3 days. We’ve done 300-piece orders that went from sample approval to full production in **4–6 weeks**. That’s our median—faster if you run a fabric we stock. ### Step 3: Bulk Production and FBA Preparation Once the sample is approved, we lock the price, schedule the cut, and send you a production timeline. We can pre-apply FBA labels, polybag individually, and ship directly to Amazon warehouses. This saves you the repackaging step and the $0.50–$1.00 per unit handling fee that third-party logistics would charge. ### Step 4: QC and Shipment Our QC team inspects every garment at three points: fabric lay, sewing line, and final pack. We check seam strength, color consistency against your Pantone reference, and label placement. You get a photo report before the container leaves. If you want a third-party inspection, we’ll schedule it. --- ## Price Breaks D2C brands need to scale pricing without locking into a container. We structure our pricing in three tiers. All prices are ex-works Zhejiang, USD, for polyester-spandex blend compression shirts (180 GSM, standard fit, single-needle hem). | Order Quantity | Unit Price (USD) | Typical Lead Time | Sample Approval to Ship | |----------------|------------------|-------------------|--------------------------| | 1–99 pieces | $12.50–$15.00 | 3–5 days (sample) | N/A (sample only) | | 100–299 pieces | $8.50–$11.00 | 2–3 weeks | 4–6 weeks | | 300–999 pieces | $6.80–$8.50 | 3–4 weeks | 4–6 weeks | | 1,000+ pieces | $5.20–$6.80 | 4–5 weeks | 4–6 weeks | *Note: Prices drop when you move from 180 GSM to 220 GSM due to fabric yield efficiency. Running wear (silicone gripper hem, reflective piping) adds $0.80–$1.50 per unit.* ### What’s Included in That Price - Fabric (polyester, nylon, or poly-nylon blend) - Cutting, sewing, thread, and labels - Hang tags and polybag (custom printed or plain) - FBA label application (if requested) - Inner carton packing ### What’s Not Included - Pattern development (if you need a new block from scratch): $150–$300 flat fee - Special finishes (anti-microbial, UV protection, moisture-wicking DWR): $0.30–$0.80 per unit - Shipping to your door or Amazon warehouse: varies by destination and volume --- ## Private Label at Supplier Tier We’re a factory, not a label wholesaler. That means you get private label treatment without the middleman markup. When you work with us as your sportswear apparel supplier for D2C brands, you control: ### Labels and Tags - **Woven neck labels**: Your brand name, size, and care instructions. We sew them in during production. - **Printed labels**: Heat-transfer or screen-print inside the garment. - **Hang tags**: Custom cardboard or recycled paper tags with your logo, SKU, and barcode. - **Wash care labels**: Satin or polyester, with your content and country of origin. ### Packaging - Polybags with your brand logo. - FBA-ready polybags with ASIN and barcode already applied. - Bulk inner cartons with your shipping label. ### Compression and Yoga Specifics We specialize in compression shirts and yoga wear. For compression, we use 75% nylon / 25% spandex blends (200–240 GSM) for four-way stretch and recovery. For yoga, we recommend 80% polyester / 20% spandex (180–220 GSM) with a brushed finish for softness. You can see our compression and yoga collections on our [custom sportswear page](/custom-sportswear) and [yoga wear wholesale guide](/pages/yoga-wear-wholesale-guide). ### Pantone Color Matching We match almost any Pantone color. Our lab-dip process takes 2–3 days. We send a physical swatch before bulk dyeing. If you’re matching a previous season’s color, we can archive your custom dye formula for reorders. --- ## Reorder Planning The biggest mistake D2C brands make: ordering too much of one SKU and too little of another. Then they scramble for a reorder, pay rush fees, and miss the selling window. Here’s how we plan reorders with clients. ### 1. Reorder Trigger Points We help you set a reorder point based on your sales velocity. For example: - If you sell 50 units per week and your lead time is 5 weeks, your reorder point is 250 units. - We recommend ordering at 300 units—enough to cover lead time plus a 20% buffer. ### 2. Using the Original Order Record Every order we produce has a production file: fabric spec, color formula, trim details, pattern grading, and cut plan. When you reorder, we pull that file. No re-sampling, no re-patterning. This cuts your reorder lead time by 2–3 weeks compared to a new design. ### 3. Split Production Strategy If you’re unsure about a new design, we can produce a small batch (100–200 pieces) at the higher price tier, then reorder in larger quantities once you validate the market. Since we own the pattern, the second run is faster and cheaper. For example, a 100-piece first order at $11.00/unit might cost $1,100. A 500-piece reorder at $7.20/unit costs $3,600 total, but your average unit cost drops to $7.00 across both runs. ### 4. Fabric and Trim Inventory We can hold fabric and trim stock for your active SKUs. Minimum holding period is 60 days, charged at $0.10 per yard per month. This means you can reorder in 3 weeks instead of 5–6, because the fabric is already on our floor. Clients with multiple SKUs often use this for their top-selling compression shirts and running wear. ### 5. Seasonal Planning We produce 12 months a year. If you sell through in Q4 and need a Q1 restock, place your reorder by mid-November. We’ll ship in January, after the Chinese New Year factory shutdown. Our [running wear wholesale guide](/pages/running-wear-wholesale-guide) covers seasonal timing in more detail. --- ## FAQ ### What is the MOQ? Our MOQ is **1 piece**. You can order a single sample for fit testing, or a single piece for a custom gift. There is no minimum order quantity for production. We are a low-MOQ factory, designed for D2C brands that test small before scaling. See our [low MOQ sportswear page](/low-moq-sportswear) for details. ### Sampling timeline? We ship samples within **3–7 days** of tech pack approval. For a first-time sample, 3 days is typical if we have the fabric in stock. For a full custom pattern, 7 days. We ship via DHL, FedEx, or your preferred carrier. If you need a second revision, add 2–3 days. No extra charge for first revision. ### Can I get samples for different colors or sizes? Yes. We can send up to three color swatches or two size samples in one package. Cost is the same as a single sample (refundable on production order). We recommend testing one size per color for fit validation. ### What payment terms do you offer? For first-time clients, we require 50% deposit, 50% before shipment. For repeat clients with a history of on-time payments, we offer 30% deposit, 70% net 30 days. ### Do you ship to Amazon FBA? Yes. We apply FBA labels, polybag each unit, and ship directly to Amazon warehouses. We handle the compliance paperwork (country of origin, labeling). You just provide the FBA IDs and we handle the rest. --- ## Ready to Plan Your First Order? If you’re a D2C brand founder, gym owner, Amazon seller, or startup, we can help you go from concept to container—or from our floor to your customer’s doorstep. We’ll give you a price sheet, a sample timeline, and a reorder strategy that fits your cash flow. [Request a Quote](mailto:support@alpinario.com)