You have the design idea. Here's the manufacturing side — what you actually need to know to go from concept to a real knitwear product in your hands, duty-free and UK-compliant.
Starting a knitwear brand in the UK is more achievable than most first-time founders expect — and more complex than most tutorials suggest. The manufacturing side has specific knowledge requirements that fashion generalism doesn't prepare you for: knitwear is not cut-and-sew, the MOQ model is different, the compliance requirements are specific, and the sourcing geography matters more than for most other garment categories. This guide covers the manufacturing and sourcing path from idea to first order — what to do first, what to decide early, and where first-time founders lose time and money.
Before sourcing, understand what you're actually making. Knitwear is not "knitted fabric" cut and sewn. Flat-knit knitwear — the jumpers, cardigans and dresses you are probably thinking of — is knitted to shape on specialist machines. The distinction matters for everything that follows:
Flat-knit produces shaped panels — front, back, sleeves — on a flat-knit machine (Shima Seiki, Stoll). The panels are joined by a skilled linker. The fabric is not cut from a roll and sewn; it is formed to shape on the machine. A different skill set, different machines, different factory type from a cut-and-sew operation.
You don't specify "150gsm jersey". You specify gauge (3gg–14gg) and yarn (lambswool, merino, cashmere, cotton). Gauge determines the density of the knit; yarn determines the hand-feel and price. These are the fundamental decisions that shape the character of the finished garment — they need to be made before sampling, not after.
A knitwear sample involves writing the machine programme for your specific construction, gauge and measurements — this is original technical work, not adapting an existing pattern. First samples typically take 10–14 days from tech pack; 2–3 rounds of revisions are normal. Total sampling stage: 4–8 weeks. Plan this into your launch timeline.
Flat-knit MOQs for new clients at serious factories typically start at 250 pieces per colourway per style — not per order. A two-colour run in three styles = 6 production runs, each at 250 minimum. This is the unit from which you plan your first collection. Understanding this early prevents over-designing a first capsule that you can't afford to produce.
Your retail price determines your maximum allowable cost — which constrains your yarn, gauge and construction choices. A £120 retail jumper with standard DTC margins works back to a FOB cost of approximately £18–25. A £280 premium retail price allows £45–65 FOB. Know your price architecture before specifying yarn — merino at 12gg has a different FOB from lambswool at 7gg, and both are right for different price points.
AW or SS? Jumpers or cardigans? Fitted or oversized? These decisions drive gauge and yarn choice. AW chunky at 3–5gg in lambswool is a different factory conversation from SS fine-gauge at 12gg in cotton. Be specific — "knitwear" is too broad to source efficiently. Narrow to two or three specific styles for your first collection.
For a first knitwear collection, we consistently see better outcomes from brands that start with 2–3 styles in 1–2 colours each, rather than 8 styles in 4 colours. Fewer styles means more focus in sampling, lower capital requirement at MOQ, and faster route to learning what sells. Expand in Season 2 based on actual demand. Three styles you've sold through beats eight styles you couldn't move.
DTC (your own website), wholesale (boutiques, department stores), or both? The answer affects your compliance requirements, your size run, your packaging, and your payment terms with the factory. DTC brands control the timeline and product story; wholesale requires buyer compliance documentation (SMETA, RSL, vendor onboarding). Starting DTC and opening wholesale in Season 2 is a common and effective path.
Collect reference garments for each style you want to produce — physical garments from the market that represent the gauge, construction and hand-feel you're targeting. These are more useful than mood boards or sketches for factory communication. They tell the factory the gauge, yarn type and construction in one physical object. Source them from charity shops, sample sales or brands you admire — this is standard practice in the industry.
A tech pack is the document the factory manufactures from. It needs: a flat technical sketch (front and back), the yarn specification (fibre, count, certification), the gauge, the construction (plain jersey, cable, rib), a measurement chart in your target size (not just "size 10 — UK standard"), colourway references (Pantone or physical swatch), and label instructions. You can commission a tech pack from a freelance knitwear technician (£150–400 per style) or do it yourself if you have the technical knowledge. We can also work from a reference garment plus your colour and material brief — describe what you want and we'll close the specification gaps.
Send your tech pack (or reference garment brief) to 2–3 factories and request indicative FOB pricing. Don't over-distribute — factories take time to respond seriously and more than 3 simultaneous enquiries can read as shopping around, reducing the quality of responses. For a new UK brand approaching a Turkish factory: include your timeline, your intended first order size, and your route to market. A clear brief from a serious buyer gets a more useful response.
Once you have a factory you want to work with and indicative pricing that fits your model, order first samples. Pay the sample cost (typically £60–150 per style to UK by DHL). Review against your reference garment and tech pack — fit, gauge, yarn, construction, finish quality. Write specific, objective comments (measurements, construction differences, yarn discrepancy) — not vague feedback ("make it better"). Return comments to the factory and request revisions. Budget for 2–3 rounds.
