Our Clothing Production Process from Tech Pack to Delivery
Last updated:
Reviewed by Efe Bal, Co-Owner, Too Fabric
Every order at Too Fabric passes four written approvals before bulk production begins: your quotation, the sample production file, the physical sample and the bulk production file. On stock fabrics, our clothing production process takes about 9–10 weeks from your approved sample production file to delivery in Europe: around 2 weeks for the sample, about 5 weeks of bulk production and 10–14 days on the road.
The same nine stages apply to T-shirts, hoodies and zip hoodies, sweatshirts, joggers, sweatpants and polo shirts; only the fabric, the trims and a few sewing details change from one garment to the next. Below you will find what happens at each stage, what we need from you and where you sign off. For our product range and minimum order quantities, see our overview as a custom clothing manufacturer in Istanbul.
- 4 written approvals before bulk production
- 2 weeks to make your sample
- 5 weeks bulk production on stock fabric
- 9–10 weeks from approved file to delivery in Europe
Clothing Production Timeline, Week by Week
Plan about 9–10 weeks from the approval of your sample production file to delivery in Europe if your order uses stock fabric, and about 13–14 weeks if the fabric is dyed to your Pantone reference.
One order. Every stage.
Approximate elapsed weeks- Sample · 2 weeks
- DHL · 3–4 business days
- Your review
- Bulk production
- Road · 10–14 days
| Stage | Typical duration | Running total | Your part |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quotation | 1–2 working days once your files are complete | Before week 0 | Send complete files; confirm the quotation |
| Sample production file | Before sampling | Week 0: the clock starts when you approve it | Check and approve the file |
| Sample production | About 2 weeks (14 days) | 2 weeks | — |
| Sample delivery by DHL Express | 3–4 business days | About 2.5 weeks | — |
| Your sample review | Usually 2–5 working days | About 3 weeks | Approve, or tell us what to change |
| Bulk production file | Before bulk production | About 3 weeks | Approve quantities and final details |
| Bulk production, stock fabric | About 5 weeks after sample approval | About 8 weeks | — |
| Road freight to most European destinations | 10–14 days | About 9–10 weeks | Receive the goods and settle import VAT and duties |
Your specifications count as confirmed once you approve the sample production file, so that is where the running total starts. With fabric dyed to your Pantone reference, a lab dip has to be approved first and bulk production runs for about 8–9 weeks instead of 5.
Work back from your date
Planning backwards
from your launch date
The example below works back from your in-warehouse date, keeping about one week in reserve for a sample change, a slow approval or a public holiday. Confirm the schedule for your order in your quotation.
Example: for stock-fabric goods needed in Germany on 1 April 2027, send your files in the first week of January 2027. The Ramadan Feast holiday (9–11 March 2027) then falls during bulk production and uses up the week in reserve.
| Weeks before your in-warehouse date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 12 | Complete project files reach us |
| 11 | Quotation confirmed and sample production file approved |
| 8 | Sample and bulk production file approved; bulk production starts |
| 3 | Order finished, packed and on its way by road |
| 1 | Goods delivered, one week ahead of your date |
Four Approvals Before Bulk Production
We only cut fabric for your bulk order after four written approvals, so the garments that arrive are the ones you signed off.
| Approval | What it fixes | When it happens |
|---|---|---|
| 01Quotation | Prices, quantities per style and colour, fabric, branding method, sample charge, delivery terms and schedule | Once your project files are complete |
| 02Sample production file | Style, pattern, measurements, fabric and colour, logo sizes and positions, branding method and labels | Before your sample is made |
| 03Physical sample | How it fits and feels, its measurements, the colour, the print or embroidery, the labels and the stitching | About 2.5 weeks after approval 2 |
| 04Bulk production file | Quantities by style, colour and size, final specifications, changes agreed on the sample, labels, packing and delivery address | Before bulk production |
Sample fee, paid in advance. Bulk order: 50% deposit; the balance before dispatch.
Nine Stages of Clothing Production at Too Fabric
Our clothing production process runs through nine stages in the same order for every garment, with the four approvals between them, so nothing reaches the cutting table before you have signed off.
1. Project files and quotation
Email your mockups, logo files, quantities and fabric wishes, or send them through our contact form. We go through everything, ask about anything missing or unclear and, once the files are complete, send a written quotation within one to two working days. The checklist further down shows what to include.
