MOQ stands for Minimum Order Quantity. It is the smallest number of units a manufacturer will produce in a single order. But the number itself tells you almost nothing without understanding why it exists.
Most conversations about MOQ focus on the wrong thing. Brands ask for the lowest number possible. Manufacturers quote a number. Neither side talks about what actually determines that number or why it matters.
Why Minimums Exist
Manufacturing is not retail. You cannot produce one shirt the same way you produce one thousand. The economics are completely different.
Every production run requires setup. Patterns must be prepared. Machines must be configured. Fabric must be cut in efficient layouts. Quality checkpoints must be established.
The main reason cost is higher for small orders is efficiency. Even for a limited batch, the factory must complete all setup steps: machine calibration, fabric cutting, stitching tests, and finishing. When the production line runs for a short time, those setup and labor costs are divided across very few units. This raises the cost per piece.
When quantities increase, the line runs steadily, production efficiency improves, and fabric waste drops since cutting layouts can be optimized for larger runs.
This not only lowers the cost per unit but also makes the process more sustainable. Less leftover fabric. Less thread waste. Less packaging material. Efficiency and sustainability move together.
What Actually Determines MOQ
There is no universal minimum. MOQ depends on what you are making.
Garment Complexity
A basic t-shirt requires minimal setup. Simple pattern. Standard construction. Machines stay configured the same way.
A tailored jacket requires extensive setup. Multiple pattern pieces. Specialized equipment for each operation. Linings. Interlinings. Structured construction. Each element adds setup time.
More complexity means more setup. More setup means higher minimum to make the production viable.
Fabric Requirements
Stock fabrics from existing inventory have lower requirements. Custom fabric developments require higher minimums.
Construction Method
Some construction methods require dedicated machine setup. Others flow through standard production lines.
Specialized finishing. Custom hardware. Unique washing treatments. Each adds setup requirements that affect the minimum viable quantity.
Color and Size Matrix
One style in one color and three sizes is one production setup.
The same style in five colors and eight sizes is forty SKUs. Each combination may require separate cutting, separate tracking, separate quality checks.
MOQ often applies per color, per style. Not total order. A 50 unit minimum across 5 colors means 250 units total.
How to Think About MOQ
Match MOQ to Product Stage
Testing a New Design
You need enough to validate fit, quality, and market response. Enough to learn.
Proven Product, Scaling Up
Higher quantities unlock better pricing and priority production. MOQ becomes less relevant because you need the volume anyway.
Consider Total Program Cost
A 100 unit order at $25 per unit costs $2,500.
A 500 unit order at $15 per unit costs $7,500 but gives you inventory for months and better margin when you sell.
The lower MOQ option is not cheaper. It is smaller. Different things.
Factor in Reorders
If you order 50 units and sell out in two weeks, you reorder. Another setup. Another minimum. Another lead time.
If you order 300 units based on reasonable demand forecasting, you avoid repeated setups and maintain inventory continuity.
Low MOQ for Luxury
We offer low minimums because we focus on quality, not quantity.
We obsess over the details that matter. Stitching. Seams. Construction. Fabric that holds up wash after wash, year after year. Not mass market garments where fabric gets a hole after one wash.
Skip the Global Infrastructure
Some brands believe they need to open operations overseas to get better pricing or lower minimums.
The math does not support this.
The Real Cost of "Going Direct"
A brand decides to set up sourcing in a manufacturing country. The minimum annual cost:
| Expense | Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Local office | $20,000 to $40,000 |
| Local staff | $50,000 to $80,000 |
| Travel for oversight | $15,000 to $30,000 |
| Compliance and quality audits | $10,000 to $20,000 |
| Logistics coordination | $15,000 to $25,000 |
| Total | $110,000 to $195,000 |
Now divide that by your order volume.
If you produce 5,000 units per year, your overhead adds $22 to $39 per unit before the factory even charges you.
That $8 shirt? It actually costs you $30 to $47 per unit when you include your operations.
Elkaiva already has this infrastructure. The relationships. The quality systems. The logistics. You pay one price. No hidden overhead. No offices to maintain. No staff to manage overseas.
We built this system so you do not have to.
How Elkaiva Handles MOQ
We do not quote one number for everything. MOQ depends on the garment.
A simple knit top with stock fabric can run at very low quantities. A structured jacket with custom fabric and specialized construction requires more.
Currently, we offer luxury women's dresses at very low minimums.
Low Orders, No Waste
Imagine you want 5 shirts. Even at this quantity, our cutting follows sustainability principles. We plan the layout to minimize waste. Leftover fabric gets allocated to future production or repurposed. Nothing gets thrown away because the order was small.
Low MOQ does not mean wasteful production. It means thoughtful production at smaller scale.
We evaluate each product individually:
- What is the construction complexity?
- What fabric is required?
- What setup does production need?
- What quantity makes the product viable for both of us?
Sometimes that number is 5. Sometimes it is 50. Sometimes it is 500. It depends on what you are making.
We would rather give you an honest number that works than a low number that compromises your product.
Let's Talk About Your Product
Tell us what you want to make. We will tell you what quantity makes sense and why.
Schedule a Call