Planning formal wear minimums and lead times

Treat catalogue numbers as planning guides

A minimum order quantity, or MOQ, is a starting point for discussing a production program. Before building a purchasing plan around it, confirm whether it applies to the whole order, each style, each colour or a particular fabric.

East West’s published catalogue starts at 300 pieces for waistcoats and overcoats, 500 for most blazers and trousers, and 1,000 for corporate uniforms. These figures are indicative. Fabric, colour breakdown, specifications and factory availability determine the minimum confirmed in your quotation.

Show the breakdown behind your total

Send a simple style-by-colour quantity table, with the size distribution if available. Ask the team to identify any minimums linked to the selected fabric or trims. This lets you discuss practical adjustments before spending time on samples.

For example, if your brief is 1,000 blazers in four colours, state the quantity for each colour explicitly. Do not assume that the total quantity automatically satisfies every material or production requirement. Ask whether combining colours, using an available fabric or changing the order split would make the program feasible.

Separate sampling, production and transport

Our catalogue indicates approximately 60–90 days for blazers and coats and 45–60 days for simpler garments. Sampling is generally planned around 2–3 weeks. These are planning estimates, not a promise of arrival at your warehouse.

Ask when the production clock starts and which approvals or materials must be in place. Confirm transport separately using the agreed destination and shipping terms. A requested in-store date should be translated into milestones with the merchandising and logistics teams.

Agree milestones before placing the order

A useful schedule assigns an owner and a target date to each decision. Check the effect of late approvals or specification changes before relying on the final delivery date.

• Complete technical brief and quotation confirmation.
• Fabric, trim and colour approval.
• Fit and pre-production sample approval, as agreed.
• Material readiness and confirmed production slot.
• Inspection requirements and packing approval.
• Dispatch, transport and destination delivery plan.

If your deadline is fixed

State the deadline in your first enquiry and explain whether it is a dispatch date, warehouse arrival or launch date. Include the destination and identify which specifications are flexible. The team can then assess feasibility and propose a confirmed schedule instead of working backwards from an ambiguous date.