An apparel quotation is only as accurate as the brief behind it. When you send a sourcing partner a vague request — “How much for 500 hoodies?” — the honest answer is a question back, because the price depends on fabric weight, construction, trims, printing, quantity per colour and size, quality level and destination. A quotation produced without that information is a guess, and guesses get revised later.
The fastest way to a reliable price is a complete brief. At Lumera Global, every quotation is costed individually after reviewing the specifications, so the quality of your brief directly determines how quickly and precisely you get numbers. Here is what a costing team needs and why each element matters.
Why incomplete briefs slow everything down
Costing a garment means pricing fabric consumption, trims, labour minutes, printing, packaging, testing, inspection and freight. Each missing detail forces one of two outcomes:
- A back-and-forth loop. The costing team emails questions, waits, then resumes. Two or three loops can add a week or more to a process that could take days.
- Assumptions baked into the price. Gaps get filled with assumptions and the quotation carries caveats. When real specifications arrive, the price changes — which erodes trust and can derail a launch budget.
A structured brief avoids both.
The information that makes a quotation accurate
Product category and description
State clearly what the product is: “men’s overshirt, mid-weight brushed cotton twill, button front, two chest pockets” tells a costing team far more than “shirt”. Category determines the machinery, operations and factory type involved — a woven shirt, a cut-and-sew knit tee and a seamless legging are made in different facilities with different cost structures. Include construction details you already know, such as linings, closures and finishes.
Number of designs
Are you quoting one style or a twelve-piece collection? The number of designs affects sampling cost, development timelines and how quantities spread across styles. Ten designs at 300 units each is a very different production plan from one design at 3,000 units.
Estimated quantities
Quantity is one of the strongest cost drivers in apparel. It determines fabric purchasing terms, dye lot minimums, line efficiency and which factories are a realistic match. You do not need a firm commitment at quotation stage — a realistic range per style and colourway is enough. If you plan repeat orders, say so; annual volume can change which manufacturing options make sense.
Target market
Where the product will be sold affects compliance and specification. Markets differ in labelling rules, fibre declarations, chemical and safety requirements, and customer expectations. Naming your market early lets the costing include the right compliance steps instead of discovering them after the price is set.
Development status: tech pack, sample or references
Tell your sourcing partner exactly where the product stands:
- Full tech pack — flat sketches, measurements, bill of materials, construction notes. The fastest route to an accurate quotation.
- Physical sample — an existing garment to copy or modify; note clearly what should change.
- Reference images or concepts — photos, competitor links, mood boards. Costing is still possible, but expect a development phase first and a quotation that is refined as specifications firm up.
None of these is wrong. What slows costing is ambiguity about which situation applies.
Preferred materials
If you have fabric preferences — fibre content, weight (gsm), knit or woven, finishes — include them. Fabric is typically the largest cost component of a garment, so “cotton hoodie” versus “480 gsm loopback cotton” can move the price substantially. If you are unsure, describe the hand feel and performance you want, or name a benchmark product; a sourcing team can propose options at different price points.
Target quality level
“Good quality” means something different to a fast-fashion buyer, a premium label and a uniform procurement office. Give the costing team a frame of reference: your retail price point, brands you consider comparable, or specific requirements such as stitch density, colourfastness or durability testing. Quality level influences fabric selection, factory match, inspection scope — and therefore price.
Delivery date and destination
When do you need the goods, and where are they going? The delivery date determines whether standard lead times work or the schedule is compressed. The destination determines freight mode and cost, import considerations and the shipping terms that make sense for you. If your date is fixed — a season launch, a contract start date — flag it up front so feasibility is assessed before anyone commits.
Optional: budget range
Sharing a budget range is optional, but it is useful information, not a negotiating weakness. If your target is achievable, the costing team can engineer the product toward it — adjusting fabric, construction or trims. If it is not, you find that out in days rather than after weeks of development.
A pre-quotation checklist
Before you submit a request, check that you can answer:
- What is the product, in one or two specific sentences?
- How many designs are in scope?
- What quantity range per style and colourway?
- Which market(s) will the product be sold in?
- What do you have: tech pack, sample or references?
- Any material preferences or benchmarks?
- What quality level, anchored to a price point or comparable brand?
- When must the goods arrive, and where?
- Do you want to share a budget range?
You do not need perfect answers to every question. A brief that says “quantity between 500 and 1,000 per style, quality comparable to X, materials open to proposal” is workable. What matters is that the knowns are stated and the unknowns are labelled as open.
What happens after you submit
A serious quotation is not pulled from a rate card. The specifications are reviewed, fabric and trim options are sourced, factory capability is matched to the product, and the cost is built line by line. That is why quotations are costed individually after reviewing the specifications — and why the completeness of your brief is the biggest factor in how quickly you receive dependable numbers. With a full brief, Lumera Global can typically move from review to a costed proposal without a clarification loop.
Frequently asked questions
Can I request a quotation without a tech pack?
Yes. A physical sample, or reference images with clear notes on quantities, materials and quality expectations, is enough to begin. Expect an initial estimate that is refined once specifications are developed. If you only have a concept, product development — sketches, tech pack, sampling — comes first and can be scoped alongside the initial costing conversation.
Why do quotations change after the first estimate?
Prices move when specifications move. A change in fabric weight, an added print location, a smaller quantity or a compressed delivery date all alter the cost build-up. The more accurate your original brief, the smaller these revisions are; locking specifications before bulk pricing is confirmed is the best protection against surprises.
How long does a quotation take?
It depends on the completeness of the brief and the complexity of the product. A single style with a full tech pack can be costed in a few working days; a multi-style collection needing fabric sourcing takes longer. Because every quotation is costed individually after reviewing the specifications, a complete brief is the most effective way to shorten the timeline.