Learn to read a sweater quote line by line — yarn, knitting, linking, trims, overhead and margin — plus Incoterms, what's not included, and the red flags that separate a real quote from a number designed to win the order.
When a factory sends back a quote, most buyers look at one number: the FOB price. But a knitwear quotation is a story about how your product is built — and learning to read it line by line is the difference between negotiating from knowledge and guessing. This guide breaks down what's inside a sweater quote, what each line means, and the red flags that separate a real quote from a number designed to win your order and renegotiate later.
A quote that's missing its assumptions — gauge, yarn count, weight per piece, Incoterm, MOQ — isn't a quote, it's a teaser. Always ask for the breakdown. A transparent factory will give it to you.
What should a complete knitwear quotation contain? Unit price with the incoterm named, the MOQ the price is quoted against, sampling cost and lead time, bulk lead time, payment terms, the yarn and gauge assumed, and what is excluded. A quotation missing the incoterm or the assumed specification is not comparable with another.
What are the red flags in a quotation? A price without an incoterm; an MOQ that is not stated per colour; no sampling terms; no statement of the yarn or gauge assumed; and a number that arrives before the supplier has seen what you want made. Each of those means the figure will move later.
How do I compare two quotations fairly? Normalise them first. Put both under the same incoterm, confirm both assume the same yarn count and gauge, and check whether the MOQ is per style or per colour. Most apparent price differences shrink or reverse once those three are aligned.
Does the lowest quotation usually win? Not once the total is counted. The lowest FOB frequently carries a higher sample cost, a longer reorder cycle, or an assumption about yarn that will not hold. Compare landed cost and the terms around it, not the headline.
What should I send to get a quotation worth reading? Quantity, gauge, yarn, size run, branding position, delivery date and incoterm - a tech pack covers most of it. With those, a quotation is a real number rather than a starting position.
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Roughly, a knit garment's FOB price is built from these components. Shares vary by gauge and yarn, but this is a useful mental model:
| Cost component | Typical share | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Yarn / material | 40–60% | Fibre, quality, weight per piece |
| Knitting | 15–25% | Gauge, machine time, complexity |
| Linking & making-up | 10–20% | Seaming, fully-fashioned vs cut-and-sew |
| Trims & packaging | 5–10% | Labels, hangtags, polybag, carton |
| Overhead + margin | 10–15% | Factory cost base + profit |
Heavier, finer or premium-fibre sweaters shift weight toward yarn; complex patterns shift it toward knitting and linking. For the full picture, see custom knitwear cost factors and what drives custom sweater manufacturing cost.
Two quotes are only comparable if they use the same Incoterm. An "EXW" price will always look cheaper than an "FOB" price for the same garment — that's not a discount, it's a different scope.
1. Normalise the Incoterm and MOQ across all quotes. 2. Compare yarn composition, count and weight — not just price. 3. Factor in sampling speed and reject risk, which affect landed cost and your season. 4. Ask each factory to quote the same tech pack — see how to prepare a sweater tech pack.
Licheng Knitwear quotes with the breakdown shown — gauge, yarn, weight, Incoterm, MOQ, sample and bulk lead time — so you can compare apples to apples. Send your product idea, reference photo or tech pack and target quantity, and request a quote. We'll come back with a clear, itemised proposal, or browse product directions to start from a style you like.
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If you're planning a real project around any of the points above, we'd be glad to take a quick look. Send a short brief and we'll come back within one business day with a practical direction, MOQ + lead time estimate, and a sample plan if it makes sense.
→ Request a free quote · Download the men's knitwear catalog · WhatsApp us · info@lcgarment.cn
FOB unit price, yarn and gauge, MOQ, sample and bulk lead times, customisation and trims, packaging, and payment terms.
Yarn choice, gauge and complexity, order quantity (MOQ spreads setup cost), trims and finishing, and whether the colour is stock or custom-dyed.
Yarn dye-lot minimums, custom trim and hardware minimums, lab dip and sample fees, special finishing, and packaging. Ask for each as a line item.
We focus on heren truien, cardigans, gebreide jacks, jacquard knitwear en private label knitwear. We ondersteuning B2B-kopers met OEM/ODM ontwikkeling, sampling en bulkproductie planning.
Ready sample styles en selected custom programma's can ondersteuning lower-risk trials voor larger seizoensgebonden orders.
Ja. Merken, ook nieuwe labels die hun eerste collectie voorbereiden, kunnen een monster betalen en bekijken voordat ze een productieorder plaatsen. Twee routes: een ready sample van een gepubliceerd model voor USD 60 per stuk in ongeveer 7 dagen, of een ontwikkelmonster op basis van uw tech pack voor USD 150 per model (inclusief gareninkoop, breiprogrammering, één prototype en één correctieronde) in 15-25 dagen. Kasjmier- en mohairmodellen worden apart geoffreerd en verzending wordt tegen kostprijs berekend. De productie start pas nadat u het fysieke monster hebt goedgekeurd, vanaf 30 stuks per kleur met maten mixbaar binnen de 30. Een monster verplicht u niet tot productie; kleding voor persoonlijk gebruik maken we niet.
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