Right, let's have a frank conversation about sourcing clothing from China. Clothing and textiles are the UK's single largest import category from Asia — worth over £14 billion annually — and yet most UK fashion brand owners walk into garment sourcing completely blind. They burn their first £10,000 on substandard samples, get locked into a supplier they can't communicate with, or discover that the 12% import duty they never budgeted for has wiped out their margins entirely.
This guide is for UK fashion entrepreneurs, established clothing brands looking to scale production, and Amazon sellers who want to source their own private label apparel. Whether you're after 500 units of basic T-shirts or 5,000 units of technically complex outerwear, the process — and the pitfalls — are largely the same.
At Epic Sourcing, we've helped UK clothing brands from London boutiques to outdoor lifestyle brands source garments across China and Vietnam. We've seen what works, what doesn't, and where the real money is lost. Here is everything we wish more UK brands knew before they started.
Garment sourcing is the process of identifying, evaluating, and contracting manufacturers to produce clothing and textile products to your specifications. For UK brands, this typically means finding factories in China or Vietnam that can meet your quality, labelling, and price requirements, then importing those goods compliantly through UK customs — including declaring the correct commodity code, paying import duty, and meeting UK textile regulations.
China is the world's largest textile and garment exporter, responsible for roughly 31% of global clothing exports by value. For UK brands, this translates to an unmatched combination of manufacturing infrastructure, material variety, and price competitiveness. China's Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Fujian provinces host tens of thousands of garment factories — from single-stitch workshops to vertically integrated facilities that spin their own yarn, weave their own fabric, and finish garments under one roof.
Vietnam has rapidly emerged as the compelling alternative. Since the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) came into force, Vietnamese-made garments enter the UK at a 0% preferential tariff rate — against the 12% duty applied to most clothing from China. Vietnamese factories are particularly strong in sportswear, athleisure, and workwear, and capability across fashion and casualwear has grown substantially as major global brands have shifted production there.
For UK businesses, the cost advantages of Asia are substantial. A garment retailing at £40–£50 might have a landed cost of £6–£10 when sourced well from China or Vietnam. The same garment produced domestically in the UK would cost £20–£35 or more. That margin difference is the entire business model for most UK clothing brands.
The UK imported approximately £14.2 billion worth of clothing in 2024, with China and Bangladesh as the two largest origin countries. Vietnam is growing rapidly, accounting for roughly 8–9% of UK apparel imports — driven by UKVFTA duty incentives and improving factory standards.
China's garment manufacturing ecosystem has four decades of export experience. The supply chain is completely vertical — raw cotton, synthetic yarns, technical fabrics, trim suppliers, embroidery houses, printing facilities, and garment factories all within close proximity. Your private label hoodie, woven dress, and technical performance jacket can all be produced in the same province. For UK brands wanting product variety and complex construction, China remains the default.
The typical lead time from China to a UK warehouse runs 10–14 weeks for established products and 16–24 weeks for new private label development. Sea freight from Chinese ports (Guangzhou, Shanghai, Ningbo) to Felixstowe or Southampton takes approximately 25–32 days.
Vietnam's manufacturing strengths lie in cut-and-sew efficiency, competitive labour costs, and — crucially — the zero-tariff benefit under UKVFTA. Major garment hubs are concentrated around Ho Chi Minh City in the south and Hanoi in the north. Most Vietnam factories export to Europe, Japan, and North America, understanding quality standards and export documentation requirements.
The practical limitation: many Vietnamese factories operate as CMT (Cut, Make, Trim) facilities rather than full-package. They sew — but you must source and ship all fabrics and trims. For UK brands with straightforward designs, this works fine. For complex styles requiring custom fabrics, China is still easier to navigate.
