If you're sourcing wholesale apparel for the first time, the vocabulary alone can slow you down. Suppliers throw around terms like "MOQ," "oz/yd²," and "cut-and-sew" assuming you already know what they mean. Here's a plain-English reference for the terms that come up most when you're buying blanks, building a private label line, or vetting a manufacturer.
Business & Sourcing Terms
MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) — The smallest quantity a supplier will produce or sell per order, per style, or per colorway. Stock blank MOQs are typically low or nonexistent; custom colors, custom labels, and private label programs usually carry higher MOQs because they require dedicated dye lots and production runs. See our full breakdown: Why High-End Streetwear MOQ Shouldn't Kill Your First Drop.
Blank apparel — Undecorated garments — no print, no embroidery, no branding — sold in bulk to brands, decorators, and retailers who customize or resell them. "Blanks" is industry shorthand for this base product. More on choosing the right ones: Choosing Premium Blank Apparel for Your Private Label Brand.
Private label — A manufacturing arrangement where a factory produces garments to a brand's specifications — fabric, fit, labeling — which the brand then sells under its own name. Distinct from buying stock blanks: private label typically involves custom fabric development, patternmaking, and branding from the ground up. See How Private Label Apparel Manufacturing Works or explore our private label program.
Decorator — A business that applies branding — screen printing, embroidery, DTG (direct-to-garment) printing, heat transfer — to blank apparel. Decorators typically buy blanks from a manufacturer or distributor rather than producing garments themselves.
Wholesale vs. retail — Wholesale apparel is sold in bulk, undecorated, at a per-unit price that drops with volume — meant for brands, decorators, or retailers to resell or customize. Retail apparel is sold as a single finished product directly to the end consumer. If you're buying wholesale, apply for a wholesale account.
Dye lot — A single batch of fabric or garments dyed together in one production run. Colors can vary slightly between dye lots even when using the same formula, which is why suppliers often recommend ordering enough fabric or garments from a single lot to cover a full production run.
Turnaround time — The time between placing an order and receiving finished goods. For custom or private label orders, this includes sourcing, sampling, and production — not just shipping. Domestic manufacturers generally offer shorter turnaround than overseas suppliers, since there's no ocean freight or customs clearance to factor in.
Full package manufacturing — A production model where one supplier handles every stage of garment-making — yarn sourcing, fabric development, patternmaking, cutting, sewing, and finishing — rather than outsourcing pieces of the process to different vendors. Also called "vertical integration."
Vertical integration — When a manufacturer controls multiple (or all) stages of production in-house, from raw materials to finished product, instead of relying on outside subcontractors. Vertically integrated manufacturers typically offer tighter quality control and faster turnaround, since nothing has to travel between separate facilities. Related: Why US Standard Apparel Is the USA's Premier Garment Manufacturer.
Cut-and-sew — A manufacturing method where a garment is built from individual fabric pieces that are cut from a pattern and then sewn together — as opposed to garments knit directly into shape. Most wholesale tees, sweatshirts, and sweatpants are cut-and-sew. See Custom Streetwear Cut-and-Sew Factory Decisions That Actually Matter.
Fabric & Material Terms
oz/yd² (ounces per square yard) — The standard unit for fabric weight in apparel. Lighter fabrics (around 4–6 oz) suit tees and warm-weather garments; midweight fabrics (8–10 oz) suit everyday fleece; heavyweight fabrics (12–14+ oz) hold structure for boxier, streetwear-style fits. A supplier who can't give you an exact oz weight for a style is a red flag. Full guide: Apparel Fabric Weight Guide: How to Choose the Right Oz for Your Brand.
Ring-spun cotton — Cotton yarn made by twisting and thinning cotton fibers into a fine, strong strand. Ring-spun yarn produces a softer, smoother fabric than open-end (carded) cotton and is the standard for premium tees and fleece. We use combed ring-spun cotton across our line — see our fabric library.
Combed cotton — Cotton that's been processed to remove short fibers and impurities before spinning, resulting in a smoother, more durable yarn. Often paired with ring-spinning ("combed ring-spun cotton") for premium fabric quality.
Garment dye — A dyeing process where fully constructed garments are dyed after sewing, rather than dyeing the fabric beforehand. Produces a softer hand-feel and slightly irregular, vintage-style color variation. Full comparison: Garment Dye vs. Piece Dye: What's the Difference, and Which One Do You Need?
Piece dye — A dyeing process where fabric is dyed in bulk before it's cut and sewn into garments. Produces more consistent, uniform color across a production run than garment dyeing. See also: Why LA Is the Garment Dye Capital of the USA.
Jersey knit — A single-layer, lightweight knit fabric with a smooth face and slightly textured back — the standard construction for most T-shirts.
Rib knit — A knit fabric with raised, vertical ridges created by alternating knit and purl stitches, giving it more stretch and recovery than jersey. Common in tank tops, collars, and cuffs. "2x1 rib" and "baby rib" refer to the width of the ridges. Shop ribbed tanks and tops.
Fleece — A knit fabric brushed on one side to create a soft, insulating texture, used for sweatshirts and sweatpants. French terry (looped, unbrushed back) and brushed fleece (napped, brushed back) are the two common types. Shop our sweatshirt collection.
Recycled cotton — Cotton fiber reclaimed from pre-consumer textile waste (like cutting scraps) or post-consumer garments, respun into new yarn. Often blended with virgin cotton, since recycled fiber alone tends to be shorter and weaker. See What "Ecocycle" Actually Means: Inside Our Recycled Cotton Basics and shop the EcoCycle collection.
Production Terms
Patternmaking — The process of creating the template pieces — front, back, sleeves, etc. — used to cut fabric for a garment. Patterns determine fit, and adjusting one is how a manufacturer creates different sizes or silhouettes from the same base design. See The Essential Steps to Creating High-Quality Clothing.
Grading — Scaling a finished pattern up or down to create a full size range from a single base size. Poor grading is a common cause of inconsistent fit across a size run. Related: The Secret to Precise Clothing Manufacturing.
Sample development — The process of producing prototype garments to test fit, fabric, and construction before committing to a full production run. Brands typically go through multiple sample rounds before approving a style for bulk production. See The Essential Steps to Creating High-Quality Clothing.
Domestic manufacturing — Production that happens within the country a brand is selling in — for U.S. brands, this means garments made in the USA rather than imported. Often associated with shorter lead times, tighter quality control, and a smaller carbon footprint than overseas production, though typically at a higher per-unit cost. See Inside Premium Apparel Manufacturing in Los Angeles and How to Find a High-Quality Clothing Manufacturer.
FAQ: Apparel Sourcing Terms
What's the difference between blanks and private label? Blanks are pre-existing, undecorated garments you buy as-is and customize yourself. Private label means working with a manufacturer to build a garment to your specs — fabric, fit, and labeling — from the ground up.
What does "no MOQ" mean? It means a supplier will sell any quantity of a stocked item, down to a single unit, with no minimum purchase required. This typically applies to stock blanks in existing colorways, not custom colors or custom production.
Why does fabric weight matter? Fabric weight (oz/yd²) determines drape, structure, and durability. It's one of the first specs to check when comparing suppliers, since two garments described as "cotton fleece" can feel completely different depending on weight and construction.
Is vertical integration the same as "Made in USA"? No. Vertical integration refers to how many production steps a single company controls, regardless of location. A manufacturer can be vertically integrated and located overseas, or handle only one step (like cutting) domestically. The two concepts often overlap but aren't interchangeable.