MOQ (minimum order quantity)

MOQ is the smallest quantity a brand will accept on an order, set per style, per colourway, or across the whole order.

Sep 24, 2026

Where minimums apply#

Minimums exist at several levels and they stack. A brand may require a minimum number of units per colourway, a minimum number of styles, a full size run on certain products, and a minimum total value for the order to be accepted at all.

A minimum order value (MOV) does the same job in currency rather than units, and is more common where unit prices vary widely across a range.

Why they exist#

Minimums usually trace back to production economics, which is also why they bite hardest on pre-order ranges. Fabric is bought in rolls, dye lots have a floor, and a factory line has a setup cost that only makes sense above a certain run. Selling below that floor means producing at a loss or not producing at all.

They also serve a positioning purpose. A minimum keeps a brand out of doors that would buy two pieces and never reorder, and protects existing stockists from being undercut by accounts with no real commitment.

This one is different.

Have a look around and see what you think.