From Product Development to Bulk Clothing Production
PRP Apparel has run OEM and ODM production from one factory in Humen Town, Dongguan since 2015. Every order — whether it’s a finished tech pack or a rough sketch — runs through the same nine-step process below, from fabric sourcing to the carton leaving the floor. The same production floor handles sampling, cutting, sewing, and quality control in-house rather than splitting the order across subcontractors.
MOQ
50 Pieces Per Style
not 50 total across an order
Sample Lead Time
12-15 Days
per round, 1-3 rounds standard
Bulk Lead Time
35-45 Days
from approved sample to shipped
Fabric Certification
OEKO-TEX Standard 100
available upon request
Nine Ways We Support Your Production, From First Sample to Final Shipment
OEM Clothing Manufacturing
We cut, sew, and finish to your own tech pack and specifications — you supply the design, we supply the factory floor. In-house capabilities include flatlock seaming, sublimation printing (AOP), pantone-matched solid dyeing, and bonded seam construction, so your order doesn’t get split across three subcontractors mid-production. Dongguan sits inside the Pearl River Delta’s garment manufacturing zone, which means direct access to fabric mills and trim suppliers without shipping components in from another region first. Standard production lead time is 35-45 days from approved sample to shipped bulk, and MOQ starts at 50 pieces per style — not 50 pieces total across colorways.
Best for: Brands with a finished tech pack or approved design.
You provide: Tech pack, size spec, approved reference.
Timeline: 35-45 days bulk production after sample approval.
ODM Clothing Manufacturing
If you don’t have a finished tech pack yet, our in-house design and pattern team can develop a garment from a written brief, a reference photo, or a rough sketch. We build the first pattern, cut a proto sample, and iterate with you before anything goes to bulk. This is the same team and the same floor that runs OEM production, so a design that starts as an ODM project doesn’t need to be re-quoted or handed to a different factory once the pattern is locked. Sample development at this stage typically takes 12-15 days per round, with most projects settling within 1-3 rounds before the pattern is approved for cutting.
Best for: Brands starting from a brief, sketch, or reference garment.
You provide: Design brief or reference image.
Timeline: 12-15 days per sample round, 1-3 rounds typical.
Private Label Clothing
Custom woven labels, heat-transfer neck tags, custom waistband branding, and custom packaging are available at the same 50-piece MOQ as blank production — we don’t push a higher minimum once branding gets involved. Garments ship with your labels sewn in and your packaging applied, not a generic factory tag that gets swapped out later. This matters most for first-time brand owners: the sample you approve is what your customer receives, down to the neck label.
Best for: Brands rebranding a base style under their own name.
You provide: Label/tag artwork, packaging spec.
Timeline: Same as standard production, no added lead time for branding.
Cut & Sew Manufacturing
Pattern cutting and garment construction happen on our own floor, not at a subcontractor who takes over mid-order once the easy part is done. Construction methods available in-house include flatlock seaming, bonded seams, and sublimation-printed panels cut and matched before assembly. Before placing a cut-and-sew order, brands typically need: a locked pattern or reference garment, a fabric selection with GSM confirmed, and a size range with graded measurements — we can help build any of these if they’re not ready yet.
Best for: Brands with a locked pattern ready for construction.
You provide: Pattern or reference garment, confirmed fabric and GSM.
Timeline: Included in standard 35-45 day bulk window.
Sample Development
Proto sample to pre-production (PP) sample approval typically runs 12-15 days per round, with 1-3 rounds standard before we cut for bulk. Sample cost runs $80-250 per set depending on construction complexity — sublimation AOP and multi-panel garments sit at the higher end, single-fabric basics at the lower end. Each round checks fit, seam placement, and fabric hand-feel against the approved tech pack before the next round of changes goes back to the pattern table.
Best for: Any order before bulk cutting begins.
You provide: Tech pack or reference plus fabric preference.
Timeline: 12-15 days per round, $80-250 per sample set.
Tech Pack Support
No tech pack yet? Our team can build one from a reference garment, a sketch, or a written description — body measurements, construction notes, seam allowances, and trim specifications all get documented before cutting starts. A tech pack that’s missing tolerance ranges (how much a measurement can deviate from target, typically ±¼ inch) is the single most common cause of fit disputes at PP sample stage, so we confirm tolerances explicitly before the pattern is finalized.