The China vs Vietnam question depends on your product type, volumes, and margin requirements. Here is a realistic comparison based on our experience working with UK clothing brands across both markets.
| Factor | 🇨🇳 China | 🇻🇳 Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| UK import duty (clothing) | 12% (UK Global Tariff) | 0% (UKVFTA) |
| Typical MOQ per style/colour | 300–500 pcs | 500–1,000 pcs |
| Ex-factory pricing | £2.50–£8.00 | £2.80–£9.00 (slightly higher) |
| Production lead time | 30–60 days | 45–75 days |
| Sea freight to UK (FCL 20ft) | ~25–32 days (Felixstowe/Southampton) | ~28–35 days (Southampton/Tilbury) |
| Product range | Widest in the world | Strong in sportswear, casualwear, workwear |
| Factory model | Full-package widely available | Mostly CMT; full-package available |
| Custom fabric development | Excellent (full supply chain) | Good but slower |
| Sustainability certifications | Variable; OEKO-TEX, GOTS widely available | Growing; WRAP, bluesign strong |
| Best for | Complex products, new development, wide range | Volume basics, sportswear, duty-sensitive brands |
Most UK clothing brands use both China and Vietnam over time. China is typically the starting point for bespoke styles requiring custom fabric development. Vietnam becomes more attractive as volumes grow and the 12% duty saving becomes increasingly significant. At £100,000 FOB value, you're saving £12,000 in duty that never gets paid back.
In Vietnam especially, many factories operate as CMT (Cut, Make, Trim) facilities — meaning they only sew the garment; you supply all fabrics, trims, and labels. Full-package factories procure everything on your behalf. CMT is cheaper but requires you to source and ship all materials yourself, adding 4–8 weeks and significant coordination overhead. Always confirm explicitly whether a Vietnam factory is CMT or full-package for your product category.
This is where most UK clothing importers get an unpleasant surprise. Import duty on clothing from China is significantly higher than most people expect, and it applies to every commercial shipment. Understanding exactly what you'll pay — before you place an order — is fundamental to building a viable business.
| Product Category | HS Chapter | Duty Rate: China | Duty Rate: Vietnam (UKVFTA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-shirts, vests, sweatshirts (cotton knit) | 6109 | 12% | 0% |
| Trousers, jeans, shorts (woven) | 6203 / 6204 | 12% | 0% |
| Jackets, coats, outerwear | 6201 / 6202 | 12% | 0% |
| Sportswear / activewear (knitted) | 6211 | 12% | 0% |
| Underwear, lingerie (knitted) | 6108 | 12% | 0% |
| Children's clothing (knit) | 6111 | 12% | 0% |
| Dresses, skirts (woven) | 6204 | 12% | 0% |
Import duty is calculated on the customs value — typically the FOB price on your commercial invoice. VAT at 20% is then applied on top of the customs value plus duty. VAT is reclaimable if you're registered for VAT; import duty is not. Customs clearance fees (typically £80–£200 per shipment), UK drayage, and port handling charges add to the total.
FOB value (ex-factory)
£3,500
Sea freight (Guangzhou → Felixstowe)
£650
Import duty (12% on FOB)
£420
VAT at 20% (reclaimable)
£914
Customs clearance + misc
~£150
Total landed (ex-VAT refund)
£4,720
£4.72 per unit landed
Import duty of £420 is not recoverable — it is a permanent cost. VAT is reclaimable for VAT-registered businesses. An EORI number is required for all commercial imports.
The UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) is one of the most significant opportunities available to UK clothing importers — and one of the most underused. Under the UKVFTA, clothing and textile products that genuinely originate in Vietnam can be imported into the UK at a 0% preferential tariff, compared to the 12% applied to goods from China. The agreement came into effect in January 2021 and covers the vast majority of garment categories.
On a £50,000 FOB clothing order, that's £6,000 you never pay to HMRC. On a £500,000 order, it's £60,000 saved per shipment cycle. For volume clothing importers, routing production through Vietnam is not just a cost option — it can be a decisive competitive advantage.
To qualify for UKVFTA preferential duty rates, your garments must meet the rules of origin criteria. For clothing, this is typically the double transformation rule: the yarn must be woven or knitted into fabric in Vietnam, and that fabric must then be cut and sewn into the finished garment in Vietnam. Simply having garments assembled in Vietnam from Chinese-origin fabric does NOT qualify under this rule in most cases.
