Decoration is where most suppliers fail. Always ask for a decorated sample, not a blank one.
First: know what you're asking for
Half the bad quotes we see are bad because the brief was vague. Before you contact anyone, write down:
- Polos or round-neck tees? (Very different production paths.)
- How many pieces, and what size spread?
- What fabric, or at least what environment will they be worn in?
- Embroidered logo or printed?
- Do you have artwork ready, and in what format?
- What's your delivery deadline?
- Do you need custom labels, hang tags or packaging?
A supplier who receives this can quote accurately in a day. A supplier who receives "how much for t-shirts?" will either give you a meaningless number or spend a week on emails.
Match the manufacturer to the product
Not every garment factory does every garment well. Some are set up for woven shirts, some for fashion and cut-and-sew, some for knitwear — tees, polos and sweatshirts.
Ask directly: what do you make most of? A factory that produces corporate polos every week will get your collar, placket and embroidery right without being asked. A factory that mostly makes dresses will do a passable job and take longer at it.
Ask to see work on a garment like yours, not a general portfolio. "Show me embroidered corporate polos you've shipped" is a much better request than "show me your catalogue."
Understand their business model — this matters most
There are two kinds of supplier in India, and the difference determines your lead time, your MOQ and your price.
| Fabric-per-order | Stock-blank | |
|---|---|---|
| Colour flexibility | Any shade, dye-to-match | Standard stocked shades |
| Minimums | Higher (fabric mills have their own MOQs) | Much lower |
| Lead time | Weeks | Days |
| Best for | Exact Pantone across large runs | Corporate uniforms on a real deadline |
Ask which one you're talking to. If you need 150 polos in navy in two weeks, the second kind is your answer and the first kind will waste your time politely. If you need a specific Pantone across 5,000 pieces, it's the reverse.
For the record, we're the second kind. We hold five polo fabrics in ready stock across 9 to 22 colours and decorate on order, which is why our dispatch is 5 to 10 days and our MOQ is 100 pieces. It's a deliberate trade — we don't take dye-to-match jobs on tight timelines. There's more on this in how long custom polos actually take.
Always get a sample
This is non-negotiable, and it's the cheapest insurance in the whole process. A sample lets you check fabric hand-feel, fit and measurements, stitching, collar construction, embroidery or print quality, colour accuracy and finishing — before 500 pieces exist.
Two things buyers routinely skip:
- Get the sample with your actual logo on it. A blank sample tells you about the shirt. A decorated sample tells you about the supplier, because decoration is where most of them fail.
- Wash the sample before you approve. Shrinkage, collar distortion, colour bleeding and logo durability are all invisible on a new garment and obvious after one wash.
The questions that separate suppliers
Ask all of these. The quality of the answers tells you more than the answers themselves:
Nine questions to ask every shortlisted supplier
- ✓ What's your MOQ, and does it apply per design, per colour, or across the order?
- ✓ Is this fabric in stock right now, or does it need to be made?
- ✓ What's the GSM, the knit structure, and the yarn type?
- ✓ Has the fabric been compacted? What shrinkage should I expect?
- ✓ Is embroidery done in-house or outsourced?
- ✓ What's your lead time from artwork approval, and does that include sampling?
- ✓ What happens if pieces arrive defective?
- ✓ Will you keep my specification and artwork on file for reorders?
- ✓ Can I visit, or see photos of the production floor?
A supplier who answers these precisely and quickly has systems. A supplier who deflects — "don't worry, quality is best" — is telling you something.
Red flags
Walk away, or at least slow down, if a supplier:
- Won't provide a sample, or wants an unreasonable amount for one
- Can't or won't state a GSM and fibre composition in writing
- Quotes far below everyone else. In a commodity market with transparent input costs, a dramatically low quote means a corner is being cut somewhere you'll find later
- Promises an implausible timeline. Custom-dyed fabric in a week is not a thing
- Changes the price after you've agreed it
- Goes quiet for days during sampling. If communication is poor while they're winning your business, it will not improve afterwards
- Won't say where production happens
Compare two or three, properly
Order samples from two or three suppliers and compare on the same criteria: fabric quality, fit accuracy against your size chart, stitching, decoration quality, colour accuracy, packaging, communication speed and price.
You will usually find the cheapest quote is not the cheapest supplier once you account for a re-run, a delay, or a batch you have to argue about. And weight communication heavily — over three years of reorders, a supplier who answers on the same day is worth substantially more than one who is marginally cheaper.
Verify they're real
For an Indian supplier, these checks are cheap and fast:
- GSTIN — ask for it and verify it on the GST portal. It takes 30 seconds.
- Google Business Profile and reviews — real B2B suppliers have real reviews from real companies.
- A physical address you can look at. If you're in or near Tamil Nadu, visit. If not, ask for a video walkthrough of the floor.
- References. Ask for two clients in a similar sector, and actually call one.
You can visit our Coimbatore office or Tiruppur unit, and our manufacturing process is documented step by step.
Quick evaluation checklist
Before you place a first order
- ✓ Specialises in your garment type
- ✓ Business model matches your timeline and MOQ
- ✓ Decorated sample received and wash-tested
- ✓ Full spec provided in writing (fabric, GSM, yarn, shrinkage)
- ✓ Lead time and dispatch date confirmed
- ✓ Defect and rework policy stated
- ✓ GSTIN verified
- ✓ Communication has been prompt throughout
- ✓ They'll retain your artwork and spec for reorders
Frequently asked questions
What's a reasonable MOQ for custom polos in India?
It varies with the supplier's model. Stock-blank manufacturers typically start around 50 to 100 pieces; manufacturers who make fabric per order usually need several hundred. Ours is 100 pieces, mixable across sizes.
Should I choose embroidery or printing?
Embroidery for chest logos on daily-wear uniforms — it is more durable and reads as more professional. Printing is better for large graphics, back designs and promotional apparel.
How many samples should I get?
One decorated sample from each of two or three shortlisted suppliers is enough to see a clear difference.
Is a much lower quote a bad sign?
Slightly lower, no. Dramatically lower, usually yes — in a market with transparent input costs, a big gap normally means lighter fabric, cheaper yarn or skipped finishing.
How do I verify an Indian manufacturer is genuine?
Check the GSTIN on the GST portal, look at their Google Business Profile reviews, ask for a factory video or visit in person, and call a reference in a similar sector.
Author's note
We wrote this knowing it helps you evaluate us too. That's the point — a buyer who asks these questions is a buyer we can work with for years.
Happy manufacturing.
Arjun, Anuvavi Apparels, Coimbatore, India