Right, let's have a frank conversation about white label clothing. Half the UK brand owners we speak to have spent six months on Instagram watching other people launch clothing lines before quietly wondering: how do they actually make those products? The answer — for most of them — is a white label or private label manufacturer in China or Vietnam. It is not complicated. But it is easy to get wrong if you don't know what you're doing.
This guide is for UK entrepreneurs, e-commerce founders, boutique owners, and brand builders who want to launch their own clothing line — or significantly grow an existing one — by working with manufacturers in Asia. We'll cover how white label clothing sourcing actually works, what it costs, the compliance rules you genuinely need to know about, how China and Vietnam compare for clothing specifically, and how to find a manufacturer who won't let you down.
At Epic Sourcing, we've helped hundreds of UK clothing and fashion brands — from solo founders to multimillion-pound retailers — source from factories across China and Vietnam. What follows is everything we'd tell you on a discovery call.
White label clothing is a finished garment produced by a manufacturer to a standard specification, which a brand purchases and resells under its own label. Unlike bespoke product development, white label clothing already exists — you're applying your branding to a proven product.
The UK clothing and apparel market remains one of the most dynamic in Europe. British consumers spend approximately £62 billion on clothing and footwear annually, and the shift towards independent, direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands — driven by social media and the rise of Shopify — means that smaller brands with strong identity and good sourcing can compete meaningfully with established retailers.
The opportunity is real, but the margin pressure is intense. A white label clothing strategy — where you source from an Asian manufacturer and brand under your own label — is how most successful small clothing brands achieve the unit economics needed to survive. Producing clothing in the UK or Western Europe is typically three to five times more expensive per unit for comparable quality. For brands that are not explicitly selling the "made in Britain" story, that premium is very difficult to pass on to customers.
China is the world's largest apparel manufacturer, producing roughly 40% of global clothing output. Vietnam has emerged as the world's second-largest clothing exporter, with particular strength in woven garments, activewear, and higher-end workmanship. For UK brands, both countries offer mature, well-established supply chains — the question is which suits your product and business model better.
At Epic Sourcing, we've seen the white label clothing model work brilliantly for:
These three terms are used interchangeably online, which causes enormous confusion. Here is how the industry — and Epic Sourcing — uses them in practice:
| Approach | What You Get | Your Input | Typical MOQ | Time to Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Label | Manufacturer's existing design + your label/branding applied | Logo, label, hang tags, packaging | 50–200 pcs/style | 8–14 weeks |
| Private Label | Manufacturer modifies existing base style to your spec (fabric, colour, details) | Design brief, fabric selection, colour approval, branding | 100–500 pcs/style | 14–22 weeks |
| OEM / Own Brand | Completely bespoke design made to your technical specification | Full tech pack, pattern, fabric sourcing, grading | 300–1,000 pcs/style | 24–36 weeks |
White label is the right starting point if you're launching for the first time and want to validate demand before investing heavily in product development. It gets you to market fast, at lower MOQs, with minimal technical expertise required. The downside is that your products may be similar to what other brands are selling from the same factory.
Private label sits in the middle — you're customising an existing base, which gives you differentiation without the full development cost of starting from scratch. This is where the vast majority of successful UK small-to-medium clothing brands operate.
The most sensible path for a new UK clothing brand is to launch with white label products, validate your market and sales channels, then reinvest margins into private label development. This approach dramatically reduces risk and means you're developing products you already know customers want to buy.
This is the question we get asked most often by UK clothing brands. The honest answer is: it depends heavily on your product type, your target price point, and how much volume you're doing.
| Factor | China | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Import duty (UK) | Typically 12% (Chapter 61/62) | 0% under UKVFTA (with RoO compliance) |
| MOQ | 50–300 pcs/style (very flexible) | 200–500 pcs/style (less flexible) |
| Unit cost | Lower at small MOQ | Slightly higher, offset by 0% duty |
| Specialisation | All garment types; excellent for knitwear, denim, basics | Woven garments, activewear, higher-end tailoring |
| Lead time (production) | 25–40 days | 35–50 days |
| Sea freight to UK | ~25–30 days (via Felixstowe/Southampton) | ~30–35 days (via Felixstowe/Southampton) |
| Ethical sourcing | Audit-dependent; varies by factory | Generally strong; BSCI/SEDEX-certified factories common |
| Best for | Lower MOQs, knitwear, basics, fast turnaround | Higher quality woven garments, activewear, larger volumes |
The UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), which came into force in January 2021, eliminates import duties on qualifying Vietnamese textile and apparel imports into the UK. For Chapter 61 (knitted/crocheted clothing) and Chapter 62 (woven clothing), the standard UK Global Tariff rate from China is typically 12%. From Vietnam, under UKVFTA, that drops to 0%.
On a £10,000 shipment of clothing from China, you'd pay £1,200 in import duty. From Vietnam (with a valid EUR.1 movement certificate or origin declaration), you'd pay zero. At scale — say £200,000 of annual clothing imports — the saving is £24,000 per year. That is material to any UK brand's margin.