HMRC takes preferential origin claims seriously. If you claim UKVFTA duty rates and your goods do not meet the rules of origin requirements, you can face backdated duty assessments plus interest and financial penalties. Always obtain a EUR.1 Movement Certificate (issued by Vietnamese customs) or a supplier's Statement of Origin on the commercial invoice. Retain all documentation for a minimum of 4 years.
When importing from Vietnam, your customs agent declares the UKVFTA preference code on your Customs Declaration Service (CDS) import entry. You need either a EUR.1 Movement Certificate or a Statement of Origin on the commercial invoice (acceptable for orders above £4,500 from REX-registered exporters). Your freight forwarder handles the CDS entry — your job is ensuring correct documentation from the factory before goods ship.
When approaching any Vietnamese factory, ask explicitly: "Do your finished garments qualify for UKVFTA preferential origin to the UK? Can you provide a EUR.1 certificate or a REX Statement of Origin?" A factory that exports to UK regularly will know exactly what you mean.
Importing clothing to the UK isn't just about finding the right factory at the right price. As the importer and the "responsible person" for placing goods on the UK market, you have specific legal obligations.
The UK Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations 2012 require all textile products sold in the UK to display fibre composition clearly on a label in English. Percentages must add up to 100%. Your factory provides a fibre composition declaration — but you are the responsible party. For any new factory or fabric, consider independent testing by an accredited laboratory.
Care labelling is not legally mandated in the UK, but ISO 3758 care symbols are expected by retail buyers. Major UK retailers (Asos, Next, John Lewis) will specify exactly what care symbols and labelling elements are required in their supplier codes of conduct.
Children's clothing carries additional obligations under the UK's General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and OPSS guidance. Key risks: drawstrings are prohibited on hood and neck areas for children aged up to 7; small decorative components must be adequately secured (choking hazard risk); chemical restrictions apply under EN 14682 and UK REACH. Third-party test reports from Intertek, SGS, or Bureau Veritas are strongly recommended before market launch.
UK REACH restricts harmful substances in textiles including azo dyes releasing carcinogenic aromatic amines, formaldehyde in wrinkle-resistant treatments, nickel in metal accessories, and restricted pesticide residues in cotton. Your factory should provide OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification or individual test reports. If they cannot, request an independent chemical test before your first production run.
The UK Product Safety and Metrology Bill is progressing through Parliament in 2026, aiming to replace and modernise the General Product Safety Regulations. Monitor updates from OPSS and ensure your compliance documentation is robust enough to adapt to upcoming requirements.
Standard clothing does not require UKCA marking. Exceptions include clothing with embedded electronics (heated jackets, smart wearables), personal protective equipment (high-visibility workwear, flame-retardant clothing), and garments making specific safety performance claims. If producing workwear or performance garments with safety claims, check whether UKCA assessment applies to your specific product category.
One of the most common frustrations for new UK clothing brand owners is the gap between expectations and factory reality. MOQs have not fallen as dramatically as many hope; factory pricing has increased modestly since 2022 due to labour cost increases in China. Here is a realistic picture for 2025–2026.
| Product Type | Typical MOQ | Ex-factory Price (FOB) | Sample Cost | Lead Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic T-shirt (100% cotton) | 300–500 pcs | £1.80–£3.50 | £20–£50 | 30–45 days |
| Hoodie / sweatshirt (fleece back) | 300–600 pcs | £4.50–£9.00 | £35–£80 | 40–55 days |
| Jeans / woven trousers | 500–1,000 pcs | £5.00–£14.00 | £50–£120 | 45–60 days |
| Activewear set (leggings + top) | 300–500 pcs per style | £5.50–£12.00 per set | £40–£100 | 35–50 days |
| Padded jacket / outerwear | 200–500 pcs | £12.00–£35.00 | £80–£200 | 50–75 days |
| Casual dress / woven blouse | 300–600 pcs | £3.50–£8.50 | £30–£70 | 35–50 days |
| Children's clothing (basic) | 300–500 pcs | £1.50–£4.50 | £25–£60 | 35–50 days |
These are ex-factory (FOB) prices. Add sea freight, import duty (12% from China, 0% from Vietnam under UKVFTA), customs clearance, and UK drayage to calculate landed cost. Sea freight for a 20ft container from Guangzhou to Felixstowe currently runs approximately £600–£900 depending on the season; from HCMC to Southampton, expect £700–£1,100.
