What is the typical MOQ for shirts manufacturing?

VANRD's minimum order quantity for custom shirts is 100 pieces per color per style. It is a per-color minimum rather than a per-order minimum, so a two-color program starts at 200 pieces and a four-color program at 400. Sizes can be mixed inside a colorway as long as the total for that color reaches 100.

A 100-piece order and a 1,000-piece order are not the same economics. Pattern development, fabric minimums, and trims that carry their own supplier minimums are fixed costs, and at 100 pieces they are absorbed by a small number of garments. The practical consequence is that unit cost at the minimum is the highest you will pay — every additional piece lowers the average.

Three things can push the minimum higher:

• Custom-dyed colorways carry their own mill dye-lot minimum on top of the garment minimum.
• Specialist constructions — a woven shirt program runs on pattern accuracy where a knit program runs on fabric hand-feel.
• Exclusive trims — custom zipper pulls, branded drawcord tips, custom buttons and patch work each carry a supplier minimum of their own.

Once button specification including size, color and spacing is approved, a second or third colorway becomes a fabric and trim decision rather than a new development cycle. Brands that plan for a reorder before the first order usually start with one color on a spec designed to accept more.

Sampling runs 7–10 days after the specification and available materials are confirmed, and bulk production takes 30–45 days after pre-production approval.

Send us your target quantity per color and size range and we will confirm the minimum against your actual custom shirt fabric and trim choices, rather than quoting a generic number — contact VANRD.