2. Sample production file
After you confirm the quotation, we put your sample on paper before anything is made. The sample production file records the style and pattern, the measurements, the fabric and colour, each logo's size and position, the branding method and the labels. Sampling starts only when you approve it, which is the cheapest moment to catch a misunderstanding.
3. Pattern and sample
The sample follows the pattern route agreed in your quotation: an existing Too Fabric pattern, regular or oversized, or one drafted for you from your measurements or a reference garment. It takes about 14 days, is cut from the fabric you chose and carries your print or embroidery and labels. DHL Express then delivers it to most European addresses in 3–4 business days.
4. Sample review and approval
Try the sample on, measure it against your size chart and check the hand feel, colour, print or embroidery, labels and stitching. Send us your comments; every change we agree is written into the bulk production file.
5. Bulk production file
Before bulk production, you receive the bulk production file. It lists the quantities by style, colour and size, the final specifications including any changes from the sample, the label and packing instructions and the delivery address. Your approval starts bulk production, which takes about 5 weeks on stock fabric.
6. Fabric and trims
Stock fabric is reserved for your order. If you chose a custom colour, the fabric is dyed to your Pantone reference after you approve a lab dip, which extends bulk production to about 8–9 weeks. Labels, hangtags, zips, eyelets and drawcords are prepared to the approved specification, and before anything is cut, we test the fabric for shrinkage and compare its weight and shade with your sample.
7. Cutting, branding and sewing
The approved pattern is graded across your size split, and the fabric is laid out and cut for each size. Prints and embroidery go on the cut parts before they are sewn together. Sewing then follows the construction fixed on your sample, from neck ribs and shoulder seams to hoods, zips, waistbands or plackets.
8. Finishing, quality control and packing
Once sewn, every garment is trimmed, ironed and folded, and hangtags or stickers are added if your order includes them. Our team measures garments and checks seams during sewing, then inspects the finished order and compares it with your approved sample. Each style and colour is packed separately, sorted by size, into marked export cartons that match the packing list.
9. Shipping and delivery documents
We organise transport to your door on DAP terms and price it when your cartons are packed and weighed; import VAT and any customs duty are paid by you as the importer. Most bulk orders go by road and reach European addresses in 10–14 days, and DHL Express is available for urgent orders, priced by weight and number of cartons. Every shipment carries a commercial invoice and packing list; we add an A.TR movement certificate for qualifying EU deliveries and, for the UK, an origin declaration on the invoice. Tracking details follow once the goods have left Istanbul.
Garment-specific details are explained on our product pages: neck ribs, print placement and GSM in our T-shirt production process, and hoods, zips and fleece under custom hoodie manufacturing.
What We Confirm on the Sample for Each Garment
The stages never change, but the details you approve on the sample depend on the garment.
| Garment | Our fabrics | Details fixed on the sample |
|---|---|---|
| T-shirts | 160–280 GSM organic cotton jersey | Regular or oversized fit, neck rib height, body and sleeve length, print or embroidery position, neck label |
| Hoodies and zip hoodies | French terry in 350 or 450 GSM, or 350 GSM brushed fleece | Hood shape, drawcord and eyelets or zip, pocket style, rib cuffs and hem, logo positions |
| Sweatshirts | The same French terry and fleece as our hoodies | Neckline rib, sleeve construction (set-in or raglan), rib cuffs and hem, embroidery or print position |
| Joggers and sweatpants | Fleece or French terry, matching your tops for sets | Waistband elastic and drawcord, pocket style, elasticated or ribbed cuffs or open hems, inside-leg length |
| Polo shirts | Organic cotton piqué, 220 GSM | Ribbed collar and cuffs, placket, position of the embroidered logo |
What to Send Before Production Starts
For an accurate quotation and first sample, we need seven details for each style; three more help us get it right the first time. A complete tech pack is welcome, but you can start without one: these are the details we actually work from.
