Not sure whether to manufacture your clothing range in China or Vietnam? We break down the real differences — costs, MOQs, fabric access, lead times — so UK fashion founders can make the right call.
In summary: For UK fashion brands, China offers broader fabric access, lower costs on complex garments, and more established factory specialisation. Vietnam is the better pick for activewear, basics, and cut-and-sew pieces — and for brands wanting to diversify away from single-country supply risk. Many UK brands now split their range between both countries, and that is often the smartest move of all.
Picture this. It is 2019. A brilliant London-based founder — let us call her Sophie — has spent six months designing a debut collection of premium athleisure. Twelve pieces. Beautiful line sheets. A solid Instagram following waiting for launch day. There is just one problem: Sophie has absolutely no idea whether to manufacture in China or Vietnam.
Sound familiar? If you are a UK fashion brand trying to source clothing or apparel from Asia, the China vs Vietnam question is one of the first big decisions you will face. And it is genuinely not straightforward. Both countries are world-class at manufacturing garments. Both offer competitive pricing. But they have very different strengths, weaknesses, and realities on the ground.
Having spent years helping UK brands navigate exactly this decision — placing garments, accessories, and footwear across both countries — I want to give you an honest, insider answer. No fluff. Just the real differences that matter for British fashion businesses.
The short answer: cost and capability. Both China and Vietnam have built world-class garment manufacturing industries over decades. When you are producing private label or white label clothing at volume, sourcing from Asia is typically 40–70% cheaper than UK or European manufacturing — even after shipping and import duties are factored in.
China's Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces have entire ecosystems of fabric mills, trim suppliers, embroidery houses, and packaging factories clustered within a few hours of each other. Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi corridors have developed similar — if slightly younger — manufacturing clusters. This proximity of the entire supply chain is a huge operational advantage that Western manufacturing simply cannot replicate at scale.
For UK brands wanting to explore white label clothing (buying existing designs with your branding) or private label manufacturing (your own designs, your own label), both China and Vietnam are genuinely excellent options — you just need to know which is right for your specific product and brand.
China is still the world's dominant force in garment manufacturing, and for good reason. The breadth and depth of manufacturing capability in China is simply unmatched. Whether you are producing intricate embroidered pieces, technical outerwear with complex lamination, or delicate silk blouses — China has specialists for everything.
China produces the majority of the world's fabric. From premium jersey knits to high-performance breathable membranes, most fabric mills are located in China. This gives Chinese factories a significant advantage in sourcing exactly the right material quickly and at cost — often from a supplier just down the road. If your collection requires specific fabrics, textures, or blends that are not commodity items, China is almost certainly where you need to be manufacturing.
China has a factory for everything. Knitwear specialists in Dongguan. Denim experts in Guangzhou. Technical outerwear factories in Wenzhou. Cut-and-sew specialists in Hangzhou. This means you can match your product to a factory that genuinely excels at it, rather than working with a generalist. At Epic, we have helped UK brands place everything from performance running vests to hand-stitched leather accessories — and China has the right specialist factory every time.
While minimum order quantities can be high — typically 300–500 pieces per style at most Chinese factories — the premium and mid-market segments have become noticeably more flexible since 2020. Many factories now accept 100–200 pieces per colourway for established relationships, which is increasingly viable for UK brands doing limited drops or testing new silhouettes before committing to scale.
Sourcing Hack #1: When getting quotes from Chinese factories, always ask about their "development order" or "trial order" MOQ. Many factories will run 50–100 pieces at a higher unit price to prove quality before you commit to a full production run. This approach lets you validate the factory relationship without risking your entire budget on an untested supplier.
Vietnam has grown from a bit-player in global garment manufacturing into one of the world's top five clothing exporters — and UK brands are increasingly taking notice. For certain product types and brand strategies, Vietnam is not just a viable alternative to China. In some cases, it is the better choice.
Vietnam's garment industry has deep roots in cut-and-sew manufacturing — the process of cutting pre-woven or pre-knitted fabric and sewing it into finished garments. For activewear, yoga wear, T-shirts, polo shirts, and similar basics, Vietnamese factories have developed exceptional skills at producing consistent, high-quality product at very competitive prices. If you are launching a fitness apparel line or a range of basics — perhaps starting with white label products before transitioning to a fully private label range — Vietnam's factories represent an outstanding combination of quality, price, and ethical production standards.
Many UK brands that previously sourced 100% from China are now splitting production — keeping complex or fabric-intensive pieces in China while moving basics and high-volume items to Vietnam. This strategy protects your brand from single-country supply chain risk, reduces dependence on any one factory relationship, and can strengthen your ESG story for retailers or investors who care about supply chain resilience.
Sourcing Hack #2: If you are building a collection of mixed complexity — say, a technical hero jacket plus a core range of T-shirts — consider placing the jacket in China and the tees in Vietnam. You will get the best quality for each product type, and meaningfully reduce your supply chain risk by spreading production across two countries.
Vietnam's labour costs are generally lower than China's, particularly in the Ho Chi Minh City region. This price advantage is most pronounced in labour-intensive products — hand embroidery, intricate beadwork, or products requiring significant hand finishing. Vietnam has also made strong progress on factory working conditions and environmental standards, which is an increasingly important consideration for UK brands selling to conscious consumers or supplying ethical retailers.
