The Activewear Sampling Process: How It Works, Timelines & Costs
Short answer: Activewear sampling turns your idea into a physical, approved garment before bulk production. At YOUMEGA it runs in six steps — brief → fabric & quote → sample made → review → approval → bulk — and takes about 7 days for stock styles with your logo and 12–15 days for full custom development. The sample fee is charged upfront and refunded against your bulk order, and revisions are free until you approve.
Why the sample stage matters
The sample is the only point where you can feel the fabric, check the fit on a real body, and fix problems before committing to hundreds of pieces. Skipping or rushing it is the most expensive mistake a new activewear brand can make — a fit or opacity issue caught in a sample costs nothing; the same issue caught after bulk costs a whole run.
The 6 steps
- Brief (you send) — a reference sample or clear photos, your logo (AI/EPS or high-res PNG), target fabric/feel, and a rough quantity. You don’t need a finished tech pack; we can build one with you.
- Fabric & quote — we propose fabric options (four-way-stretch knits, recycled rPET/ECONYL, etc.), confirm construction (seamless vs cut-and-sew), and send a quote with MOQ and sample timeline — usually within 24 hours on weekdays.
- Sample made — we pattern, cut/knit and sew your sample. Stock-style-with-logo: ~7 days. Full custom from your tech pack: ~12–15 days depending on fabric availability.
- Review & revisions — you receive the sample (photos/video first if you want). Revisions are free until you approve — we adjust fit, length, color and construction.
- Approval — you sign off on a confirmed sample; it becomes the master reference for bulk.
- Bulk — production runs against your approved sample, under AQL 2.5 final inspection plus a first-production-line check so bulk matches the sample.
Timeline & MOQ at a glance
| Route | Sample time | MOQ for bulk | Bulk lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock style + your logo | ~7 days | from 100 sets (mixed colors & sizes) | ~30–35 days |
| Full custom OEM/ODM | ~12–15 days | 300–500 pcs per style per color | ~40–55 days |
Sample fees — and why they’re refundable
We charge a sample fee upfront (it covers pattern-making, materials and labor for a one-off). That fee is refundable against your bulk order — so a serious project pays nothing extra for sampling once it scales. Be wary of “free samples” with no commitment; someone always pays for a real sample, and “free” usually means a generic blank, not your design.
Virtual vs physical samples
- Virtual / tech-pack proof — confirm measurements, construction and logo placement before cutting fabric. Fast, cheap, catches spec errors early.
- Physical sample — the real garment for fit, hand-feel and color. Virtual first, then physical, is the lowest-risk path and what we recommend for a first collection.
Custom color & lab-dips
For custom colors we run a lab-dip: a small fabric swatch dyed to your Pantone reference for approval before bulk dyeing, so color is locked and consistent across the run. Custom development (including custom Pantone color) runs at 300–500 pcs per style per color.
Three things that speed your sample up
- Send a physical reference if you have one — it removes guesswork.
- Give your logo in vector (AI/EPS) and Pantone codes up front.
- Decide fabric early — fabric sourcing is the most common cause of a longer sample.
FAQ
How long does an activewear sample take?
About 7 days for a stock style with your logo, and 12–15 days for full custom development from your tech pack, depending on fabric availability.
Do I need a tech pack to get a sample?
No. Send a reference sample or photos and your logo; we can build the tech pack with you and develop the sample from there.
Is the sample fee refundable?
Yes — it’s charged upfront and refunded against your bulk order. Revisions are free until you approve.
Can you match a custom Pantone color?
Yes — we run a lab-dip against your Pantone reference for approval before bulk. Custom development is 300–500 pcs per style per color.
What happens after I approve the sample?
Bulk runs against your approved sample under AQL 2.5 inspection, with a first-production-line check so bulk matches the sample.
Start your sample
Send your reference or tech pack and logo to [email protected] (or +86 156 0697 2725) — we’ll reply within 24 hours with fabric options, a quote and a sample timeline.
