Honest FOB price ranges for Turkish knitwear in 2026 — what drives cost up and down, and how the FTA 0% duty changes the landed-cost comparison with China for UK brands.
We get asked for a price before a tech pack exists more often than not. This guide gives you realistic FOB price ranges for common UK knitwear programmes from our flat-knit factory in Gaziantep in 2026, with an honest explanation of what pushes prices up or down — and how the UK–Türkiye FTA 0% duty changes the landed-cost comparison with China. These are not minimum quotes designed to win a conversation; they are real programme ranges.
| Style | Fibre / Gauge | FOB Turkey (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic crew-neck jumper | Acrylic blend, 7gg | $9–15 | Volume-sensitive; simple stitch |
| Cotton crew-neck | GOTS cotton, 7gg | $13–19 | Certified cotton premium |
| Lambswool jumper | Lambswool, 5–7gg | $18–28 | Natural fibre, texture variety |
| Merino fine-gauge | Extra-fine merino, 12gg | $22–32 | Fine gauge = more machine time |
| Cable-knit jumper | Lambswool or merino, 5–7gg | $19–30 | Stitch complexity adds cost |
| Cashmere-merino blend | 20/80 to 30/70, 12–14gg | $30–48 | Cashmere % drives price range |
| Pure cashmere | Grade A, 12–14gg | $48–80+ | Fibre cost dominant; grade and ply matter |
| WHOLEGARMENT seamless | Merino or cashmere-blend, 7–14gg | $28–55 | Lower finishing labour; machine programme cost |
| Intarsia or jacquard | Lambswool/merino, multi-colour | $24–40 | Colour count and repeat complexity add cost |
FOB prices are indicative for a 250–500 piece programme. Prices vary by exact spec, yarn grade, seasonal demand and order volume. These are realistic ranges, not minimum quotes — request a spec quote for your exact programme.
The single biggest driver in most programmes. Acrylic blend vs GOTS cotton vs extra-fine merino vs Grade A cashmere — fibre accounts for 40–60% of FOB cost. A half-percentage-point difference in cashmere grade or merino micron shows in the price.
Finer gauge takes longer to knit — a 14gg piece takes significantly more machine time than a 7gg equivalent at the same weight. Fine-gauge is worth the cost for luxury positioning; chunky 3gg or 5gg knits run quickly but use more yarn by weight.
Intarsia (colour isolation), jacquard (multi-colour repeat), cable (stitch transfer) and fully-fashioned shaping all add machine time and skill. A simple rib-knit crew-neck is the lowest-complexity benchmark; intarsia with 6-colour graphic is the upper end.
MOQ 250 is the minimum — pricing at 250 pieces is higher per unit than at 500 or 1,000. The step-change between 250 and 500 units is meaningful (typically 8–15% unit cost reduction); above 500, the curve flattens. Confirm the volume discount at your tech pack stage.
Repeat orders of an existing approved style — same yarn, same gauge, same construction — run more efficiently than a new programme. If you're scaling a proven style, you benefit from the reduced programme setup time and the factory's familiarity with the spec.
Factory capacity tightens for AW production from February–April and for Christmas from June–August. Booking early gives access to optimal machine time; late bookings may carry a small premium or face longer lead times. SS programmes are generally less capacity-constrained.
FOB price is not the number that matters — landed cost is. For UK brands, the 0% duty under the UK–Türkiye FTA changes the landed cost comparison materially.
| Cost element | Turkey (250 pcs) | China (500 pcs minimum) |
|---|---|---|
| FOB unit cost (merino jumper, indicative) | $26 | $20 |
| UK import duty | $0 (FTA 0%) | ~$2.40 (12% MFN) |
| Ocean freight (per unit, indicative) | ~$1.20 | ~$1.80 |
| Effective landed cost per unit | ~$27.20 | ~$24.20 |
| Units committed | 250 | 500+ |
| Working capital tied in inventory | Lower (fewer units) | Higher (more units) |
| Transit time | ~10–14 days | ~28–42 days |
The ~$3 landed cost gap narrows or closes once the value of lower MOQ (less dead stock risk), faster transit (more in-season reorders) and stronger IP protection are accounted for. At cashmere price points, the duty saving per unit is $4–9 — often closing or reversing the gap entirely.
A Turkish FOB price is made up of three layers. Understanding them helps you know where a quote is coming from and where there is room to move.