UKVFTA duty-free status requires your Vietnamese clothing to meet Rules of Origin (RoO) requirements. For most apparel, this means the fabric must be woven/knitted in Vietnam or another qualifying country — not just cut and sewn in Vietnam from Chinese fabric. Always ask your Vietnamese factory to confirm RoO compliance before placing an order.
China's apparel manufacturing is concentrated in regional clusters: Guangzhou / Pearl River Delta for fast fashion, casualwear, and small-batch orders; Hangzhou / Shaoxing (Zhejiang) for silk, high-quality fabrics, and premium womenswear; Zhongshan / Dongguan for tailored garments and workwear; and Humen (Dongguan) — known as China's fashion wholesale capital — for mid-range clothing. For most UK brands entering the market, Guangzhou-area factories offer the best combination of flexibility, speed, and English-language capability.
Vietnam's apparel industry is centred around Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding provinces (Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Long An) — the largest cluster, handling the majority of Vietnam's apparel exports, with strong capabilities in woven garments and activewear. Major international brands including H&M, Zara, and Uniqlo source here. For most UK brands starting out in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City-area factories are the natural starting point given their UKVFTA compliance experience and export-focused infrastructure.
This is the section most sourcing guides gloss over. We're going to be specific. UK clothing imports are subject to several mandatory compliance requirements — failing to meet them can result in your goods being detained at Felixstowe or Southampton.
Under the Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations 2012, every garment you sell in the UK must carry a care and content label in English stating the fibre composition. The percentages must be accurate to within ±3% of the actual fibre content. Most factories have standard label templates — for white label clothing, you need to specify your own label with your brand name, fibre content, and size. The factory attaches it during production.
If you're importing children's garments (under 14 years), additional requirements apply under BS EN 14682 relating to cords and drawstrings. Hood cords on children's upper garments are prohibited entirely. Waist and hem cords must meet specific length and protrusion requirements. UK Trading Standards actively enforces this.
The following figures are drawn from our own supplier network and client orders placed in 2025–2026. They are representative, not guaranteed, but they'll give you a realistic starting point.
| Item | China (typical range) | Vietnam (typical range) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| White label T-shirt (180gsm) | £1.80–£3.50 FOB | £2.20–£4.00 FOB | Quality varies with fabric weight |
| Hoodie / sweatshirt (350gsm) | £6.50–£12.00 FOB | £8.00–£14.00 FOB | Fleece weight and embroidery add cost |
| Woven shirt / blouse | £5.00–£11.00 FOB | £6.50–£13.00 FOB | Vietnam often stronger here |
| Leggings / activewear | £4.00–£9.00 FOB | £5.00–£11.00 FOB | Vietnamese activewear quality is very competitive |
| Jacket / outerwear | £12.00–£35.00 FOB | £15.00–£40.00 FOB | Padding, shell material, and zips drive cost |
| Typical MOQ (white label) | 50–300 pcs/style/colour | 200–500 pcs/style/colour | Lower MOQ = higher unit cost |
| Sample cost | £80–£250/sample | £100–£300/sample | Often waived or credited against bulk order |
| Production lead time | 25–40 days | 35–50 days | Add 2–3 weeks for Chinese New Year |
| Sea freight to UK | £1,500–£3,000 per 20ft container | £1,800–£3,500 per 20ft container | LCL available for smaller orders |
500 hoodies from China @ £8.50 FOB = £4,250 FOB value
+ Sea freight (LCL) £650 + Import duty 12% £510 + VAT 20% £1,082 + Customs broker £120
Total landed cost ≈ £6,612 → £13.22 per hoodie landed
Finding a good clothing manufacturer takes either significant time investment or a trusted sourcing partner. Here's the landscape.
Not sure where to start?
Tell us what you want to make. We'll tell you which country, which factory tier, and which service fits your stage of business — in a 30-minute call, at no cost.
Book Your Free 30-Minute ConsultationSampling is where many UK brands either invest properly and avoid expensive problems, or cut corners and end up with a container of clothes they can't sell.
Asian size grading does not automatically match UK sizing conventions. Chinese or Vietnamese "M" is frequently the equivalent of a UK 8–10. You need to specify your own size chart to the factory and confirm it in the PPS stage. This is one of the most common quality problems Epic Sourcing flags in new client orders.
For orders above 500 units, we strongly recommend a pre-shipment inspection (PSI) conducted by a third-party QC inspector at the factory before goods are shipped. A standard PSI costs £200–£350 and covers: AQL sampling of finished garments, measurement check against your size spec, workmanship defects, fabric/colour matching, and packaging conformity. The inspection report is your leverage — once goods arrive at Felixstowe or Southampton, your negotiating position is significantly weaker.
Full Container Load (FCL) makes sense if you have enough volume to fill a 20ft container (approximately 25–28 CBM). Less than Container Load (LCL) is for smaller shipments. For UK clothing brands with 300–1,500 units per style, LCL is standard. Transit times: Chinese ports to Felixstowe or Southampton approximately 25–30 days; Vietnamese ports to UK approximately 30–35 days.
