An honest comparison for US brands weighing Turkey against China and Vietnam — Section 301 tariffs, ocean freight to US coasts, MOQ, CPSIA compliance and IP.
For US brands, Asia long meant lowest unit cost — but Section 301 tariffs, long ocean lead times and high MOQs have changed the math. Turkey sits between: no Section 301, faster freight to both US coasts, a 250 MOQ and CPSIA-ready compliance. Here's the honest breakdown against China and Vietnam.
| Factor | Turkey (Kiwi) | China | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sample lead time | 10–14 days | 2–3 weeks | 2–3 weeks |
| Bulk lead time | 45–60 days | 6–8 weeks | 6–8 weeks |
| Ocean transit to New York | ~12–14 days | 28–35 days | 30–35 days |
| US Section 301 tariff | None | Applies (China-specific) | None |
| CPSIA / Prop 65 readiness | Excellent | Moderate | Moderate |
| IP / design protection | Strong | Moderate–weak | Moderate |
| Factory visit | No visa, ~10–11h flight | Visa, 14–16h | Visa, 16–18h |
| Best for | Mid-sized, design-led | Huge single-SKU runs | Large basics |
Figures are indicative and vary by style, yarn and season.
Section 301 applies to Chinese-made apparel for US imports; Turkey carries none of it — often closing the gap before lead time even counts. Confirm current rates with your customs broker.
~15 days ocean to LA via Mersin, ~12–14 to New York — versus 28–35 days from China. Quicker season turns, less inventory risk.
250 pieces per colour and per size, each knitted as its own fully-fashioned programme — a real production run for US indie and DTC brands.
CPSIA tracking labels, Prop 65 disclosure and English documentation — and a no-visa, ~10–11h flight to visit the floor.
Straight talk: for ultra-low-cost commodity basics, Bangladesh and Vietnam still hold a price edge, and for extremely large single-SKU runs (10,000+ of one style) China's scale can win on unit cost. For mid-sized, design-led, compliance-sensitive knitwear with fast turns — that's Turkey's lane.
Send a tech pack or a brief. We respond within one business day with a capacity check, indicative pricing and a sample timeline — compare it against your Asia landed cost.