| Detail | What to include | Why we need it | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantities | Pieces per style, design and fabric colour (at least 100), with a size split if you have one | Sets the unit price and the amount of fabric we reserve | Required |
| Design and logo files | Mockups of the front, back and sleeves; logos as AI (vector) files or high-resolution PDFs | Screens, embroidery files and placements are made from them | Required |
| Logo sizes | Width and height of every print or embroidery, in centimetres | Size changes the price and the method we recommend | Required |
| Logo positions | Chest, back, sleeve, neck or hem, marked on the mockup | Confirms the placement before cutting and sewing | Required |
| Branding method | Embroidery, screen printing or DTF transfer, or ask for our advice | Affects the look, the durability and the price | Required |
| Fit | A measurement chart, a garment to copy the fit from, or one of our regular or oversized patterns | The pattern is developed or chosen from it | Required |
| Fabric | Fabric type, weight (GSM) and colour; a Pantone reference for custom dyeing | Decides between stock and custom-dyed fabric, and so the lead time | Required |
| Labels and packaging | Neck and care labels, hangtags, polybags, barcode or EAN stickers | So the quotation covers the finished, packed product | Helpful |
| Reference garment | A garment whose fit, fabric or finish you like | Shortens pattern and fabric decisions | Helpful |
| Delivery | Destination country, delivery address and target date | Transport, documents and the schedule depend on it | Helpful |
Send artwork in its final form: changes to a design after the sample production file is approved can move your dates and the price.
Quality Checks Through Production
Quality is checked at five points, beginning before your sample is made rather than only at the end.
| Point | What is checked | Signed off by |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sample production file | The specifications are complete and consistent before sampling | You |
| 2. Physical sample | Whether the finished garment fits, measures and looks as specified | You |
| 3. Fabric, before cutting | Weight, shade against the sample and shrinkage | Our team |
| 4. During sewing | Seams, measurements and the position of labels and logos | Our team |
| 5. Final inspection and packing | Finished garments against your approved sample; quantities and carton contents against the packing list | Our team |
For T-shirts, the AQL levels and measurement tolerances we work to are listed in the T-shirt quality control section; for other garments, they are confirmed in your quotation.
What You Receive During Your Order
Your account manager contacts you whenever something is ready for you or needs your decision, so you always know what happens next.
Your account manager is available Monday to Friday, 09:00–18:00 Istanbul time, and usually answers within the hour.
| Moment | What you receive |
|---|---|
| Your files are complete | A written quotation with prices, the sample charge and the schedule |
| You confirm the quotation | The sample production file to approve, and the invoice for the sample fee |
| Your sample is dispatched | The DHL Express tracking number |
| You approve the sample | The bulk production file to approve |
| Dispatch | The commercial invoice, packing list, customs document and tracking details |
What Can Delay Clothing Production
Most delays happen before bulk production begins, so complete files and quick approvals do more for your delivery date than anything else.
| Cause | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Incomplete project files | Use the checklist above: missing logo sizes, positions or a size chart hold up the quotation and the sample production file. |
| Changes after the sample | Share measurements and reference garments before sampling; a second sample adds time to your schedule. |
| Custom-dyed fabric | Choose a stock colour when your deadline is tight; dyeing to a Pantone reference extends bulk production to about 8–9 weeks. |
| Special trims or packaging | Confirm custom zips, labels or printed packaging in the quotation, as they have lead times of their own. |
| Slow approvals | Each day a file or sample waits for your decision moves the delivery date by a day. |
| Public holidays in Türkiye | Plan around the Ramadan Feast and the Feast of the Sacrifice; the 2027 dates are listed below. |
| Missing import details | Send your importer details before dispatch, including an EORI number for imports into the EU or the UK. |
Public holidays in Türkiye in 2027
Production and transport stop on these dates; around the two religious holidays, expect the slowdown to last most of the week.
| Holiday | 2027 |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Friday 1 January |
| Ramadan Feast (Ramazan Bayramı) | Tuesday 9 – Thursday 11 March, from the afternoon of Monday 8 March |
| National Sovereignty and Children's Day | Friday 23 April |
| Labour and Solidarity Day | Saturday 1 May |
| Feast of the Sacrifice (Kurban Bayramı) | Sunday 16 – Wednesday 19 May, from the afternoon of Saturday 15 May |
| Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day | Wednesday 19 May, during the Feast of the Sacrifice |
| Democracy and National Unity Day | Thursday 15 July |
| Victory Day | Monday 30 August |
| Republic Day | Friday 29 October, from the afternoon of Thursday 28 October |
The two religious holidays move about 11 days earlier each year, and the government sometimes adds bridge days. The schedule in your quotation takes these dates into account.
