From initial brief to goods at the port of Mombasa. Here's exactly how the process works, what we need from you at each stage, and what to expect on timeline, cost, and Kenyan import clearance.
Ordering knitwear from a Turkish manufacturer for the first time involves a different process than buying from a local supplier or placing a re-order with someone you already work with. The process has more steps, a longer timeline, and requires more upfront communication — but it produces a genuinely custom garment at a quality level that's hard to source locally, from an English-speaking partner that complements Kenya's own textile sector rather than competing with it. There is no tariff advantage over China here — Turkish and Chinese knitwear face the same EAC Common External Tariff — so this is a quality, capability, and China+1 decision, not a duty play. Here's how it works with us, step by step.
Share whatever you have: a tech pack, a reference image, a sketch, or a description of what you want to make. The more specific you can be on stitch structure, gauge, yarn type, colours, size range, and target quantity, the faster we can give you useful numbers. We don't require a finished tech pack to start — we can help develop the construction spec from a reference. Business is conducted in English throughout, so nothing gets lost in translation.
What we need at minimum: style category (pullover, cardigan, vest, etc.), target gauge range, yarn type (merino, cotton, cashmere blend, etc.), colourway count, size range, and approximate order quantity. Send to info@kiwigiyim.com or via WhatsApp at info@kiwigiyim.com.
Response time: 1 business day with a preliminary CMT range or follow-up questions. See our OEM knitwear capabilities for what we can build.
We produce a proto sample at $80–180 including courier shipping to Kenya. The sample is produced in the specified stitch structure and gauge, in your closest available yarn if the exact spec yarn isn't in stock. We ship via DHL or FedEx express to your Nairobi or Mombasa address.
Sample review: evaluate fit, construction quality, stitch definition, and hand feel. If revisions are needed, we produce a revised sample at a reduced fee or incorporate changes into bulk if the revisions are minor. Most programmes need one proto and one revision sample before bulk.
Payment: sample fee paid in full before production (T/T bank transfer or credit card via invoice link). Sample courier values are low enough that import handling in Kenya is straightforward.
Once the sample is approved, we issue a formal purchase order confirmation with: style details, yarn spec, colourways, quantities per size, unit CMT price, total amount, and the production and delivery timeline. You confirm and pay a 30% deposit. Prices are quoted in USD; you settle in KES at your bank's prevailing rate.
At this stage we also: confirm yarn availability and source your specified fibre if not already in stock; schedule the production slot (typically 2–4 weeks from deposit to production start); confirm export documentation requirements and the PVoC route for Kenyan clearance (more on that in step 5). If you're still comparing partners, our wholesale knitwear supplier page covers terms in more depth.
Most programmes run 45–60 days from production start to goods-ready. Complex constructions (intarsia, multi-stitch jacquard, WHOLEGARMENT) or larger quantities may add 1–2 weeks. We send a production update at the midpoint and a pre-shipment QC report when production is complete. Our minimum order is 250 pieces per colour/size.
Pre-production sample: one unit produced at the start of the bulk run for final construction confirmation. If you want this couriered to you for review before we run the full order, we can arrange that — it adds 7–10 days. Most clients with an approved proto skip this for faster delivery.
When production is complete, we send the final QC report with measurements and photo documentation. You pay the 70% balance, and we ship. Standard shipment is ocean LCL (less than container load) from Mersin port; transit to the port of Mombasa is typically 18–25 days via the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean, with inland haulage onward to Nairobi.
Documentation included: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, fibre content, and certificate of origin. Because Kenya operates a Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) programme, we coordinate inspection at origin so your shipment arrives with a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) — without it, KEBS clearance stalls. Your side opens an Import Declaration Form (IDF) before shipment and clears through KRA on arrival.
Incoterms: we typically quote FOB Mersin or CIF Mombasa. DDP (delivered duty paid) can be arranged for an additional fee via our freight forwarder — note that EAC Common External Tariff duty on apparel (around 25%) plus 16% VAT applies on landing whichever Incoterm you choose, the same as it would on Chinese-made goods.
| Stage | Duration | Your action |
|---|---|---|
| Brief → Proto start | 3–5 days | Send brief, confirm sample spec, pay sample fee |
| Proto production | 10–14 days | Wait |
| Proto review & revision | 5–14 days | Review, request revisions, approve |
| Order confirmation → production start | 14–28 days | Confirm PO, pay 30% deposit, open IDF |
| Bulk production | 45–60 days | Review midpoint update, approve QC report |
| Balance payment → shipment | 3–5 days | Pay 70% balance, confirm PVoC inspection |
| Ocean transit to Mombasa | 18–25 days | Arrange clearing agent, KEBS & KRA clearance |
| Total (first order) | ~16–21 weeks | Plan your collection calendar accordingly |
No — and we won't pretend otherwise. There is no free trade agreement between Turkey and Kenya, so Turkish knitwear lands under the same EAC Common External Tariff (around 25% on apparel) plus 16% VAT as Chinese-made goods. We compete on quality, China+1 supply-chain resilience, in-house WHOLEGARMENT capability, and being an English-speaking partner that complements Kenya's own textile production — not on price or duty.
We coordinate the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity inspection at origin so your goods ship with a Certificate of Conformity, which KEBS requires for clearance. On your side you open an Import Declaration Form (IDF) and engage a clearing agent to handle KEBS and KRA processing on arrival at Mombasa. We supply every supporting document the inspection and clearance need — fibre content, test data, invoice, packing list, and certificate of origin.
Yes. We welcome buyer visits to our facility in Tekstilkent, Gaziantep. Many first-time Kenyan buyers visit during proto development or before placing their first bulk order. We'll arrange transport from Gaziantep airport. Give us two weeks' notice so we can schedule around production.
We work with both. Private label brands (your branding, your design) make up the majority of our programmes. We also produce for wholesale brands supplying retail accounts across the East African Community (EAC) — a single market of roughly 300 million people with Kenya and Nairobi as the regional hub. We don't sell under our own brand — everything we produce carries your label. See our cotton sweater and merino cardigan programmes.
FOB Mersin is our standard. We can also arrange CIF to Mombasa, or DDP (landed and delivered to Nairobi) via our freight partner. FOB gives you control over freight, insurance, and your own clearing agent; CIF and DDP are more hands-off for your team. We'll recommend based on your logistics setup — and on every option, EAC duty and VAT land the same way.
Send your brief or tech pack. We'll reply within 1 business day with a preliminary CMT range and any questions about your construction. No commitment required at this stage.
Order Process Guides
Step 1
What to ask a Turkish factory before you brief — capability, MOQ, samples and references.
Read guide →Step 2
From proto to your own label: how sampling and private-label production work end to end.
Read guide →Step 3
EAC Common External Tariff, 16% VAT and why there's no duty edge over China — costed honestly.
Read guide →Step 4
KEBS, PVoC and the Certificate of Conformity — what your factory must deliver pre-shipment.
Read guide →Planning
Mersin to Mombasa transit, IDF, clearance through KRA and inland haulage to Nairobi.
Read guide →