At the beginning of cooperation, many clients ask what the minimum order quantity for a sweater collection is and why the limit is set at 200 pieces.
In this article, we answer these questions — explaining the cost-related and organizational factors that determine the MOQ level at Piwi Femma SKA.
Why do costs influence the MOQ for a sweater collection?
Each sweater production order involves a preparation stage.
This production preparation includes, among others:
- creating technical documentation,
- ordering a small quantity of yarn to make the prototype,
- physically producing this prototype.
These steps generate specific costs, such as:
- cost of the yarn used for the prototype – usually €30–100,
- shipping cost of the yarn from the spinning mill – about €30–40,
- labor costs for preparing documentation, knitting the fabric and sewing the sample – many hours of specialist work.
The average cost of prototype preparation can be estimated as:
- for sweaters: 2000–2500 PLN,
- for accessories (scarves, hats, gloves): 800–1000 PLN.
This cost is incurred with every new production setup, regardless of the order size.
It remains the same whether the order is for 200 pieces or 1000 pieces.
Another question is who covers this cost – the client or the manufacturer.
It is often invisible because it may be “hidden” within the unit price.
A manufacturer may declare that the preparation cost is “zero”, but in practice these expenses are included in the total product price.
At Piwi Femma, we follow a principle of full cost transparency.
The preparation cost is initially covered by the client and later refunded depending on the size of the confirmed order.
How does the preparation cost refund work at Piwi Femma?
Sweaters and other large garments:
- order of 200+ pcs → refund 600 PLN,
- order of 300+ pcs → refund 1200 PLN,
- order of 1000+ pcs → full refund.
Accessories (hats, scarves, gloves):
- order of 200+ pcs → refund 300 PLN,
- order of 300+ pcs → refund 600 PLN,
- order of 1000+ pcs → full refund.
With this in mind, it’s easy to calculate how the preparation cost affects the unit price.
If the preparation cost is 2500 PLN, then for a batch of 200 pieces it equals 12.50 PLN per item.
In European market terms, that’s only a few percent of the total garment cost – a reasonable level that doesn’t significantly affect the final price.
However, the same cost for a batch of 50 pieces equals 50 PLN per item, or 20–30% of the product’s value.
Such an increase cannot be hidden in the unit price – the product would become too expensive and lose market competitiveness.
How does production organization define the MOQ?
Every manufacturing company must maintain a balance between its departments.
For example, the knitting department should produce as much knitted fabric as the sewing department can process within the same timeframe.
If the knitting output is too high, the sewing team can’t keep up.
If it’s too low, the sewing team will experience downtime.
The same applies to the production preparation department (PPD).
Its capacity is aligned with the overall size of the factory.
If the PPD develops a certain number of prototypes, the production department expects a corresponding production volume from those designs.
When that volume is too small, it leads to inefficiency and idle time.
This is the second main reason why the minimum order quantity (MOQ) at Piwi Femma is set at 200 pieces.
What if I need a smaller batch?
Brands or designers who are not ready to produce a 200-piece batch may look for workshops offering lower MOQs or single-piece production.
Such options do exist, but they usually come with higher unit costs and lower production efficiency.
Conclusion
Experience shows that with an order of 200 pieces, it’s possible to maintain the right balance between cost, time, and quality.
This is the scale at which all production stages — knitting, sewing, and preparation — run smoothly and harmoniously, and the final product consistently meets high standards.