Best for: Brands without a finished tech pack.
You provide: A reference garment, sketch, or written description.
Timeline: Built alongside the first sample round.
Fabric Sourcing
Fabric is sourced and GSM-matched to your spec before the first cut — cotton, cotton-poly blends, French terry, fleece, performance knits (nylon/spandex, polyester/spandex), modal, and bamboo, depending on the category. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified fabric options are available upon request. ISO colorfastness testing (ISO 105-C06 for washing, ISO 105-X12 for rubbing, ISO 105-E04 for perspiration) is available on request, and GRS documentation is provided for recycled polyester (rPET) orders headed to markets that require it.
Best for: Brands unsure which fabric fits their budget or use case.
You provide: Target GSM, stretch, or hand-feel preference if known.
Timeline: Confirmed before first sample cut.
Quality Inspection
Line inspection happens throughout production, not just at the end — seam strength, stitch density, and colorfastness get checked at the sewing stage, before a garment reaches final QC. Pre-shipment AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit) checks confirm the finished order matches the approved PP sample before cartons are packed. For children’s sleepwear specifically, CPSC flammability compliance documentation is available on request.
Best for: Every order, standard on all production runs.
You provide: AQL inspection level preference if you have one (standard is Level II).
Timeline: Runs throughout production, final AQL check before shipment.
Pattern Making
Every style starts as a hand- or CAD-drafted pattern before it becomes a proto sample. Our pattern team drafts the base pattern from your tech pack or reference garment, then grades it across your full size range — the grading step is what determines whether a size run actually fits consistently or drifts as it scales up and down.
Best for: Any order that needs a new pattern, not just a resize of an existing block.
You provide: Tech pack, reference garment, or detailed sketch with measurements.
Timeline: Built alongside the first sample round, included in standard sample lead time.
Packaging
Packaging is built to your spec, not a generic factory default — poly bags, woven or printed hangtags, folded or hung presentation, and carton labeling that matches your SKU system. This is confirmed at the sample stage, so the PP sample you approve reflects the packaging your bulk order actually ships in, not just the garment.
Best for: Every order — packaging spec is set once and applied consistently across reorders.
You provide: Label/hangtag artwork, packaging preference (poly bag vs. box, folded vs. hung).
Timeline: Confirmed at sample stage, applied throughout bulk production.
Shipping Support
We help you choose between air freight and sea freight based on order size and timeline, and can arrange DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) shipping so your order clears customs and arrives at your warehouse without you handling the import paperwork directly.
Best for: Brands without an existing freight forwarder or import process set up.
You provide: Delivery address and target market (for duty/customs requirements).
Timeline: Air freight is faster and costs more per unit; sea freight is slower and cheaper — confirmed at quote stage based on your order size.
From First Inquiry to Shipped Order: The Five-Step Process
1
Inquiry & Quote
Send product type, target quantity, and timeline. We reply within one business day with a scoped quote.
2
Sample Development
12-15 days per round, 1-3 rounds typical, $80-250 per sample set. Fit, seams, and fabric hand-feel checked against the tech pack.
3
Sample Approval
You approve the PP (pre-production) sample. This is the exact standard the bulk order is measured against.
4
Bulk Production
35-45 days from approved sample. Cutting, sewing, and finishing run on our own floor, not subcontracted mid-order.
5
QC & Shipping
Line inspection throughout production, pre-shipment AQL check, then packing and worldwide shipping support to your target market.
OEM vs. ODM vs. Private Label — Which One Fits Your Order?
