Why do two manufacturers quote such different prices?
Clothing quotes differ when makers price different materials, work or order details; a useful comparison makes those assumptions match before judging the price.
Quick answers from this guide
Why can two makers quote different prices for the same design?
Two makers can price different versions of the same design because a drawing and measurements leave material and production decisions open. One may allow for a different fabric or finish. Another may include work the other excludes. Ask both to state their assumptions and quote against the same written description of the clothes.
How can I check whether both quotes include the same work?
Ask each maker to identify the work and materials included in the quote, starting with who buys the fabric. Confirm how samples and changes to them are treated, along with testing and packing. Record the delivery place and responsibilities too. Ask for a revised quote wherever the included work differs.
Why does the number of clothes in each colour and size affect the quote?
The number of clothes in each colour and size changes the material needed and how production is organised. Each colour can involve a separate fabric order and approval, with its own minimum. Sizes affect fabric use. Both makers need the same breakdown, because an overall order total leaves these assumptions open.
Does a lower quote mean lower quality?
A lower quote alone does not establish quality. The maker may have priced a different fabric, excluded some work or found a more efficient way to make the clothes. Compare the material descriptions and included work first. A price gap that remains after the assumptions match can then be assessed on its stated basis.
Can a maker change the quote after making a sample?
A maker can revise a quote when the approved sample changes what was originally priced. Changes to fabric, the way the clothes are made, or details such as zips can affect the calculation. Ask the maker to identify each changed assumption and its effect on cost, and keep the revised quote with the agreed description.
On this page 5 sections
Two manufacturers can quote very different prices because they are pricing different materials, different work or different assumptions about the same clothes. A lower figure can also come from a more efficient way of making them. The total alone cannot show which explanation applies.
Ask both makers to write down what they have priced before comparing the figures.
01The price must cover the same work and delivery
Start with who supplies the fabric. One maker may quote only for cutting and sewing materials you provide. Another may include finding and buying the fabric as well as making the clothes. Fabric can be a major cost line, so leaving it outside one quote can create a substantial difference immediately.
Then check the work around making the clothes. Ask whether samples are included and how many rounds of changes the quote covers. Confirm who arranges testing and checks the finished clothes, and whether that work is included.
Delivery needs the same treatment. Clothes ready to collect at the maker's premises represent a different amount of work from clothes delivered to an agreed destination. Record the place where the clothes will be handed over and who is responsible for the journey. Ask the maker to explain which delivery costs and responsibilities sit with the brand.
If the delivery arrangements differ, request revised quotes using the same instruction. Subtracting a guessed transport cost leaves other differences unresolved, including packing and paperwork for sending the clothes abroad.
02The same fibre description can mean different fabric
A fibre description does not fully describe a fabric. Two cotton fabrics can differ in weight, the yarn used and how they are knitted or woven. Finishing treatments also affect cost, alongside how the fabric feels and behaves. The same drawing can therefore produce quotes for different clothes.
Ask each maker to attach a description of the fabric included in its price. That description should explain what the fabric is made of and its weight, as well as how it is knitted or woven. It should name any treatment, such as brushing or washing.
Colour needs an agreed reference too. The shade, the way it is dyed and the process for approving it can affect material planning. Ask what colour reference the maker has used and how the colour will be checked before approval.
If the fabric is still undecided, keep the alternatives separately labelled. You can then choose a common fabric for both makers to price, or compare the alternatives as different versions of the clothes.
03The order breakdown changes the fabric calculation
Give both makers the same number of each design, broken down by colour and size. A total order quantity leaves too much open. Each colour can require a separate fabric order and approval, and the fabric maker may set a minimum for that colour. Confirm the minimum a maker will run for each design when asking for the quote.
Setting up production also involves work that has to be spread across the clothes being made. Changing the quantity can change the price per piece. An order divided evenly between colours is a different calculation from one with most pieces in one colour and small quantities in the others.
The amount of fabric allowed for each piece deserves a separate check. It depends on how the shapes needed for the clothes fit onto the fabric before cutting. Stripes, checks and prints that must face a particular direction can leave more fabric unused. The mix of sizes affects fabric use too.
Ask each maker to show the fabric needed per piece and the extra allowance for expected material loss separately. A lower allowance may come from a more efficient cutting layout. Ask for its basis before treating it as a saving.
04Small details and payment assumptions belong in the comparison
Labels and buttons may be small parts of the clothes, yet vague descriptions can hide differences between quotes. Ask the maker to identify each included part, including the type or finish being assumed. A promise to include standard labels or zips leaves the choice unresolved.
Packing needs a description as well. Record how each piece will be folded and packed, then confirm the boxes and their markings. Where artwork or a detail is unfinished, mark it as awaiting a decision. Keep that separate from an item that is excluded altogether.
Testing should name the activity included and what the results will be checked against. For checks on finished clothes, record when they happen and who carries them out.
Finally, confirm whether each figure is for one piece or the whole order. Record the currency and how long the quote remains valid. Payment timing and the point when fabric prices are confirmed can also affect the calculation or how firmly the price can be held.
05Compare revised quotes and keep the agreed version
Send both makers one written description of the clothes and order, with open decisions clearly marked. Ask for separate options where a choice remains. Both prices need to describe the same work.
Compare the revised prices alongside anything still unresolved. Once the assumptions match, a remaining gap may reflect greater efficiency or a different level of service.
Keep the chosen description, the agreed exclusions and the version of the quote together. Record which approvals are still needed before the full order is made. If a sample changes the fabric or another priced detail, ask for a revision showing the change and its effect on cost. The quote should follow the clothes that have been agreed.