No FTA discount, and freight is longer than from China. Here's an honest look at when a Turkish knitwear programme still makes sense for an Australian private-label range — and when it doesn't.
Sourcing knitwear from Turkey as an Australian brand means two things worth saying upfront: a Northern Hemisphere production calendar that doesn't automatically match your selling season, and sea freight longer than a run from China. What Turkey brings to a private-label programme isn't a tariff shortcut — Australia has no FTA with Turkey, unlike the UK or EU — it's fine-gauge WHOLEGARMENT and fully-fashioned flat-knit, a 250-piece minimum per colour/size, and a factory you can get the owner on a call with. Here's the process, the cost position, and how to plan around Australia's inverted seasons — including where China is honestly still the better call.
Australian buyers sometimes borrow the comparison from UK or EU sourcing content, where Turkey has a duty-free lane into Europe. That lane doesn't exist into Australia. Here's what actually differs:
| Factor | Turkey | China |
|---|---|---|
| Preferential tariff into Australia | None — no Australia–Turkey FTA | ChAFTA has phased most apparel tariffs down since 2015 |
| GST on import | 10%, same as any origin | 10%, same as any origin |
| Typical MOQ | 250 per colour/size | 500–1,000+ common |
| Sea freight to Melbourne/Sydney | ~5–6 weeks | ~3–4 weeks |
| Unit price band (comparable spec) | Mid — above China, below Western Europe | Lower, especially at volume |
| Supply chain visibility | Single site, direct with founder | Often multi-tier |
Indicative — confirm current tariff treatment for your HS code with a licensed Australian customs broker, and freight timing with your forwarder.
Using indicative figures for a mid-weight lambswool crewneck, 250 units per colour:
| Cost element | Turkey | China |
|---|---|---|
| FOB unit price | $32 | $24 |
| Ocean freight per unit (LCL est., to Melbourne) | $3.50 | $2.20 |
| GST (10%, generally recoverable if GST-registered) | ~$3.55 | ~$2.62 |
| Landed cost before duty | ~$39.05 | ~$28.82 |
| Transit time, production complete → port | ~5–6 weeks | ~3–4 weeks |
Duty is left out on purpose — get it in writing from a broker, not a blog post. Turkey has no FTA with Australia, so the general Customs Tariff rate for HS 61 applies. China, under ChAFTA, has had most apparel tariffs phased down since 2015, widening the gap further. Either way, China lands cheaper here on both price and speed — Turkey's case rests on MOQ, technique and consistency, not landed price.
A style in three colours across five sizes is 3,750 pieces total — or commit to one colourway at 250 to test before scaling. A materially smaller bet than most China minimums allow.
Northern Hemisphere AW knitwear is typically produced January–April for European delivery. Australia's AW season runs roughly April–August, so an Australian order can sometimes land in a quieter factory slot — worth asking your supplier directly.
Seamless, fully-fashioned knitting suits the fit and finish premium and DTC brands position against — a different shelf to the volume basics most China programmes serve.
Because Turkey–Australia sea freight runs longer than the China route, and Australia's AW season falls opposite the Northern Hemisphere's, planning needs to start earlier than you'd expect. A first programme, stage by stage:
Roughly four to six months, tech pack to shop floor, for a first order — shorter on repeat. Working backward: AW stock in-store by April means landed by March, shipped mid-January, bulk production started by November, tech pack locked by September the prior year. Plan from your shelf date, not your order date.
Distance and tariffs both favour China more for an Australian buyer than a European one. Where China is the better call:
A 3–4 week freight window versus 5–6 weeks is real for a brand restocking bestsellers monthly. If your model depends on fast reorders, that gap alone can outweigh anything Turkey offers.
Combine ChAFTA's reduced tariffs with a lower FOB price at scale, and a large commodity crewneck order will very likely land cheaper from China. Run your own numbers with a broker first.
If there's no retailer or ESG requirement pushing toward transparency, and price is genuinely the only variable, China's tariff and freight position wins outright for Australia.
No. Unlike the UK or EU, Australia has no FTA with Turkey, so Turkish knitwear gets no preferential tariff treatment — China has ChAFTA. Decide on MOQ, technique and diversification instead of duty.
Roughly four to six months from a locked tech pack to stock in an Australian warehouse, most of it sampling and production rather than freight. Repeat orders are faster.
250 pieces per colour, per size run — not 250 total. A style in three colourways across five sizes works out to 3,750 pieces. You can also run a single colour at 250 to test first.
Send your tech pack, target colours/sizes and rough volume. We'll quote ex-works Gaziantep so you can build the full landed-cost picture — freight, GST and duty — before committing to a WHOLEGARMENT programme.
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