The Buyer’s Guide to
Knitwear Sourcing.

The Three Core Yarn Categories

Choosing a yarn is not just a material decision — it’s a margin, positioning, and market decision. The wrong yarn for your customer profile will show up in returns, reviews, and repeat rate.

Yarn	Best for	Gauge range	MOQ	Lead time
100% Merino Wool	Premium, performance, sport-luxe	7–14 gauge	1,000 pcs	50–60 days
Cashmere Blend (70/30)	Luxury, gifting, department store	12–18 gauge	1,000 pcs	60–75 days
Lambswool	Heritage, premium men’s, classics	7–12 gauge	1,000 pcs	50–65 days
Wool-Acrylic Blend	Volume, mid-market, value	3–12 gauge	1,000 pcs	45–55 days
Organic Cotton	Kids’, sustainable, summer knit	7–12 gauge	1,000 pcs	50–65 days
Recycled Polyester (GRS)	Sustainable collections	3–14 gauge	1,000 pcs	55–65 days

When to Choose Merino

Merino wool is the default choice for buyers targeting performance-conscious and premium consumers. It’s naturally temperature-regulating, machine-washable (at the right specification), and soft enough for next-to-skin wear. The price premium over a wool-blend is significant — but so is the perceived value, which is why Merino sits naturally in the $40–$180 retail range globally.

When to Choose Cashmere Blend

If your end-consumer is buying as a gift or for a special occasion, a 70/30 cashmere-wool blend is the right direction. The softness is immediately perceptible. The price point justifies a luxury ticket. Be aware that 100% cashmere requires higher MOQ, longer lead time, and the margin risk shifts up. Most mid-to-luxury brands opt for a blend to balance margin and quality perception.

When to Choose Wool-Acrylic Blend

For volume mid-market collections — where price point matters and durability is a priority — a 50/50 wool-acrylic blend gives you the warm handle of wool at a much lower cost of goods. It washes easily, resists pilling better than pure wool, and is commercially safe at a wider range of retail prices. The tradeoff: it does not market as well as “100% natural.”

What Gauge Actually Means

Gauge (abbreviated as “gg” or simply the number before “gauge”) refers to the number of needles per inch on the knitting machine. A higher number = finer, denser fabric. A lower number = chunkier, more open fabric.

Gauge	Look & feel	Best product type	Season
3–5 gauge (chunky)	Visible stitch, thick, heavy	Oversized pullovers, statement knits	AW, outerwear
7–10 gauge (mid)	Classic sweater look, versatile	Crew-neck, cable-knit, turtleneck	AW, SS crossover
12–14 gauge (fine)	Smart, structured, lightweight	Fine-knit V-neck, office knitwear	SS, transitional
16–18 gauge (ultra-fine)	Almost woven-look, delicate	Luxury turtleneck, cashmere layers	SS, resort, luxury AW

How Gauge Affects Your Order

Gauge selection affects more than aesthetics. It affects your weight per piece (important for shipping cost calculations), your yarn consumption (fine gauge uses less yarn but more machine time), and your lead time. Chunky gauges are faster to knit; ultra-fine gauge requires more precision and time. Your choice of gauge should be guided by end-use, retail price, and target weight.

The Definitions

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer): You provide the design — tech pack, sketch, or reference garment — and we manufacture to your specification. Your brand, your design, our production. This is the most common model for established fashion brands.

ODM (Original Design Manufacturer): We design the garment from scratch or from a concept brief, and you sell it under your label. You provide a direction (colour palette, style references, target retail price) and we develop the full product. This model suits brands that don’t have in-house design teams.

	OEM	ODM
Who designs?	You (buyer)	Atashi (with your direction)
What you provide	Tech pack, reference, spec sheet	Brief, mood board, target price
Design ownership	Yours	Negotiated — typically yours on order
Proto lead time	10–14 days	14–21 days (includes design work)
Best for	Brands with design teams	Brands without in-house designers

Private Label Is Not OEM

Private label means your brand identity is applied to a product that may or may not be custom-designed. You can private-label an OEM or ODM product. Private label refers to the branding layer: your woven label, hangtags, and packaging — not who designed the garment. Atashi offers private label on all OEM and ODM orders.