Choosing between the three service modes comes down to how finished your design already is when you reach out. Here’s how they break down side by side:
| Service | You Provide | We Provide | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| OEM | Finished tech pack or approved design | Cutting, sewing, finishing to spec | Brands with a locked design ready to produce |
| ODM | A brief, sketch, or reference garment | Pattern development + production | Brands still finalizing the design |
| Private Label | Your labels, branding, and packaging specs | Blank or branded garments at 50pc MOQ | Brands rebranding a base style under their own name |
What to Have Ready Before You Request a Quote
- Product type and category (e.g. hoodie, activewear set, private label tee)
- Target quantity per style (minimum 50 pieces)
- Reference image, sketch, or existing tech pack if available
- Target market (for compliance/certification needs, e.g. CPSC for US children’s sleepwear)
- Any fabric, GSM, or construction preferences
- Branding/labeling requirements if private label
- Rough timeline or target delivery date
Why Brands Work With PRP Apparel
PRP Apparel was founded in June 2015 in Humen Town, Dongguan — one of China’s established garment export hubs — by Andy Yu, who spent 2013-2015 running the export department at OMJ Fashion before starting PRP. Eleven years later, the factory runs on the same premise: we work to hit the lead times we quote, and the approved sample is the standard the bulk order is checked against before it ships. Current clients span the US, Europe, and Australia, with several long-term partnerships built on repeat orders rather than one-off runs. Full company background, including how the factory is organized and what “50 pieces per style” actually means in practice, is on the About Us page. The factory has operated from the same Humen Town location since founding, which means suppliers, subcontractors, and inspection partners built over eleven years are still the same relationships in place on every order today, not a network that gets rebuilt each time a factory changes hands.
A Recent Order
A U.S. streetwear brand came to us for a 200-piece hoodie order — from approved tech pack to shipped bulk production in 20 days, inside our standard lead-time window. The finished order passed pre-shipment AQL inspection before leaving the floor, matching the approved PP sample down to the stitch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the minimum order quantity for OEM clothing manufacturing?
50 pieces per style, not 50 pieces total across an order. This applies to blank and branded production alike — custom labels and packaging don’t push the minimum higher.
What's the difference between OEM, ODM, and private label manufacturing?
OEM means you supply a finished design and we produce to spec. ODM means we help develop the design from a brief or sketch before production starts. Private label means we produce a base style under your own labels and branding. See the comparison table above for a side-by-side breakdown.
How long does the sampling process take before bulk production starts?
12-15 days per round, with most projects needing 1-3 rounds before the pattern is approved. Sample cost runs $80-250 per set depending on construction complexity.
What's the production lead time after the sample is approved?
35-45 days from approved sample to shipped bulk order.
Do you provide fabric certifications like OEKO-TEX?
OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified fabric — and other certifications — available upon customer request. ISO colorfastness testing and GRS documentation for recycled polyester are available on request as well.
Can I get custom labels and packaging at a low order quantity?
Yes — custom woven labels, heat-transfer tags, waistband branding, and custom packaging are all available starting at the standard 50-piece MOQ.
What is OEM clothing manufacturing?
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) means we produce garments to your finished tech pack or approved design — you own the design, we handle cutting, sewing, and finishing.
What is ODM clothing manufacturing?
ODM (Original Design Manufacturing) means our in-house design and pattern team develops the garment from your brief, sketch, or reference before production starts.
What is private label clothing?
Private label means we produce a base style — one we already build — under your own labels, tags, and packaging, so it ships as your branded product.
Can you help with tech packs if I don't have one?
Yes. Our team can build a tech pack from a reference garment, a sketch, or a written description, documenting measurements, construction notes, and trims before cutting starts.
Can I provide my own fabric?
This is evaluated case by case at the quote stage — send your fabric spec or a swatch and we’ll confirm whether it fits our production line and timeline.
Do you offer sustainable or recycled fabric options?
GRS (Global Recycled Standard) documentation is provided for recycled polyester (rPET) orders headed to markets that require it. Availability depends on the specific fabric and category — confirm at quote stage.
What printing and embroidery methods are available?
Sublimation printing (all-over print), screen print, heat transfer, and embroidery are all available in-house, depending on fabric and design.
How is quality controlled during production?
Line inspection happens throughout production — seam strength, stitch density, and colorfastness are checked at the sewing stage, followed by a pre-shipment AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit) check against the approved PP sample.
Can you work with startup or first-time brands?
Yes. MOQ starts at 50 pieces per style specifically so brands can place a first order without overcommitting to inventory — no minimum order history or prior production volume required.
What information do I need to provide to get a quote?
Product type, target quantity, and a reference image or tech pack if you have one. See the buyer preparation checklist above for the full list that speeds up an accurate quote.
Do you handle shipping, or do I need my own freight forwarder?
We can arrange DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) shipping by air or sea, so the order clears customs and arrives at your warehouse without you managing the import process directly. If you already have a freight forwarder you prefer to use, we can also ship to their instructions instead.
Ready to Start Production?
Tell us what you’re building — product category, target MOQ, and rough timeline — and we’ll reply with next steps within one business day.