MOQs are rarely as fixed as factories present them. A factory quoting 1,000 pcs minimum may accept 500 pcs from a new UK brand that communicates professionally, pays sample costs promptly, and looks like a long-term account. What they won't flex on: per-colourway minimums (typically 100–200 pcs per colour, due to dye batch requirements) and styles requiring significant pattern development investment. Present as the customer you intend to become — not just who you are today. Factories make allocation decisions based on future potential.
Finding a clothing manufacturer is straightforward. Finding one that consistently meets quality standards, delivers on time, and communicates reliably — that is the difficult part.
Alibaba and Global Sources are the two dominant B2B platforms for discovering China-based factories. Look for "Verified Supplier" status, Trade Assurance coverage, and factories with 5+ years' trading history. Prioritise factories that regularly export to Europe or North America — they'll understand your labelling requirements and quality expectations.
Canton Fair (Guangzhou, April and October) is the world's largest trade fair and highly relevant for UK clothing buyers. You'll meet hundreds of garment factories across all categories in a single week. Epic Sourcing can arrange on-the-ground support, factory accompaniment, and translation for UK buyers attending.
Sourcing agent referrals are typically the highest-quality route — a factory introduced by an agent with an established relationship carries far less vetting risk than a cold Alibaba discovery.
Request the factory's business licence and verify it against China's National Enterprise Credit Information system or Vietnam's National Business Registration Portal. Scams frequently use fabricated or expired registration documents.
Request a factory profile: number of sewing machines, workers, production categories, and monthly output. A factory claiming 10,000 pcs/month with only 40 workers is a red flag. Real factories are usually proud to share photos and floor plans.
For textile chemical safety: OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is the gold standard. For ethical manufacturing: WRAP or SA8000. For children's clothing: EN 14682 compliance test reports. Request current certificates and verify certificate numbers on the certifying body's website.
Request references from current European or UK buyers. Established factories that export regularly are usually willing to provide these. A factory that deflects warrants caution.
Never skip samples. Always request a pre-production (PP) sample before bulk production, and conduct or commission a quality inspection before any shipment is released. This single step prevents the majority of costly quality failures.
Standard terms: 30% deposit on order confirmation, 70% against copy of Bill of Lading. Never pay 100% upfront to a factory you haven't worked with before. Alibaba Trade Assurance provides meaningful payment protection for first orders.
Epic Sourcing handles everything from factory discovery and vetting to sample management and pre-shipment quality inspection — for UK clothing brands at every stage.
Book Your Free Sourcing ConsultationWhite label clothing means buying an existing design from the factory's range and applying your own branding. The product design is not uniquely yours — the same factory may sell the same base garment to other buyers. White labelling is faster, requires lower MOQs, and involves far less development risk. It's the right entry point for brands testing a category or starting with limited capital.
Private label means you develop the product to your own specification — your pattern, your fabric choices, your construction details, your tech pack. The factory manufactures your design. This requires 2–3 sample iterations and typically takes 8–16 weeks from first brief to production approval. MOQs are higher but the result is a product genuinely differentiated from what competitors can easily replicate.
Custom / Secret Label manufacturing goes further — proprietary fabrics, exclusive factory capacity, IP protection, and full design ownership. This is for established brands with volume and brand equity to protect. Epic Sourcing's Secret Label package covers this tier.
| Factor | White Label | Private Label | Custom / Secret Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product uniqueness | Low (shared design) | Medium–High (your specification) | Very high (proprietary) |
| Starting budget (typical) | £2,000–£5,000 | £8,000–£20,000 | £30,000+ |
| MOQ | 100–300 pcs | 300–1,000 pcs | 1,000+ pcs |
| Development time to first bulk | 2–6 weeks | 10–18 weeks | 18–30 weeks |
| Competitive moat | Brand and marketing only | Design plus brand | IP, design, supply chain exclusivity |
| Best for | Startups, market validation | Growing DTC brands | Established brands, wholesale |
Most UK clothing brands that engage Epic Sourcing begin with white or private label and evolve into custom manufacturing as volumes and brand equity grow. Starting with white label is a legitimate, sensible strategy — it lets you validate market demand and cash flow before committing to higher development costs.