Yarn typically accounts for 40–60% of the FOB price, depending on fibre and gauge. Acrylic blend yarn runs at roughly $2–4/kg; GOTS cotton $4–7/kg; lambswool $8–14/kg; extra-fine merino $12–20/kg; Grade A cashmere $80–140/kg. At 12gg, a 300g garment uses 350–400g of yarn including waste. Yarn cost alone for a cashmere piece can exceed the total FOB of an acrylic equivalent.
A flat-knit factory earns by machine-hour. A 7gg basic crew-neck knits faster per kilo of yarn than a 12gg fine-gauge piece at the same weight — finer gauges make narrower loops, so each course takes longer. Cable stitch (stitch transfer) and intarsia (colour isolation, yarn carried or cut per course) add significant time on top of the base knitting time. CMT represents the remaining 40–60% of FOB after yarn.
Labour, electricity, machine amortisation, QC staff, sampling costs and margin are allocated per unit. At MOQ 250, more of the programme setup cost lands on each piece. At 1,000 units the overhead is spread further. This is why the 250→500 step-change in unit price (8–15% typical) is sharper than the 500→1,000 step-change.
Samples are priced differently from bulk. Understanding the distinction avoids surprises when the bulk quote arrives.
Pre-production samples are one-off items: the programmer sets up the machine, knits a single piece, the team inspects and finishes it. There is no scale. Sample pricing typically runs 3–6× the expected bulk FOB. On a $26 FOB merino cardigan, the sample cost at £80–120 is normal — it reflects the actual cost of a one-off unit with full-attention finishing and QC check.
Once you're in bulk, machine programmes are set and not touched again, yarns are in stock, the production line is familiar with your spec, and each piece's QC cost is fractional. The FOB price ranges in the table above are bulk prices for a confirmed spec and yarn at 250–500 pcs. A first sample is not a useful price reference for bulk — and neither is a quote given before a spec exists.
A fit sample tests construction and sizing — it may be in a substitute yarn or colour. A pre-production (PP) sample confirms the approved yarn, gauge and finish before bulk commences. Most programmes need both. Fit sample cost is at the higher end of the range (non-standard yarn substitution adds complexity); PP sample is slightly closer to bulk cost as the programme is already set.
Turkish knitwear prices in 2026 reflect two compounding factors from 2024–2025: yarn market movements and TRY/USD dynamics.
Merino and cashmere spot prices moved modestly upward in 2024–2025, driven by ongoing Australian clip reductions and Chinese demand recovery. Standard acrylic and cotton blends have been broadly stable. The net effect: premium-fibre programmes (merino, cashmere-blend) are 5–10% more expensive than equivalent 2024 programmes; commodity-fibre programmes are largely unchanged. UK buyers with frame agreements locked in 2024 may see renegotiations at the higher end.
The Turkish lira continued to depreciate against GBP and USD in 2024–2025. Factory overhead and labour costs are denominated in TRY; yarn is typically invoiced in USD or EUR. The lira depreciation has offset some of the labour cost pressure for international buyers — Turkish FOB prices in USD have risen less than Turkish domestic inflation would suggest. For UK buyers, GBP has been broadly stable against USD, so the net effect has been limited FOB increases.
Lead time pressure in H1 2026 has been tighter than previous years for AW26 programmes. Factories with strong UK/EU client bases are more fully booked through Q2 than in 2024. SS programmes remain less constrained. If you have an AW26 requirement, earlier dialogue (before March) has become increasingly important. This has not yet translated into price premiums but it has translated into some extended lead times for later bookings.
A price without a spec is not useful. To give you a number you can actually plan with, we need:
Jumper, cardigan, dress, accessory. Gauge preference (3gg to 14gg) or a reference garment — we can gauge-match from a physical sample.
Fibre type, blend ratio and grade (e.g. 100% extra-fine merino 17µ, or 20% cashmere / 80% merino). Certification requirement (OEKO-TEX, GOTS, GRS, RWS).
Plain, cable, intarsia or jacquard. Number of colours. Any special techniques (WHOLEGARMENT, pointelle, textured stitch).
Units per colour/style and UK size range (8–18 standard; plus-size runs to 24 on request). MOQ is 250 per colour/style.
Send a tech pack, a reference garment or a brief. We'll respond within 48 hours with an indicative FOB price and confirm whether the lead time fits your programme.
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