How to import clothes from China with your own brand

Here’s how to import clothing for the European market from China

In order to know how to import clothes from China, you must first understand how the production district system works, learn to recognize the characteristics of the products and finally understand how to deal with the supplier.

Did you know, for example, that many suppliers require the purchase of a minimum quantity of products or that there are safety standards to be met on the goods?

In this article we will try to clarify this complicated system, so that you can be able to import clothing from China without any problems.

What you need to know to import private label clothing from China

In recent years, Chinese clothing producers have faced competition from producers in Asian countries who have jumped into this sector. The Chinese, however, remain strong in the production of technical fabrics and retain an advantage over their competitors. Most of the Chinese garment factories are located in the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, but especially in the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong: it is therefore with the suppliers located in these places that you must report.

If you want to import clothing from China to launch your brand on the market, you can do so by asking the supplier to make the garments you want for you, or you can decide to start from standard models that you can modify according to your tastes and your needs.

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Do not expect to be able to consult a catalog of products to choose from, from Chinese factories you will only have reference samples that you can modify (called ODM products) and to which you can add your brand. When you place an order, you must therefore be the one to outline the product specifications, not only the technical ones, but also all the regulations to which the goods must comply.

We advise you to be as specific as possible because in the absence of indications the manufacturer could act independently and the risk would be to see you deliver goods that are not suitable for your needs. So remember to provide these specifications:

sizes
size and quantity table requested;
design drawings
list of materials and components;
Yarn type;
colours;
quality requirements, treatments and coatings;
requirements for substances;
technical regulations
labelling specifications (washing symbols, material specification, size, country of origin);
file of your logo if you decide to create custom branded products.

You should also know that textile manufacturers are specialized and differ depending on the type of clothing, the materials used and the sectors of reference. If you want to import sportswear from China, for example, you will have to choose between who makes fitness garments, who for cycling, who for boxing and so on. Generally speaking, those who produce this product rely on subcontractors for the supply of materials and components that can determine the quality of the final products.

So you have to think carefully about what kind of goods you want because even if you can find a reliable supplier it is not necessarily able to ensure high quality goods. This problem can be solved by sending the supplier the specification of the materials to be used to make the items: for example, you can ask for 100% organic cotton, or you can send him a reference fabric from which he must start.

How to import clothes from China: minimum order quantity

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Even the minimum quantity of products to be ordered can mislead Western buyers. In fact, there are:

a minimum quantity per product, that is the minimum number of pieces that must be produced at the factory in order to make a profit and that is determined by the manufacturer;
a minimum quantity of sizes, i.e. the minimum number of sizes to be purchased for each size, to be determined before defining the total number of products;
a minimum quantity to be ordered both by fabric and by colour, since the fabrics are in turn purchased by subcontractors who demand a minimum order in turn.

Conformity requirements of the goods

If you intend to sell the goods within the European Union, you must indicate the reference regulations that product standards must comply with: an example is reach (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals) which limits the use of chemicals and heavy metals in clothing products.

Products that do not comply with this legislation are seized and those who sell them receive salty fines. To understand if the products are in line with the rules dictated by the country in which the sale is to be made, it is necessary to subject samples to conformity tests: in China there are several companies qualified to carry out this type of operation.

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Ideally, you should find a supplier who already works with your home country and is therefore already aware of the standards required by the European market. You can even find suppliers who work for big brands in the clothing industry: ordering your ODM products from them means working on models already successfully launched in the market, which you can modify according to your needs.

How to import clothes from China seamlessly

If you want to get in touch with reliable suppliers, you can contact Yakkyofy: you will not have bargaining problems, you will not have to worry about checking the conformity of the goods or even shipping and customs.

Yakkyofy provides a 360° service that helps you in the procurement of wholesale products from China, in the control of certifications and quality control, up to the organization of shipments, customs clearance and home delivery.

We can help you to: