Custom Garment Manufacturing FAQ

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Where is Istanbul Tekstil located?

We are a garment manufacturer based in Istanbul, Turkey, operating for over 40 years. Istanbul's strategic location bridges Europe and Asia, giving us efficient access to both European and US markets with shorter lead times than Asian manufacturing.

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What makes Turkey competitive for textile manufacturing?

Turkey combines European quality standards with competitive pricing, GOTS and OEKO-TEX certified production capabilities, and proximity to European markets. As one of Turkey's leading tekstil (textile) manufacturers, we offer 8-10 week production timelines versus 16-20 weeks from China, with lower shipping costs to the UK, US, and EU.

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How large is your production facility?

We produce over 600,000 pieces monthly across our vertically integrated facility, giving us the capacity to serve both emerging DTC brands and established retailers with consistent quality at scale.

Products & Manufacturing Capabilities

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What types of garments do you manufacture?

We specialize in custom circular-knit apparel including:

• T-shirts (crew neck, v-neck, pocket tees, oversized styles)

• Hoodies and sweatshirts (pullover, zip-up, cropped styles)

• Joggers and sweatpants (French terry, fleece)

• Activewear and performance wear

• Loungewear and sleepwear

• Dresses and jersey knit garments

 

All garments are made to order with custom designs. We do not manufacture stock items or sell ready-made inventory.

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What fabric types and weights do you work with?

We manufacture with all circular-knit jersey fabrics including:

• 100% cotton (130gsm - 240gsm)

• Cotton/polyester blends

• Organic cotton (GOTS certified)

• Recycled polyester (GRS certified)

• Tri-blends

• French terry (240gsm - 320gsm)

• Fleece (280gsm - 400gsm)

• Performance/technical fabrics

As a vertically integrated manufacturer, we source or recommend the optimal fabric for your specific product requirements.

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What customization and finishing options are available?

We offer comprehensive garment decoration and finishing:

• All-over sublimation printing

• Screen printing (water-based, plastisol)

• Embroidery (chest, sleeve, back placements)

• Digital/DTG printing

• Garment dyeing and washing

• Enzyme wash, stone wash, acid wash

• Overdye and vintage treatments

• Custom labels, hang tags, packaging

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Do you offer sampling and pattern making?

Yes, we maintain in-house pattern making capabilities and can develop tech packs, graded patterns, and sample development to bring your designs from concept to production-ready specs.

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Minimum Order Quantities (MOQ)

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What is your minimum order quantity?

Our standard MOQ is 500 pieces per style per color. For example:

• One t-shirt design in 3 colors = 1,500 pieces total (500 per color)

• One hoodie design in 2 colors = 1,000 pieces total (500 per color)

This structure balances production efficiency with accessibility for growing brands.

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Why is there a 500-piece minimum per color?

The 500-piece MOQ per color ensures:

• Cost-effective fabric procurement and dyeing

• Efficient production setup and quality control

• Competitive per-unit pricing

• Consistent color matching across your order

For multi-color designs, each colorway must meet the 500-piece threshold.

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Can I order less than 500 pieces for sampling or testing?

For initial product development, we can produce sample quantities. However, bulk production orders must meet the 500-piece per style per color minimum to qualify for our wholesale manufacturing rates.

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Do you have different MOQs for different product types?

The 500-piece MOQ applies to most standard garment types (t-shirts, hoodies, joggers). For highly technical or specialized items, we evaluate MOQ on a case-by-case basis—contact us with your specific requirements.

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Sustainable & Certified Manufacturing

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Is Istanbul Tekstil a sustainable garment manufacturer?

Yes, we are committed to sustainable apparel production with:

• GOTS certification (Global Organic Textile Standard) for organic cotton manufacturing

• OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification for textile safety

• SEDEX membership for ethical and responsible manufacturing

• Access to recycled polyester, organic cotton, and low-impact dyes

• Water-efficient dyeing and finishing processes

We can provide full traceability and certification documentation for brands with sustainability requirements.

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What is GOTS certification and why does it matter?

GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) is the world's leading standard for organic textile processing. Our GOTS certification means:

• Organic cotton sourcing is verified from farm to finished garment

• Strict environmental and chemical restrictions

• Social and labor standards compliance

• Full supply chain traceability

For brands marketing organic or sustainable products, GOTS certification is essential for credibility and retail requirements.

