How to specify and order

A request for yarn

A complete request for yarn states:

• Fibre and blend, such as 100% cotton or 60/40 cotton/polyester, and any certified-fibre claim.
• Count and system (Ne, Nm or tex), single or plied: Ne 30/1, Ne 30/2.
• Ring, compact, open-end or air-jet; carded or combed.
• Twist and direction (Z or S), or the end use: circular knitting, warp or weft, machine gauge.
• Quality limits, such as CVm and imperfections at a USTER STATISTICS level.
• Raw (ecru), dyed (colour card code or lab dip) or mélange.
• Package: cone or cheese, net weight, waxed or not, bags, cartons or pallets.
• Quantity per count and colour, date, Incoterm and place.

A request for fabric or garments

For knitted fabric:

• Structure: single jersey, interlock, rib, piqué or fleece; brushed or not.
• Composition and yarn: count, ring or open-end, combed or carded, elastane share.
• GSM after finishing and width (flat tube or usable open width), with tolerances.
• Colour: lab dip or standard, and the light source for approval.
• Finish, and limits for shrinkage, spirality, fastness and pilling with their test methods.
• Roll size, quantity per colour, delivery.

For garments:

• The tech pack, with size chart, tolerances and BOM.
• Sizes and the size ratio per colour.
• Fabric and trims: thread, labels, tapes, elastic, buttons.
• Print or embroidery: artwork, technique, position, size, colours.
• Labels: brand, composition and care, size, origin, barcode.
• AQL levels, tests and packing: fold, polybag, solid or assortment pack, carton marks.

Approvals, MOQ and lead time

1. Lab dipDyed swatches matched to the standard; the buyer approves one under the agreed light.
2. Strike-offA trial print or embroidery on bulk fabric: colours, registration, hand.
3. ProtoThe first garment: style and construction.
4. PP sampleBulk fabric, trims and print together: the production reference.
5. TOP sampleThe first bulk garments, checked against the PP sample.

Yarn and fabric orders stop after the lab dip and a bulk swatch; garments pass all five. Each round of comments adds days.

MOQ, the minimum order quantity, follows the equipment: a dyeing machine takes a fixed load per batch, a new count or blend needs a spinning changeover, and a sewing line must repay its setting up. Lead time adds up yarn availability, approvals, production, testing and transport; stock colours and counts already running shorten both.

Delivery and payment terms

The Incoterms® 2020 rules of the International Chamber of Commerce fix who pays for transport, who clears customs and where risk passes. Name the rule, place and edition: “FCA seller’s warehouse, Incoterms® 2020”.

Under CPT and CIF the seller pays freight to the destination, but risk passes at the start. For road or rail shipments from a landlocked country such as Uzbekistan, use FCA, CPT or DAP rather than FOB or CIF.

Payment terms are separate. Advance payment protects the seller; open account, paid after delivery, protects the buyer. Between them, a letter of credit (ICC UCP 600) has a bank pay against complying documents, and documentary collection releases the documents only against payment. A part advance with the balance before shipment is a common compromise.

Documents and a final check

• Proforma invoice: the seller’s offer; the basis for an advance payment or a letter of credit.
• Commercial invoice and packing list: contents per package, net and gross weights, lot numbers.
• Certificate of origin; within the CIS free-trade area, form CT-1.
• Transport document: CMR (road), SMGS consignment note (rail), bill of lading (sea), air waybill.
• Test reports and the conformity documents the market requires, such as an EAEU declaration.

Before sending, check that:

• Every limit has a test method.
• The colour standard and light source are agreed.
• Quantities are split by colour and size.
• Incoterm, place, edition and payment documents are named.
• Labels, packing and carton marks are confirmed.