The lowest number may describe a different fabric, simpler construction, basic packing, or a quantity you are not ready to order.
Give every supplier the same quotation brief
A comparison starts with one shared specification. Send the same reference, base size, size range, fabric direction, colour count, quantity by style, branding, packing, destination, and target date to each supplier.
Mark any undecided item as undecided. Otherwise, suppliers will make different assumptions and the prices will look more comparable than they really are.
- Style reference and construction details
- Fabric composition, weight, finish, or performance direction
- Colours, size range, and quantity breakdown
- Labels, tags, packing, destination, and required date
Check what the unit price includes and excludes
Ask whether the quotation includes fabric, trims, print or embroidery, labels, individual packing, cartons, testing, inspection, local transport, and export documentation. A low garment price can increase later when these items are added.
Currency, tax treatment, payment terms, quotation validity, and delivery basis should also be written clearly. Do not fill in missing terms from memory or assumption.
Read MOQ and unit price together
MOQ may be controlled by fabric dyeing, printing, trim production, colour count, or factory line planning. Ask which part creates the minimum and whether the quantity is per style, colour, size, or total order.
A lower unit price at a much higher quantity is not a saving if the additional inventory is unlikely to sell. Compare the total order commitment, not only the price per piece.
Separate product development from bulk production
Confirm sample charges, courier costs, pattern or artwork fees, revision rounds, and whether any development cost is credited after a bulk order. Also ask what the sample timeline begins from: payment, fabric arrival, or final confirmation of the brief.
This reveals how much work is included before production and prevents sample revisions from becoming an unplanned cost.
Test whether the quoted timeline is realistic
A lead time should state what must happen before the clock starts. Fabric booking, print approval, size-set approval, label delivery, deposit, and production-slot availability can all affect the schedule.
Ask what happens if an approval is late and whether the shipment date is based on the approved sample. A detailed timeline is more useful than the shortest promise.
Build a comparison sheet that records assumptions
Use one row per cost or condition and one column per supplier. Record blank or unclear answers instead of forcing them into a number. Then compare commercial fit, communication quality, development approach, and risk as well as price.
- Product specification used for pricing
- MOQ and total order value
- Included and excluded costs
- Sample route and development fees
- Lead-time starting point and approvals
- Quality, packing, payment, and delivery terms
The objective is not to prove that one quotation is expensive. It is to understand what each supplier is actually offering.