Routes, ports, realistic transit times and who handles what — the freight basics for a US brand bringing sweaters in from Turkey.
One of Turkey's quiet advantages for US brands is geography. From the Mediterranean ports near our factory, ocean transit to the US East Coast runs roughly two weeks — versus four to five weeks trans-Pacific from China. Shorter lanes mean tighter season turns and less cash sitting in a container.
| Mode / lane | From Turkey | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean → US East Coast (Savannah, NY/NJ, Charleston) | ~2 weeks | Bulk production |
| Ocean → US West Coast (LA / Long Beach) | longer | West-based DCs |
| Air freight | days | Samples, urgent top-ups |
Indicative transit only — actual times depend on carrier, schedule, season and port conditions.
The Incoterm decides where our responsibility ends and yours begins. The three you'll meet most:
You (or your forwarder) take over at our door and arrange everything onward. Maximum control, maximum admin on your side.
We get the goods cleared for export and loaded at the Turkish port; you handle the ocean leg, US customs and delivery. The common middle ground.
Door to door, duties included, quoted as one landed number. Simplest for you; we coordinate with your forwarder or ours.
If your order is under ~15 CBM, LCL (shared container) is the practical option. Your cargo consolidates with other shippers at the port. You pay only for the cubic meters you use — good for 250–1,000 pcs orders that don't fill a box. Transit adds ~3–5 days for consolidation/deconsolidation at each end.
A 20' FCL holds roughly 25–28 CBM and a 40' holds ~55–60 CBM of packed knitwear. For larger orders (2,000+ pcs depending on weight), FCL is usually cost-effective per unit and faster through the port — your container moves as a unit without co-loading delays.
Air is standard for samples, prototypes, and urgent stock replenishments. Door-to-door Istanbul to major US cities runs 3–5 days. Cost per kg is dramatically higher than ocean — it makes sense when speed justifies the freight premium or when the order is very small (say, a sample run of 5–10 pcs).
Your customs broker files the entry and pays duty on your behalf as importer of record. You'll want a commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading that match, the correct HTS classification, and — increasingly important for cotton knitwear — the traceability documentation to answer any UFLPA question. We supply clean, consistent export paperwork so the entry is straightforward.
| Stage | Typical duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sample approval | 10–14 days | After tech pack received — can air-ship sample for review |
| Pre-production | 5–7 days | Yarn confirmation, swatch sign-off |
| Production (250–500 pcs) | 20–30 days | Depends on style complexity and gauge |
| Quality + packing | 3–5 days | AQL inspection, labeling, export cartons |
| Ocean transit (E. Coast) | ~14 days | Port Mersin → Savannah / NY / Charleston |
| US customs clearance | 1–5 days | Varies by broker, port, and exam rate |
| Total (first order) | ~8–10 weeks | Repeat orders run faster (2–3 days pre-prod) |
Tell us your destination and timeline. We'll quote EXW, FOB or DDP and lay out an honest production-plus-transit schedule you can plan a launch around.