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Do you manufacture with recycled materials?

Yes, we work with GRS-certified recycled polyester and can source recycled cotton blends. We can help you achieve various sustainability goals including reduced virgin material use, lower carbon footprint, and circularity claims.

Can you help with B Corp or climate-neutral certification requirements?
We provide documentation and data to support your sustainability reporting including:

• Factory audit reports and certifications

• Material traceability documents

• Carbon footprint data (where available)

• Ethical manufacturing compliance

 

Production Timeline & Logistics

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How long does production take from order to delivery?

Standard production timeline is 8-10 weeks broken down as:

• Fabric sourcing and preparation: 2-3 weeks

• Cutting and sewing: 3-4 weeks

• Finishing, washing, decoration: 1-2 weeks

• Quality control and packing: 1 week

• Shipping to port: Varies by destination

This timeline assumes approved tech packs, confirmed fabric, and no design changes after production starts.

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Can you expedite production for urgent orders?

We can discuss expedited timelines for urgent projects depending on current production capacity and fabric availability. Contact us with your specific deadline requirements.

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How does shipping and logistics work?

We manage complete logistics to your country's destination port including:

• Export documentation and customs paperwork

• Freight forwarding coordination

• Container loading and port delivery

You arrange: Customs clearance and import into your country, inland transportation from port to your warehouse.

We can recommend trusted freight forwarders if needed.

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What countries do you ship to?

We primarily serve brands in:

• United States (East Coast and West Coast ports)

• United Kingdom

• European Union (Germany, France, Netherlands, etc.)

We have 40+ years of experience in international garment exports and can accommodate other markets on request.

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Ordering Process & Partnership

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Do you sell ready-made products or stock inventory?

No - we are a made-to-order garment manufacturer. We don't hold stock inventory, sell ready-made products, or sell textiles/fabrics separately. Everything we produce is custom-made for your brand according to your specifications.

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How do I start an order with Istanbul Tekstil?

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1. Contact us with your product requirements (garment type, quantities, timeline)

2. Design review - Share tech packs, references, or concepts

3. Quotation - We provide detailed pricing based on specs

4. Sampling - Develop and approve samples (if needed)

5. Production order - Confirm order with deposit

6. Manufacturing - 8-10 week production timeline

7. Shipping - Logistics to your destination port

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What information do you need for a quote?

For accurate pricing, provide:

• Garment type and style details

• Fabric type and weight (or description of desired hand-feel)

• Quantities per color/size

• Decoration requirements (printing, embroidery, etc.)

• Any certifications needed (GOTS, OEKO-TEX, etc.)

• Target delivery timeline

The more detail you provide, the more accurate our quote will be.

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Can I visit your factory in Istanbul?

Yes, we welcome factory visits by appointment. You can tour our facility, meet our team, review production processes, and see our quality control measures firsthand. Contact us to schedule a visit.

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What makes Istanbul Tekstil different from other manufacturers?

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• 40+ years of garment manufacturing experience

• 600,000+ pieces monthly capacity

• Vertically integrated production with in-house pattern making

• GOTS, OEKO-TEX, and SEDEX certified

• Made-to-order model (no stock, no MOQs on dead inventory)

• Turkey location advantage: European quality, faster shipping than Asia, competitive pricing

• Trusted by US, UK, and European brands

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Technical Questions

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What size range do you manufacture?

We manufacture full size ranges including:

• Standard sizing (XS-3XL)

• Extended sizing (up to 6XL+)

• Custom sizing and fit specifications

• Children's and youth sizing

Grading is done in-house to ensure consistency across the size curve.

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Do you handle tech pack development?

No, we only help develop production-ready technical specifications, graded patterns, and construction details. You need to give us a tech pack with style, material, measurements and order quantity and sizing information. 

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Can you match a garment I already have?

Yes, send us a sample garment and we can reverse-engineer the pattern, identify similar fabrics, and replicate the construction for your production order.

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What quality control processes do you have?

Our QC includes:

• Fabric inspection upon arrival

• In-line quality checks during production

• Final inspection before packing

• AQL sampling standards available

• Pre-shipment inspection reports

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Do you offer private label or white label manufacturing?

Yes, all production is private label—your brand labels, hang tags, and packaging. We manufacture to your specifications with your branding throughout.

 

Ready to start your production?

Contact Istanbul Tekstil to discuss your project, request a quote, or schedule a factory visit.