Approve the size mix before approving the order total
For small apparel brands and independent retailers sourcing from China: ask for minimum quantities by style, colour and size separately. A headline minimum of 300 pieces is not enough information to plan a first order. Confirm how those pieces may be distributed, which combinations create extra cost, and what happens when only one size needs replenishment.
The Ministry of Commerce's introduction to the 140th Canton Fair schedules Phase 3 for October 31–November 4, 2026 and includes Fashion among its sectors. See the official event announcement. The event provides a timely reason to prepare supplier questions; it does not establish demand for a particular garment or guarantee any exhibitor's minimum order terms.
SUNTC analysis: when a buyer's opening order is small, the composition of that order can matter as much as the quoted unit price. A commercially manageable assortment needs both a documented size specification and a realistic allocation across sizes. The workflow below is a purchasing framework, not a forecast of which sizes will sell in your market.
Build a size-and-colour order matrix
1. Separate the different minimums
Ask whether the minimum applies to the whole purchase order, each style, each fabric, each colour or each size. Request any mandatory bundle or carton ratio. Also ask whether trims, labels or special packaging have their own minimum quantities. A supplier's short answer may describe only one of these constraints.
Put the response in a matrix with one row per saleable combination. Record the proposed quantity, unit price, surcharge, pack requirement and unresolved question. Send the same matrix to every candidate so a lower headline quote does not conceal a less useful allocation.
| Quote condition | Question for the supplier | Buying implication |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum per colour | Can the total be divided freely among the agreed sizes? | Determines whether your proposed size mix is possible |
| Minimum per size | Is there a minimum cut quantity or a small-run surcharge? | May create stock above your opening requirement |
| Fixed pack ratio | Is the ratio mandatory for production or only for packing? | Shows whether a different carton arrangement could solve the issue |
| Custom trims | Who holds unused labels or trims, and for how long? | Separates garment commitments from component commitments |
| Repeat order | Can one size be reordered without buying the full assortment? | Defines the practical replenishment model |
2. Define the size before predicting its sales
Do not treat S, M and L labels as a complete specification. Provide measurement points, how each measurement is taken, intended fit and the agreed tolerance for each relevant dimension. Identify the measurement unit and whether a measurement describes the garment or the intended wearer. Record the approved version on both the specification and sample notes.
Ask how the supplier proposes to grade between sizes. Review a size set appropriate to the range and risk before release, with your own technical reviewer where needed. The size that fits a reference wearer does not automatically validate the rest of the range. A demand allocation based on unconfirmed sizing can turn into a returns problem rather than a stock-planning solution.
3. Use evidence for the allocation and label uncertainty
Start with relevant sales or preorder evidence when you have it. Separate comparable products from products with different cuts, channels or customer groups. If you lack evidence, record the opening size mix as a hypothesis and define how you will learn from the first selling period. Do not present a generic regional size ratio as established demand for your own brand.
Hypothetical example: a buyer wants 200 pieces of one colour split into 20 small, 80 medium, 70 large and 30 extra-large. A supplier requiring at least 50 pieces per size would not accept that exact mix. Ordering 50, 80, 70 and 50 would raise the total to 250 and add 50 pieces outside the original plan. These figures illustrate a negotiation issue; they are not a recommended size curve or a supplier quote.
4. Compare feasible alternatives without hiding extra inventory
Ask for alternatives: fewer colours, a standard fabric, a different production window, a clearly priced small-run surcharge or an adjusted assortment. Compare only options the supplier has confirmed. A promise to place a larger future order is not a substitute for written terms on the current one.
For each option show the initial cash commitment, units beyond the target allocation, delivery assumptions and unresolved risks. If a surcharge enables a more useful mix, compare its cost with the additional stock required by the other option. Do not assume unsold units can later be discounted at full recovery value.
5. Agree the replenishment question before launch
Ask what happens if medium sells out while other sizes remain. Can the supplier repeat the exact specification? What minimum, price basis and lead time would apply? Which inputs are reserved, if any, and when does that reservation expire? Keep a forecast separate from a binding purchase commitment.
Define a review point using your sales period and operational needs, rather than automatically reordering when one size runs low. Track availability as well as sales: a size that was unavailable for much of the period cannot be compared directly with a continuously stocked size. Use the review to refine the next allocation, not to manufacture certainty from a small sample.
Before releasing the first purchase order
- Every colour-size combination has an agreed quantity and price basis.
- The sum of the matrix matches the purchase order and carton plan.
- Measurement instructions, tolerances and grading have an identified approved version.
- Any fixed pack ratio is documented, including whether it can change.
- Extra trims, surcharges and unused-component responsibilities are explicit.
- The repeat-order discussion distinguishes estimates from confirmed commitments.
- Your team has separately reviewed product suitability and destination-specific labelling and import requirements.
Common questions
Is an equal number of each size the safest first order?
Not necessarily. Equal allocation is simple, but it is still an assumption. Use evidence relevant to the actual garment and customer group where available, and document uncertainty where it is not.
Should we add colours to meet the factory minimum?
First check whether the minimum is shared across colours. More colours can create additional commitments rather than solve the original one. Ask for the complete matrix and compare the total inventory exposure.
Can a size chart replace a sample review?
A chart communicates dimensions; a sample review helps assess whether the garment and fit match the intended specification. Record both and resolve discrepancies before release.
What information makes a sourcing inquiry useful?
Send the garment type, destination, intended customer, target measurements, proposed colour-size quantities, fabric requirements and desired delivery window. Highlight whether the priority is a small opening order, wider size coverage or flexible replenishment.
Discuss your apparel order structure with SUNTC
SUNTC LLC supports global trade partners with China and Japan supplier research, quotation comparison, and sample and order coordination. We can help organise supplier questions and compare the commercial alternatives for your proposed assortment. Your team retains responsibility for product approval and specialist compliance review.
Use the direct inquiry form below to share your garment category, target market and proposed size mix. This page's title and URL accompany the inquiry so we can understand the purchasing decision you are working through.
Explore China and Japan sourcing support. For related decisions, see fabric dye-lot and reorder control and turning a sample into a reliable first order.