Your customs broker will file an import declaration through the Customs Declaration Service (CDS). You need your EORI number, commodity codes (Chapter 61 for knitted, Chapter 62 for woven), commercial invoice and packing list, Bill of Lading, and — for Vietnam — the UKVFTA origin proof (EUR.1 certificate or origin declaration). UK import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus import duty. This VAT is reclaimable in full against your VAT return if you are VAT-registered.
Your factory might produce a perfectly good hoodie — but if it arrives at your UK customer looking generic with a misaligned label and crumpled hang tag, the brand experience suffers. Here's what you need to specify.
Your main brand label (sewn at the centre back neck) can be woven or printed. Woven labels look and feel more premium — they're the industry standard for anything positioned above budget. For a white label clothing range positioning itself as a quality UK brand, invest in woven main labels. The cost difference is negligible at volume (£0.05–£0.15 per unit) but the perceived quality difference is significant.
A swing tag with your logo, brand story snippet, and a QR code sets you apart. Whether you're shipping to customers in a plain poly bag or a branded mailer with tissue paper will directly affect your review score and repeat purchase rate. A full branding pack — woven main label, care/content label, hang tag with cord, and branded OPP bag — adds approximately £0.30–£0.80 per unit. It's almost always worth it.
If you're supplying to any UK retailer (including Shopify, Amazon UK, or third-party stockists), you'll need EAN/GTIN barcodes. Register through GS1 UK (approximately £100–£300 per year for a small brand prefix). Your factory can print barcodes on the hang tag or poly bag.
At Epic Sourcing, we've spent years building supplier relationships across China and Vietnam specifically for UK brand owners. Our London-based team (71-75 Shelton St, London WC2H 9JQ) works alongside our on-the-ground teams in China and Vietnam to give UK clothing brands the sourcing infrastructure that was previously only available to large retailers.
Yes, though your options narrow at very low MOQs. Some Chinese factories, particularly in the Guangzhou area, will accept orders of 50–100 pieces per style. Expect to pay a higher unit price — often 20–40% more — to cover the factory's setup costs. At this scale, you're typically working through a trading company or agent rather than directly with an export-focused factory. For brands looking to test the market before committing to larger runs, this is a perfectly sensible approach. If you can sell 50 pieces, you can likely sell 150, and the economics improve significantly at higher quantities.
You don't need to register in China or Vietnam to place orders, but brand and IP protection is a real consideration for UK clothing brands working in Asia. If you have distinctive branding or original designs, registering your trade mark with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and/or Vietnam's National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP) is advisable as your volumes grow. UK trade mark registration alone does not protect you in China or Vietnam. Costs for Chinese trade mark registration are typically £300–£600 per class through a reputable IP agent. It's not urgent at the white label stage, but worth planning for once you're investing meaningfully in your brand identity.
You need to request a Rules of Origin (RoO) declaration or EUR.1 movement certificate from your factory for each shipment. The factory must confirm that the clothing meets the UKVFTA product-specific rules — for most Chapter 61/62 apparel, the fabric must have been woven or knitted in Vietnam (or another UKVFTA-qualifying country). If the factory is using Chinese fabric and simply cutting and sewing in Vietnam, the goods will not qualify. Ask your factory this question explicitly before placing the order, and request a written RoO statement. Major Vietnamese export factories deal with UKVFTA compliance daily — if they're unfamiliar with it, that's a flag.
For white label clothing from China, the realistic timeline from deposit payment to goods in your UK warehouse is 10–16 weeks for a new supplier relationship: allow 1–2 weeks for sample production and approval, 25–40 days for bulk production, and 25–30 days for sea freight to Felixstowe or Southampton. If you need goods faster, air freight from China to the UK takes 5–7 days but costs 4–6× more per kg — viable for urgent restocks but not economical for initial orders. From Vietnam, add approximately one week to production and freight timelines. Your first order from a new factory will always take longer than subsequent orders, because the approval stage is new.
The single most common and expensive mistake is rushing. Specifically: approving samples under time pressure before fit and quality are truly right, skipping the pre-shipment inspection to save £250, and not checking compliance labelling until the goods arrive and a customer complains. Each of these mistakes individually has cost UK brands we've spoken to tens of thousands of pounds. Allow 12–20 weeks from starting a new supplier relationship to having quality goods in your UK warehouse, and plan your inventory accordingly. The sourcing process has natural stages — and each stage exists because skipping it creates a specific, well-documented category of problem.
Your options once goods are in the UK are limited. You can negotiate a partial refund or credit note with the factory, dispute through your payment mechanism (very difficult with T/T bank transfer), or absorb the loss. This is precisely why pre-shipment inspection is so important — catching problems before they leave the factory. Pay a deposit (typically 30%) on order and balance (70%) after QC inspection passes, not upon shipment. Reputable factories accept this arrangement. If a factory insists on 100% payment before production starts, that is a major warning sign.
Whether you need to find your first factory, improve quality on an existing supplier, or navigate the jump from white label to private label — Epic Sourcing UK can help.
Our team has helped UK clothing brands source from China and Vietnam at every stage, from £5,000 first orders to multimillion-pound accounts. The first conversation is always free.
Epic Supply Chains UK Ltd · 71-75 Shelton St, London WC2H 9JQ · hello@epicsourcing.co.uk