When you're satisfied with the sample, mark it "Approved" and photograph every angle. This approved sample is the legal standard against which bulk production will be measured. Request the firm bulk quote — final FOB pricing against confirmed quantity, confirmed delivery date, and payment terms. Standard new-client terms: 30% deposit on order placement, 70% against bill of lading.
Issue a purchase order (a simple document: style, colour, sizes, quantity, unit price, total value, delivery date, Incoterm, payment terms). Pay the 30% deposit. Production begins. The factory will send you a TOP (top-of-production) sample at approximately day 40 — one piece from the actual bulk run. Check it against the approved sample. If it matches, release the balance payment. If it doesn't, investigate before releasing payment.
If you've ordered FOB: instruct your freight forwarder to book the sea freight from Mersin to Felixstowe once production is complete. The factory sends you the commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading plus the EUR.1 origin certificate. Your customs broker files the UK import entry, citing the EUR.1 to claim 0% duty under the UK–Türkiye FTA. Goods arrive in ~10–14 days. Balance payment made against bill of lading before release.
Goods arrive at your warehouse or 3PL. Inspect a sample of cartons against the packing list and the approved sample — count pieces, check labels, verify folding and packaging. Any discrepancies should be documented and raised with the factory immediately. Then: photograph products, list on your site, launch. Learn what sells, what the feedback is, what fits well. These are the inputs to Season 2.
A realistic budget for a first UK knitwear collection (2–3 styles, 1 colour each, 250 units per style):
| Cost item | Indicative cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tech packs (3 styles) | £0–£1,200 | £0 if you do it yourself; £300–400/style if commissioned |
| Sampling (3 styles × 2 rounds) | £400–£900 | £60–150/sample to UK by DHL; 2 rounds average |
| Production (3 styles × 250 units × $24 FOB avg) | ~£14,000–£18,000 | Varies significantly by yarn/gauge; 30% deposit at order |
| Freight (LCL Mersin→Felixstowe + UK delivery) | £800–£1,500 | ~3–5 CBM total for 750 pieces; LCL rate + UK haulage |
| UK import duty | £0 | 0% FTA with EUR.1 — this is the saving vs China |
| UK customs broker | £150–£300 | One-time clearance fee plus disbursements |
| Labels, swing tags, packaging | £200–£600 | Woven care labels, brand labels, polybags, tissue |
| Total first collection | ~£16,000–£22,500 | 750 units, 3 styles; varies by price point |
This is a rough estimate — it rises significantly with higher-value yarns (cashmere vs lambswool) and falls with better unit economics at higher volumes. The key variable is FOB unit price, which is driven by yarn, gauge and construction.
Eight styles in four colours is not a first collection — it's a catalogue. At 250 units MOQ, that's 8,000 pieces and ~£45,000+ in inventory before you've sold a single jumper. Start with three styles. Learn what sells. Design more in Season 2 based on evidence, not enthusiasm.
The pressure to move forward after 2–3 sample rounds is real. Approve the sample anyway if you're not fully satisfied, and that dissatisfaction gets multiplied by 250 pieces. The sample round is the cheapest point to fix problems. Pay for another round if you need to — it is always cheaper than a bulk production run that misses specification.
The timeline from deposit payment to first sale is typically 14–20 weeks. Your cash is deployed for that period before any revenue. For a self-funded brand, model this explicitly: deposit week 1, balance week 8–9, goods arrive week 10–11, first sales week 12. The working capital needed bridges the deposit-to-revenue gap — don't underestimate it.
Labels need to be specified in the tech pack, approved on the sample, and sewn in at the factory. A brand that receives 750 unlabelled jumpers in the UK and then has to arrange domestic relabelling has created an expensive, time-consuming problem. Label spec is part of the manufacturing specification — not an afterthought.
First-time importers often don't know to instruct their customs broker to claim the UK–Türkiye FTA 0% duty. The broker files at the standard rate (~12%) unless told otherwise, and the saving is lost. Tell your broker explicitly: "EUR.1 certificate is included — please claim UK–Türkiye FTA preference on the import entry." Check your import declaration shows 0% before paying any duty.
The cheapest quote produces the most expensive outcome if the factory can't hold quality at bulk, can't meet the delivery date, or disappears after the deposit. For a first-time brand, the risk of a bad factory relationship is higher than the risk of paying slightly more for a reliable one. Check references, ask for client examples in a similar category, and visit if you can.
Standardised fibre names, percentage by weight, in English. Legal requirement under UK Textile Products Regulations. Built into the garment at the factory, not added later.
ISO 3758 care symbols appropriate for the yarn. Not strictly mandatory under UK law, but required by every retail buyer and expected by consumers. Approved on sample.
"Made in Türkiye" — not legally mandated on garments in the UK, but expected by buyers and required for consistency with your EUR.1 customs declaration.
Confirms restricted substance compliance for UK REACH. Not required to show at point of sale but essential if a retail buyer or regulator asks for documentation.
Send us what you have — a reference garment, a mood board, or a brief description of your first styles. We'll tell you what we can make, the gauge and yarn options at your price point, and what sampling looks like. No commitment at enquiry stage.
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