Your startup wants 500m custom print—mill demands 3000m MOQ, cash tied, launch delayed 6 months. I helped a Seattle streetwear brand in 2023: split 4 colors across 800m base, hit 200m per shade, inventory down 70%.
Reduce MOQ via fabric planning and dye lot splits: stock greige, dye small lots 200-500m, share yarn runs, digital print. We drop to 300m with AI forecast.
Read on. As Fumao Fabric boss in Keqiao, I've cut MOQ for 100+ US buyers. I'll share plans, splits, cases so your small runs profit.
Why plan greige stock first?
Dye-to-order kills MOQ. A Miami swim label ordered 1000m each print—mill refused under 2000m, dead stock risk.
Stock undyed greige: cotton jersey 5000m ready. Dye 300m lots on demand. Cuts lead 50%, MOQ 300m.
Greige types to stock?
Jersey, poplin, canvas. We hold 50 tons—covers 80% orders.
Shelf life concern?
6 months max. Rotate for Texas tees—zero yellow. Check benefits of stocking greige fabric to lower MOQ in apparel production on Textile Learner. See how to manage greige inventory for small batch dyeing in Textile Sphere blog.
Dye lot splits how?
One big vat 3000m, split no. Chicago hoodie brand needed 4 shades 400m each—mill said 3000m per.
Split after scour: base greige, divide dye machines 500m tanks. Same recipe, consistent Lab* <1.
Min split size?
200m economic. Split 800m base into 4 for LA—each 200m, shade match 0.8.
Lab dip to bulk time?
48h dip, 7 days bulk. Fast for Florida bikinis. Explore dye lot splitting techniques to reduce minimum order quantity on Fibre2Fashion. View color consistency in small dye lot splits for fashion fabrics on Apparel Views.
Dye Split Economics
| Base m | Splits | Per Lot | Save % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3000 | 1 | 3000 | 0 |
| 3000 | 6 | 500 | 83 |
| 5000 | 10 | 500 | 83 |
We run 20 tanks. (Quick note: split adds 5% cost, cuts stock 80%.)
Yarn run sharing?
Custom yarn 5000m MOQ. Denver eco brand wanted organic cotton-spandex 300m—spinner no.
Share runs: pool 5 buyers same count. Spin 5000m, allocate 1000m each. MOQ 300m effective.
Yarn specs to pool?
40/1 cotton, 70D nylon. Pooled for Swedish socks—5 brands, 600m each.
Quality same?
Ring spun uniform. Zero variance for NY knits. Reference yarn run sharing to cut MOQ in custom fabric development in Textile World. Learn how to coordinate yarn pooling for small apparel brands on SDC Blog.
Lead add?
+3 days. Worth for startup cash.
Digital print for patterns?
Screen print 1000m min. Florida dress line needed 10 prints 300m—setup kill.
Digital inkjet: 1m min, no screens. Print on greige or PFP, cut MOQ 90%.
Reactive vs pigment?
Reactive deep, wash fast. Used for Texas shirts—300m, 4.5 fastness.
MOQ real?
50m startup. Scaled Seattle—150m print, sold out. Check digital printing to minimize MOQ in custom textile orders via China Tex Net. See comparing screen vs digital for small batch fabric printing on Textile Info Media.
Color match?
CMYK + spot. Lab proof first.
Conclusion
Reduce MOQ with smart fabric planning and dye lot splits: stock greige, split dye 200-500m, share yarn runs, digital print 50m+. I've slashed Seattle's inventory 70% via 200m splits; in 2024, Florida 10 prints at 300m each via inkjet, cash flow +60%. Our Keqiao holds 50 tons greige, 20 dye tanks, AI pool, 48h digital—tariff-free US ship. We really can start your line small.
Connect with Fumao Fabric for low-MOQ wins. Email our Business Director Elaine at elaine@fumaoclothing.com—we'll plan, split, print your exact meters.
