Custom T-Shirt Manufacturer in China: How to Vet a Factory Before You Order
Most buyers who get burned by a Chinese t-shirt supplier do not get burned on price. They get burned because they never checked who was actually making the garment.
This guide is the checklist we would want a buyer to run on us — and on any factory you shortlist.
1. Ask what happens in-house
“We have a factory” means very little on its own. Ask which steps happen in their building: cutting, sewing, screen printing, DTG, embroidery, quality control, packing. A supplier that outsources decoration cannot control colour consistency between batches, and cannot hold a delivery date when a third party slips.
If the answer is vague, ask for a short video walkthrough of the floor. Factories that own their equipment will send one the same day.
2. Test the sampling process before you talk volume
A sample is the cheapest part of the order and the most informative. What you are measuring is not the t-shirt — it is how the supplier handles feedback.
- Digital proof: should arrive within 24 hours for print, with a mockup on the actual garment colour.
- Physical sample: 5–10 working days is normal for decorated apparel. Anything longer usually means the work is queued behind someone else’s order.
- Revisions: ask how many rounds are included. A factory that charges for every tweak will make you accept a compromise.
One practical test: request a change that is slightly inconvenient, such as moving a chest print 2 cm higher or swapping a thread colour. How they respond tells you more than the sample itself.
3. Understand how MOQ is actually calculated
Quoted MOQ is often “per design, per colourway”. That means three colours of the same design can be three separate minimums. For screen printing, the constraint is setup: each colour needs a screen, so small runs carry a fixed cost that has to go somewhere.
Ask directly:
- Is MOQ per design or per colour?
- Can sizes be mixed within one design?
- Does a repeat order restart the MOQ?
For decorated t-shirts, 50 pieces per design is a realistic floor. For bags, 100 pieces on stock styles and 300 on fully custom builds is typical, because cutting and handles change with the pattern.
4. Ask for the QC standard, not a promise
“We check every piece” is not a standard. Ask for the inspection level. AQL 2.5 is the common apparel benchmark: it defines how many defects are acceptable in a lot of a given size, and it is measurable.
Also ask what happens when a lot fails. A factory with a real process will tell you about rework, replacement and who pays freight. A factory without one will tell you it never happens.
5. Match the decoration method to the design before agreeing a price
The same artwork can cost very different amounts depending on method:
- Screen print — lowest unit cost at volume, best for 1–6 solid colours, huge runs.
- DTG — no setup, ideal for full-colour or photo artwork and short runs, softer hand feel on 100% cotton.
- Embroidery — durable and premium, best for logos, caps and bags; cost scales with stitch count, not colour count.
If a supplier quotes one method for every brief, they are selling their machine, not your project.
6. Nail down delivery terms in writing
Ask whether the price is EXW, FOB or DDP. DDP means the supplier handles freight, duty and final delivery — the number you see is the number you pay at your door. FOB stops at the port, and you inherit the forwarder, the customs paperwork and the surprises.
Also confirm the production lead time starts after sample approval, not after deposit.
7. Red flags worth walking away from
- Prices far below everyone else, with no explanation of what was cut.
- No physical address, or an address that does not match the video walkthrough.
- Unwillingness to name the fabric weight and composition in writing.
- Payment only by unsecured transfer, with no invoice or contract.
- Sample photos that are clearly the same stock images used by ten other suppliers.
Quick checklist
| In-house cutting, sewing, decoration | Video or live call |
| Sample lead time | 5–10 working days |
| MOQ basis | Per design, per colourway — stated in writing |
| Inspection standard | AQL 2.5 or equivalent, with rework policy |
| Fabric spec | Weight (gsm) and composition confirmed |
| Delivery terms | DDP or FOB, named port |
If you want to test the process on a real brief, send us your artwork and target quantity — we will come back with a method recommendation, a per-unit price and a sampling date, not a form letter.
Browse our T-shirt range or the full catalogue to see what is already in production.