A Clothing Manufacturer for Startup Brands Placing Their First Order
PRP Apparel is a clothing manufacturer for startup brands and first-time founders — OEM, ODM, and private label production from one factory floor in Humen Town, Dongguan, at the same 50-piece minimum whether it’s your first order or your fifteenth. Send a tech pack, a reference garment, or just a rough idea, and we’ll reply with what it takes to get a sample started within one business day.
MOQ
50 Pieces Per Style
not 50 total across an order
SAMPLE LEAD TIME
12–15 Days
per round, 1–3 rounds typical
BULK LEAD TIME
35–45 Days
from approved sample to shipped order
SAMPLE COST
$80–$250
per set, by construction complexity
Built for Founders Who Haven’t Ordered Production Before
Most first-time brand founders have never placed a production order before, and the two questions that come up every time are how small the first run can actually be, and what happens if it doesn’t sell. PRP Apparel’s standard minimum is 50 pieces per style — not a special “beginner” tier with a catch, the same minimum a five-year account gets on a reorder. You’re not required to commit to a full collection to get started: a single style at 50 pieces is a complete order on its own, and custom woven labels, heat-transfer tags, and packaging are available at that same minimum without a higher accessory-only threshold. If you’re still mapping out what the design-to-production process looks like end to end, our guide to custom apparel manufacturing for startups walks through the stages in more depth — this page covers what we specifically do once you’re ready to place that first order.
We take orders three ways, and none of them assumes you’ve done this before. OEM works if you already have a finished tech pack. ODM starts from a brief, a sketch, or a reference garment you like and want adapted. Private label rebrands one of our existing base styles under your own labels and packaging — often the fastest path for a brand launching without an in-house designer. All three carry the same 50-piece minimum and the same sample process, so the path you choose is about where your design already is, not about which one costs less to start.
Sample development runs 12–15 days per round, with most first-time styles settling within 1–3 rounds before we cut for bulk — cost is $80–$250 per sample set depending on construction. If the first batch sells through, a reorder runs the same 35–45 day bulk lead time with no re-negotiation of terms and no requirement to redesign; if it doesn’t, you’ve tested the market at 50 pieces instead of the 500-plus minimum some factories require just to open an account.
Small Orders Get the Same Process as Large Ones
A 50-piece first order runs through the same checkpoints as a 500-piece repeat order — nothing about the process gets skipped or shortcut because the run is small. Fabric is weighed against spec, patterns are cut by the same team, and finished pieces are counted and checked before they’re packed. The details below are what that actually looks like on the floor.
Every fabric is weighed on a digital GSM scale against the spec on your tech pack or reference garment before cutting starts — so the fabric you approved on the swatch is the fabric that ships, even on a 50-piece first run.
Small first orders are cut on the same tables and by the same pattern team as our larger repeat orders — there’s no separate, lower-attention process for a 50-piece run.
Finished pieces are bundled, tagged, and checked against the order count by hand before they’re boxed — the kind of order-accuracy check that matters more, not less, when the run is small.
Startup Brand Production Specs
Every number below comes from our standard production terms — the same terms whether you’re ordering 50 pieces or 500.
| MOQ | 50 pieces per style — a single style is a complete order, no requirement to launch a full collection |
| Sample lead time | 12–15 days from order confirmation |
| Sample cost | $80–$250 per sample set, depending on complexity |
| Sample rounds | 1–3 rounds standard before bulk cutting |
| Bulk lead time | 35–45 days from approved sample to shipped order |
| Order paths | OEM (your tech pack) · ODM (from your brief) · Private Label (rebrand a base style) |
| Custom branding | Woven labels, heat-transfer tags, and packaging available at the same 50-piece MOQ |
| Reorder terms | Same 35–45 day lead time and pricing structure — no minimum increase for repeat orders |
| Cutting & printing | Sublimation AOP, screen print, heat transfer, embroidery, DTG |
| Fabric certification | OEKO-TEX Standard 100 available on request |
| Colorfastness testing | ISO 105-C06, ISO 105-X12, ISO 105-E04 on request |
Where This Fits: One Style or a Full Range
Startup brand orders usually start narrow — a single hero style to test before expanding — and that’s a normal way to begin, not a smaller version of a “real” order. Startup Brands is one of eight industries we build for, alongside fashion labels, streetwear, sportswear, and corporate uniform programs. If your first style is a more structured piece — a dress, a tailored top, anything needing pattern grading beyond a basic tee — see how we build for fashion brands placing full collections for the deeper construction detail. If you’re not sure which fabric fits your first style, see the full fabric range or send a swatch and we’ll match it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the minimum order for a brand's very first production run?
50 pieces per style — the same minimum whether it’s your first order or a repeat. A single style at 50 pieces is a complete order; you don’t need to launch a full range to get started.
Do I need a finished tech pack, or can I start with just an idea?
Either works. OEM production runs from a finished tech pack, ODM starts from a brief, a sketch, or a reference garment, and private label rebrands an existing base style under your own labels. All three use the same 50-piece MOQ.
Is there a minimum on custom labels or packaging if I'm only ordering 50 pieces?
No. Woven labels, heat-transfer tags, and custom packaging are available at the standard 50-piece MOQ — there’s no separate, higher minimum on branding or accessories.
Can I test just one style before committing to a full collection?
Yes. A single style at 50 pieces is a complete order on its own. Most first-time brands start with one hero style and expand the range once it sells.
How long does sampling take, and what does it cost?
12–15 days per round, with most first-time styles settling within 1–3 rounds before bulk cutting. Sample cost runs $80–$250 per set depending on construction complexity.
If my first batch sells well, what happens when I reorder?
A reorder runs the same 35–45 day bulk lead time and the same pricing structure as the first order — no re-negotiation, no requirement to redesign, and no minimum increase for repeat orders.
Ready to Place Your First Order?
Send a tech pack, a reference garment, or a rough sketch — along with the quantity you want to start with — and we’ll reply with a sample timeline and pricing within one business day.