A cut and sew manufacturer turns fabric and a pattern into finished garments: it cuts the panels, sews them, finishes and packs them. Some also source fabric and trims, make patterns and arrange printing; others only cut and sew what you supply. The most important thing to know is that capability is specific. A factory that sews excellent woven shirts may struggle with stretch leggings, so judge each manufacturer against your own fabric, seams and quantities, not against a general claim of quality. If you are new to the process itself, start with what cut and sew is and how it works.
Check capability against your product
| Your product needs | What to check with the manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Stretch knits (leggings, activewear, underwear) | Coverstitch and flatseam machines, elastic attaching, experience with spandex blends, how they stop seams cracking when stretched |
| Fine jersey tees | Needle and stitch settings for light fabric, how they avoid puckered seams and needle holes, neckband attaching |
| Heavy fleece hoodies | Cutting thick lays accurately, handling seam bulk at the hood and cuffs, bartacks at stress points |
| Bonded, laser-cut or raw-edge details | Whether they have the equipment in-house or subcontract it |
| Small first runs | Whether they cut by hand or need longer runs to justify setting up automatic cutting |
| A wide size range | Pattern and grading capability, and whether they will make a full size set before bulk |
Ask to see a garment they have made that is close to yours in fabric and construction, and examine the seams, hems and neckline on it. That tells you more than a list of machines.
Know what is in-house and what is subcontracted
Printing, embroidery, garment dyeing and washing are often done by outside specialists. That is normal, but you should know who does what, who is responsible if a subcontracted step goes wrong, and whether you are told before work moves elsewhere. See what to ask when a factory subcontracts part of an order.
What to send so the quote is accurate
- A tech pack with measurements by size, construction and stitch types, trims and label positions (see what a tee tech pack needs).
- A pattern, a reference sample or both.
- The fabric specification, or the name of the mill you are nominating (see nominating your own mill or letting the factory source).
- Artwork and decoration method, label wording and packing requirements.
- Quantities by style, colour and size, and your target delivery date.
How to read a cut and sew quote
Ask for the price broken down, not just a unit price. A useful breakdown shows:
- Fabric consumption per garment, and the fabric price it is based on. Consumption comes from the marker and varies by size, so ask whether it is an average across your size ratio.
- Cut-make-trim (CMT) cost, which reflects the number and difficulty of sewing operations.
- Trims, labels and packaging, listed separately.
- Decoration, priced per position and method.
- What is excluded: samples, testing, inspection, freight and duty.
If two quotes differ a lot, compare consumption and the list of operations first; one may be quoting a simpler construction. See what to check when one quote is much lower.
Agree who owns patterns and files
If the manufacturer makes or adjusts your pattern, agree in writing that you own it and will receive the digital pattern files, including the grading, if you ask. Ask for files in a format another pattern maker can open; DXF-based exchange files are widely used. Without them, moving production means paying to remake and re-approve the pattern.
Control points during production
- Fabric checked before cutting, not after sewing (see four-point inspection of knit rolls).
- Cutting by roll or dye lot, so the panels of one garment match in shade.
- First-piece and inline checks on each line as sewing starts, so a wrong seam or measurement is caught after a few pieces, not a few thousand.
- Final inspection against your approved sample, with the sampling plan agreed in advance; ISO 2859-1 AQL plans are widely used (see how to read an inspection report).
Warning signs specific to cut and sew
- A quote with no fabric consumption or breakdown, only a single price.
- No pattern room, and no clear answer about who makes and grades patterns.
- Reluctance to make a size set, or to sample in the bulk fabric.
- Samples made somewhere other than the line that will run bulk, without telling you.
For how this differs from buying private label, see private label or custom cut-and-sew; for the broader choice between CMT and full-package producers, see what to know about clothing producers.
Cut and sew with Knitwear Base
We offer cut-and-sew production for knit T-shirts, hoodies, underwear and sportswear, with sampling before bulk. Send your tech pack or a reference sample through our contact page, and ask for the quote broken down as above.
Sources and further reading
- ISO 4915:1991, Textiles: Stitch types, classification and terminology
- ISO 2859-1, Sampling procedures for inspection by attributes (AQL)
Rules and standards are summarised from their official pages for general guidance; this is not legal advice. Check the current version and the requirements of your own market before you rely on them.