At Epic Sourcing, we work exclusively with UK businesses. Our team operates on the ground across key manufacturing hubs in Guangdong and Fujian (China) and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), with established relationships in garment districts that take most UK brands months or years to build independently. We're an active sourcing partner that manages your factory relationship on your behalf.
£699
For UK clothing brands that know what they want and need help sourcing from a verified factory with their own branding applied.
£1,899
For UK clothing brands developing their own garment designs, manufactured to specification with end-to-end production management.
£3,299
For established UK clothing brands ready for fully custom product development with proprietary designs and exclusive factory arrangements.
The honest answer depends on what you're building. For white label (existing designs with your branding), you can start from as little as £3,000–£5,000 for a first order — covering samples, a modest production run, freight, and import duty. For private label (your own designs), budget £8,000–£20,000 to cover design and tech pack costs, multiple sample iterations, a meaningful first production run, and all landed costs. The mistakes most UK brands make: not budgeting for the 12% import duty from China (applied on every shipment and not reclaimable), and underestimating sample costs, which are typically non-refundable. Build both into your financial model before you start.
A tech pack is a technical specification document you send to the factory describing exactly what you want produced. At minimum it should include: front and back flat sketches with graded measurements at each size, fabric specification (weight in GSM, composition, weave or knit structure), colour references (Pantone codes or physical swatches), construction details (seam type, stitch density, closure type, finish), label and care instruction requirements, and quality standards. You can create tech packs in Adobe Illustrator, CLO 3D, or a well-structured PowerPoint — what matters is that the information is unambiguous. Many UK fashion designers freelance as tech pack creators; expect to pay £150–£400 per style. Epic Sourcing reviews tech packs before they're sent to factories to catch ambiguities that cause expensive sample rounds.
Total timeline from placing a production order to stock arriving at your UK warehouse: for white label with no development, typically 8–12 weeks. For private label requiring 2–3 sample rounds, typically 16–24 weeks. The breakdown: sample development (2–6 weeks), bulk production (4–8 weeks), sea freight from China to Felixstowe or Southampton (25–32 days), UK customs clearance (1–5 days). Air freight reduces shipping to 5–7 days but costs 4–6x more per kg — viable for urgent sample shipments or high-value restocks only. Most UK clothing brands need to plan at least 3–4 months ahead of when they need inventory on shelf.
For most UK clothing brands, China remains the starting point — its manufacturing range is unmatched, MOQs are lower, and the supply chain is more vertically integrated. Vietnam becomes compelling as volumes grow and the 12% duty saving under UKVFTA becomes material to margins. On a £50,000 FOB order, that is £6,000 in import duty you don't pay if goods qualify under UKVFTA. Vietnam is particularly strong for sportswear, casualwear, and workwear. In practice, most established UK clothing brands run dual-country supply chains — China for complex or premium styles, Vietnam for volume basics where the duty saving has the biggest impact.
To import clothing commercially into the UK you'll need: an EORI number (obtained free from HMRC in a few working days — required for all commercial imports), the correct commodity code (HS code) for your specific garment, a freight forwarder or customs broker to lodge your declaration on the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), and commercial documents from your supplier — commercial invoice, packing list, and Bill of Lading. If claiming UKVFTA preferential rates on Vietnamese goods, you also need either a EUR.1 Movement Certificate or a qualified Statement of Origin from a REX-registered supplier. Your freight forwarder manages the technical declaration; your job is ensuring the right documents arrive from the factory before goods ship.
Epic Sourcing works exclusively with UK businesses. Whether you're launching your first clothing line or scaling a growing brand, we connect you with the right factories, manage quality from sample to shipment, and ensure your goods arrive compliantly.
From white label basics to fully custom private label garments — sourced across China and Vietnam with full UKVFTA compliance support.
Epic Sourcing UK · 71-75 Shelton St, London WC2H 9JQ · hello@epicsourcing.co.uk