This is the question everyone wants answered. The honest truth: it depends enormously on the product. For a basic cotton T-shirt, Vietnam is typically 5–15% cheaper than equivalent Chinese factories, factoring in fabric sourcing and labour. For a technical performance jacket with bonded seams, waterproof zips, and heat-transferred branding, China will almost certainly be more competitive — because the specialist factories and fabric mills are clustered together, reducing overall supply chain cost.
Do not forget to factor in UK shipping costs and import duties. Both China and Vietnam ship primarily via sea freight, with comparable lead times of 25–35 days to UK ports. Air freight from either country runs 5–8 days. UK import duty on most clothing and apparel is 12% of the CIF value, plus 20% Import VAT. For a detailed guide to the full landed cost calculation, see our complete guide to importing from China to the UK.
Sourcing Hack #3: Always request a "landed cost" quote — the total cost including fabric, manufacture, packaging, freight, UK import duty, and VAT. A cheaper factory price can easily be erased by higher shipping costs or an unexpected duty rate. HMRC's Trade Tariff tool lets you look up exact duty rates using your product's HS code before you commit to any supplier.
MOQs are a common pain point for UK fashion startups. In Vietnam, MOQs at well-established factories tend to be similar to China — 200–500 pieces per style is typical. However, Vietnam has a strong network of smaller, boutique factories that cater specifically to small brands and independent designers, often accepting MOQs as low as 50–100 pieces per style.
If you are just starting out and need to test a small range before committing to larger orders, Vietnam's smaller factories can be a genuinely accessible entry point. Just be aware that unit costs will be higher at low MOQs, and you will need to be more hands-on with quality control. Our guide to finding reliable manufacturers in China covers the vetting process in detail — many of the same principles apply when sourcing from Vietnam.
This is where it gets challenging — and where most UK founders go wrong. Platforms like Alibaba are the obvious starting point, but they come with significant risks: fake certifications, trading companies posing as factories, and samples that bear no resemblance to production quality. Our detailed guide to importing from Alibaba to the UK covers how to navigate this carefully.
The most reliable route to quality clothing manufacturers is through direct factory visits, trade shows (like the Canton Fair's textile and garment sections), or working with a sourcing agent who has established relationships and can verify factories on your behalf. Our Private Label and Secret Label packages are designed to take the factory-finding and vetting work entirely off your plate.
Sourcing Hack #4: Ask any prospective factory for references from brands sourcing similar products to yours. A factory that currently produces for established UK or European fashion brands is a strong signal of reliability. If they refuse to provide references or deflect the question, treat that as a red flag and move on to the next candidate on your shortlist.
If you are producing complex, fabric-intensive, or highly specialised garments — embroidered pieces, technical outerwear, intricate knitwear — China is your best bet. The fabric access, factory specialisation, and supply chain ecosystem are unmatched anywhere in the world.
If you are producing activewear, basics, or simpler cut-and-sew pieces — or if supply chain diversification is a strategic priority — Vietnam is a compelling and increasingly capable alternative. Many of the UK brands we work with have settled on a hybrid approach: China for their hero pieces, Vietnam for their volume lines. It is a strategy that makes excellent commercial sense in today's trading environment.
If you are thinking about developing your own clothing line from scratch rather than buying existing designs, our companion guide on how to develop your own product using manufacturing in China walks through the full process from concept to production.
It depends on your product. China is better for complex garments requiring specialist fabric access — outerwear, knitwear, embroidered pieces. Vietnam excels at activewear, basics, and cut-and-sew products. Many UK brands split production between both countries to optimise quality and reduce supply chain risk.
Established factories in both countries typically require 200–500 pieces per style. Smaller boutique factories in Vietnam often accept 50–100 pieces per style, making them accessible for startups and brands testing new designs. Chinese factories also offer development order options, though the entry cost at very low volumes tends to be higher.
Production lead times are typically 45–75 days from order confirmation, depending on fabric procurement and factory schedule. Add 25–35 days for sea freight to the UK, or 5–8 days for air freight. Total lead time from confirmed order to goods in your UK warehouse is usually 70–110 days — so plan well ahead of any seasonal launch.
UK import duty on most clothing and apparel is 12% of the CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value. Import VAT at 20% applies on top of the duty-inclusive value. Check the HMRC Trade Tariff tool using your product's HS code to confirm exact rates — they vary by fabric content and product type. Some garment categories attract different rates.
Register your key designs as UK Intellectual Property (with the IPO) before sharing detailed tech packs with factories. Use NDAs, limit which factories see your full specifications, and consider Chinese trade mark registration via CNIPA if you are doing significant volume in China. Get in touch with our team for advice tailored to your specific situation.
Yes. While MOQs can be challenging at very low quantities, many factories — particularly in Vietnam — cater specifically to emerging brands. Working with a sourcing agent who has existing factory relationships can unlock better MOQs and pricing than you would negotiate independently, and dramatically reduces the risk of choosing the wrong factory first time around.
Building a UK fashion brand is genuinely exciting work — and sourcing from China or Vietnam (or both) is how the vast majority of successful clothing businesses make it commercially viable. The key is knowing which country fits your products, having the right factory relationships, and getting your supply chain structured properly from the start.
At Epic Sourcing, we have helped dozens of UK fashion brands navigate exactly this decision. Whether you are at the "I have a design and no idea where to start" stage, or you are an established brand looking to diversify your supply chain, we would love to help.
Book a free strategy call with the Epic team →
Or drop us a line at hello@epicsourcing.co.uk | 07551 136406
TK Wang, Founder & Director @ Epic Sourcing
