What are fabric MCQs and MOQS?

Fabric MCQs and MOQS

Most mills operate with a fabric MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity), which is the minimum amount of fabric that can be ordered. This applies to both sampling and production orders, and the MOQ may vary depending on the fabric base.

If a fabric does not have an MOQ, it is usually stock-supported, meaning the mill holds inventory in a range of colours. Stock-supported fabrics are covered later in this glossary.

The MOQ represents the minimum quantity the mill requires to produce your fabric order and may be measured in metres, yards, or kilograms.

Typical sampling MOQs range from 5–150 metres per colour or design, while production MOQs are often between 200–3,000 metres. However, these quantities can vary significantly depending on the fabric type, manufacturing process, and country of origin.

Ordering below the stated MOQ is at the mill’s discretion and will usually incur a surcharge. This may be charged as a percentage increase on the fabric price (typically 25–50%) or as a fixed fee.

MCQ (minimum colour quantity) refers to the option to split a fabric’s minimum order quantity across multiple colours. For example, if the MOQ is 3,000 metres, this may be divided across three colours, resulting in an MCQ of 1,000 metres per colour.