Religious holiday dates: Diyanet 2027 calendar.
Reorders and Repeat Production
Bulk production takes about 5 weeks on stock fabric, and the minimum of 100 pieces per style, design and fabric colour applies again. Confirm any changes to fabric, fit or branding before reordering.
- 100 pieces per style, design & colour
- 5 weeks bulk production on stock fabric
Clothing Production Terms Explained
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tech pack | A technical file that describes a garment: flat drawings, measurements, materials, trims, colours and branding positions. |
| Measurement chart | The garment measurements for each size, used to make and grade the pattern; also called a size chart. |
| Pattern grading | Scaling the approved pattern up and down to every size in your size range. |
| Sample production file | Too Fabric's written specification for your sample, which you approve before sampling starts. |
| Bulk production file | Too Fabric's final specification for your order, which you approve before bulk production starts. |
| Pre-production (PP) sample | A sample made from the bulk materials shortly before production starts, to confirm that materials and construction are right. |
| Size set | Samples of one style in several sizes, used to check the grading. |
| Lab dip | A small test piece of fabric dyed to match your Pantone colour; once you approve it, the full fabric quantity is dyed. |
| Cut-and-sew | Making garments from fabric to your pattern, rather than decorating ready-made blanks. |
| In-line inspection | Quality checks while garments are still being sewn. |
| AQL | Acceptable Quality Limit: a sampling method (ISO 2859-1) that decides whether an order passes final inspection. |
| A.TR movement certificate | A customs document showing that goods are in free circulation in the EU–Türkiye Customs Union, so qualifying goods enter the EU without customs duty. |
| Origin declaration | A statement on the invoice that the goods originate in Türkiye, used to claim 0% duty under the UK–Türkiye trade agreement. |
| EORI number | The customs registration number an importer needs to clear goods into the EU or the UK. |
| DAP (Delivered at Place) | An Incoterms® rule under which the seller bears the cost and risk of transport to the named place, usually your address, while the buyer clears the goods for import and pays VAT and duties. |
Questions About Our Production Process
When does the production timeline start?
When you approve the sample production file. The quotation and the file itself usually take a few working days before that, provided your project files are complete. From that approval, stock-fabric orders reach European addresses in about 9–10 weeks.
What happens if my sample isn't right?
Tell us what to change. The agreed changes are written into the bulk production file, which you approve before bulk production starts.
Can I change quantities, sizes or colours after approving the bulk production file?
Contact your account manager before making any changes. They will confirm what is possible for your order and how it affects your quotation and schedule.
Will I see my order before it is shipped?
Discuss photos or an inspection with your account manager when confirming your order, so the arrangements can be agreed in advance.
Can bulk orders be sent by air?
Yes. Most bulk orders travel by road in 10–14 days, but DHL Express air freight is available when time matters more than cost; the price depends on the weight and the number of cartons.
What do I need to do before my goods arrive?
As the importer, have your company, VAT and EORI details ready and tell us who will clear the goods: the carrier's customs service or your own broker. Under DAP terms, you pay import VAT and any duty on arrival; your customs broker can confirm the amounts for your country.
How do public holidays in Türkiye affect my order?
Production and transport stop for the Ramadan Feast and the Feast of the Sacrifice, usually for most of the holiday week, and for a day on each national holiday. In 2027, the Ramadan Feast falls on 9–11 March and the Feast of the Sacrifice on 16–19 May; we build these dates into the schedule in your quotation.
Can I reorder the same style later?
Yes. A reorder has the same minimum as a first order: 100 pieces per style, design and fabric colour. Confirm any changes to fabric, fit or branding before reordering.
Your designs. Our craftsmanship.
Start Your Production.
Send your project files, even if some details are still open. Your account manager will reply with questions, or with a quotation and a schedule for your order, usually within about an hour on working days.
If you are working out how to manufacture clothing for your brand for the first time, begin with the checklist above and send what you have; we will tell you what is still missing. You can also meet the team behind your order.
- MOQ from 100 pieces
- Sample in about 2 weeks
- Average reply: 1 hour
Send your final mockups, quantities, fabric preferences and delivery country. We will review your requirements and prepare a quotation for your custom clothing project.
info@toofabric.com WhatsApp: +90 545 626 44 01