A Shopify Brand's First Knitwear Order: The 50-Piece Playbook
A first knitwear drop works best with one or two styles, stock yarn colours and 50 pieces per style. Budget 8–12 weeks: 1 week for specs, 3–7 days sampling, one fit revision, 30 days bulk, plus freight. Expect a sample fee, label minimums and 20–35% freight and duty on top of ex-works. The biggest mistake is launching five styles at once.
From choosing two styles to launching in 10 weeks — the decisions, documents and budget a DTC brand needs for a first 50-piece knitwear drop.
Knitwear is the category DTC brands most often get wrong on the first try. Unlike a printed tee, a sweater cannot be re-cut from stock fabric: the yarn, the gauge, the machine programme and the fit all have to be decided before the first stitch.
This playbook is the sequence we run with Shopify brands placing a first 50-piece order — what to decide, what to send, what it costs and how long it takes.
Start with one silhouette, not a collection
The brands that reorder successfully usually launch with one crewneck or one cardigan in two colours. Five styles at 50 pieces each multiplies setup, labels and photography before you know which shape sells.
Pick the shape your customer already buys from you. If you sell heavyweight hoodies, start with a 5GG or 7GG chunky knit; if you sell lightweight basics, a 12GG merino crewneck is the safer first step. The gauge guide maps each gauge to weight, season and garment type.
The 9-step sequence
Each step has a deliverable. If a step is skipped, it reappears later as a delay or a cost.
- 1. Define the brief — one reference garment or sketch, target retail price, size range.
- 2. Build a light tech pack — measurements (POM), composition, colour reference, label placement.
- 3. Choose yarn — stock colour first; custom dye only if the colour is the product.
- 4. Confirm sample cost and lead time — typically 3–7 days after specs and yarn are locked.
- 5. Fit the sample — check chest, body length, sleeve and shoulder against your size chart.
- 6. Approve and pay the sample fee — production slot is booked after approval.
- 7. Bulk production — about 30 days for 50 pieces, with in-line QC.
- 8. Labels and packaging — woven label, care label, poly bag, hangtag if needed.
- 9. Freight and launch — air for speed, sea for cost; photograph before the stock lands if possible.
Budget beyond the unit price
First-time buyers usually budget only the ex-works price. The all-in cost of a 50-piece drop includes several layers that are easy to miss.
| Cost layer | What it covers | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| Sample fee | 1–2 samples, machine setup, yarn | Refunded on 300+ pcs/style |
| Bulk goods | 50 pcs × unit price | 30% deposit typical |
| Labels & trims | Woven label, care label, bags | Often 500–1,000 pc minimums |
| Freight | Air or sea, door-to-door | Air 5–8 days; sea 30–40 |
| Duty & tax | Import duty, VAT/GST | Check your HS code and de minimis |
| Content | Photography, copy, ads | Often the largest line |
Timeline: 8–12 weeks from idea to stock
Specs and yarn choice: 1 week. Sampling: 3–7 days plus shipping. Fit revision: 3–5 days. Bulk: about 30 days for 50 pieces. Air freight and customs: 1–2 weeks. If you plan a launch date, work backwards from the freight, not from the sampling.
Custom-dyed colours add 3–4 weeks and a dye-lot minimum. That single decision can push a launch past the season.
Five mistakes that cost first-time brands the most
These come up repeatedly in first orders. Each one is avoidable before the sample is approved.
- Launching five styles instead of two — setup and photography costs multiply.
- Choosing a custom Pantone colour for the first order — adds 3–4 weeks and a dye minimum.
- Forgetting duties and freight — the landed cost can be 20–35% above ex-works.
- Skipping the size curve — most first orders over-buy S and under-buy M/L.
- No reorder plan — setup and labels are already paid; the second run is cheaper.
How much does a first 50-piece knitwear order cost?
For a 12GG merino crewneck, ex-works goods typically fall in the $45–65 per piece range at 50 pieces, plus sample fee, labels, freight and duty. The all-in landed cost is usually 20–35% above ex-works.
Can I start with fewer than 50 pieces per style?
Stock yarn allows 50 pieces per style per colour. Below that, setup costs dominate and most factories decline; it is usually better to consolidate into one colourway.
Do I need a tech pack to start?
No. A reference garment, a sketch and a size chart are enough for a first quote. We turn them into a production spec before sampling.
Should I air freight or sea freight the first order?
For 50 pieces, air freight is usually worth it: 5–8 days versus 30–40, and the cost difference on a small volume is modest relative to missing a launch window.
Olivia handles operations content for Jinya, covering knitwear sourcing, product development and garment care — turning the questions buyers ask on the factory floor into practical, checkable guides.
Ms. Liu has run knitting floors for more than 20 years, overseeing yarn routing, machine programming, linking and final QC. She reviews every technical claim published here.