The Three Phases of a Knitwear Order

Most buyers think of “lead time” as the time from order confirmation to shipment. The full picture is different — and understanding it will prevent the most common timing mistakes.

• Proto sample phase — 10–14 working days from tech pack approval. This phase may go through 1–2 revision rounds. Budget 3–4 weeks from first submission to final approval.
• Pre-production (PP) sample — Optional but recommended for complex or first-time orders. 7–10 days. This is a production-line sample confirming all materials, trims, and construction before bulk commences.
• Bulk production — 45–60 days from confirmed order (PP approved). Includes in-line QC, AQL 2.5 final inspection, and packing.
• Shipment transit — FOB Chittagong: 18–25 days to Europe, 22–28 days to East Coast USA, 20–30 days to Japan/Australia. Factor this into your in-store date.

Why “45 Days” Can Be Misleading

Some factories quote 45 days but start the clock only after fabric approval — which can add 2–4 weeks to your effective timeline if they need to source yarn first. At Atashi, bulk lead time starts from order confirmation and PP approval — not from a movable qualifier.

The Certifications That Matter to Buyers

In 2026, most large retailers and brands have a supplier compliance checklist. Here are the certifications you should look for — and what they actually verify.

Certification	What it verifies	Required by
BGMEA Membership	Factory legitimacy; Bangladesh garment industry compliance	Many EU/UK buyers
SEDEX / SMETA	Labour, health & safety, environment, business ethics (4 pillars)	Most UK, German, Scandinavian buyers
OEKO-TEX® Standard 100	No harmful substances in product; safe for skin contact	Premium and children’s buyers
GRS (Global Recycled Standard)	Recycled content verified; chain of custody	Sustainable collections
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)	Organic fibre certified; social and environmental criteria	Organic cotton buyers
BCI (Better Cotton Initiative)	Cotton sourced responsibly	Cotton yarn buyers
Higg SLCP / FEM	Social and labour practices, facility environmental management	Nike, H&M, Bestseller group suppliers

Open-Door Audit Policy

A supplier with strong certifications can still refuse an unannounced audit. We don’t. Any buyer or third-party compliance firm (SGS, Intertek, QIMA) is welcome at our Dhamrai facility at any time — without advance notice. If a supplier asks you to schedule audits in advance, treat that as a red flag worth investigating.

Step-by-Step: From Brief to Shipment

• Step 1 — Send your brief. Email or WhatsApp your tech pack, sketch, reference garment image, or concept. Include: yarn preference, gauge, size range, target quantity, and delivery date. The more detail, the faster your quote.
• Step 2 — Receive your quotation. We reply within 24 hours with yarn options, lead times, and any technical questions. No commitment yet.
• Step 3 — Proto sample. Approve the quotation and we produce your proto sample. Ready in 10–14 working days from tech pack sign-off. DHL Express to your address worldwide.
• Step 4 — Sample review. Review fit, construction, and material. Submit comments. We revise free of charge and reshoot or reship until you sign off. Most first protos approved in 1–2 rounds.
• Step 5 — Confirm bulk order. Sign off the proto, confirm quantities, colours, and delivery date. 30% deposit required to start bulk production.
• Step 6 — Production with QC. In-line QC at every stage. AQL 2.5 final inspection. You or your QC firm may attend. Packing sign-off before shipment.
• Step 7 — Shipment & documentation. FOB Chittagong, CIF, or EXW. We prepare all export documentation. 70% balance before shipment.

What to Ask Before You Commit

• Can I audit your factory? (The answer should always be yes.)
• What is your actual proto lead time — from tech pack approval, not from yarn arrival?
• Do you subcontract any production? (No legitimate answer is “sometimes”.)
• What certifications are currently active — can I see the originals?
• What is your QC standard? AQL 2.5 or 4.0?
• What happens if the bulk shipment fails QC?