A buyer’s guide to fabric grades, construction and MOQ
Wool coat manufacturing in China is the highest-risk category in outerwear. Fabric alone can be 40–60% of your FOB cost, a single bad dye lot can ruin a season, and the difference between an entry-level coat and a premium coat is almost invisible on a tech pack. This guide covers what brands should know before placing a wool coat order in China — written from a factory that has produced wool outerwear for European brands since 2000.
Wool coat manufacturing in China: what the term actually means in production
Three grades dominate the category, and each changes your cost base:
- 100% wool (melton, loden, bouclé) — typically 550–800 gsm. Warm, structured, premium-priced. Fabric is the single largest cost line in this build.
- Wool blends (70/30 or 50/50 wool/polyester, wool/viscose) — 450–650 gsm. The workhorse of mid-market outerwear; 20–35% cheaper than pure wool with similar hand feel.
- Wool-touch synthetics — for entry price points. Honest labeling matters here; buyers should know exactly what is in the shell.
Fabric origin is the second variable. Italian mills (Loro Piana, Marzotto) and top Chinese mills (Nanshan, Sunshine) can produce to the same specification; Chinese-milled equivalents typically land 30–50% lower. The right answer is usually Chinese fabric with a clearly specified composition, weight and finish — not a brand name on a label.
How fabric minimums and garment MOQ interact
This is where most small orders die, so here is the arithmetic:
- A men’s wool coat consumes roughly 1.8–2.2 m of shell fabric.
- A mill’s minimum for custom-dyed fabric is usually 800–1,500 m per colorway.
- 500 pcs × 2 m = 1,000 m — which means 500 pcs/style often fits inside one dye lot.
That is why our garment MOQ is 500 pcs/style (sizes can be mixed freely within the style). If you need stock fabric instead of custom dyeing, there is no fabric minimum at all and development is faster. Sampling takes 3–7 days for existing styles and 10–14 days for new development with custom fabric.
The construction details that decide the price
Two coats can look identical in a photo and still differ by 30–40% on FOB. What moves the number:
- Interlining: fused → half-canvassed → full-canvassed (each step adds cost and improves drape)
- Shoulder construction: set-in with wadding, raglan, or unstructured
- Lining: cupro/Bemberg at the top end, polyester taffeta at the volume end
- Details: horn-look buttons, welt vs patch pockets, back vent, hem weights
- Finishing: hand-stitched buttonholes and pick stitching are the classic “luxury” signals
Quality checkpoints we run on every order
- 4-point fabric inspection on receipt (we reject before cutting, not after)
- Shrinkage and colorfastness testing on bulk fabric
- In-line inspection at 30%, 60% and 90% of production
- Needle and metal detection on every garment before packing
- AQL 2.5 final inspection before shipment
Lead times and logistics
- First order: 60–90 days from sample approval and deposit
- Reorder: 45–60 days — pattern and fabric are already in place
- FOB Shanghai by default; CIF and DDP available on request
Wool coats are usually bought alongside PU jackets and padded styles in the same AW range — see our men’s wool coat and double-breasted wool coat for recent production examples.
Compliance your buyers will ask about
Our facility completed a full amfori BSCI social compliance audit in August 2026, valid until August 2027 (Monitoring ID 26-0424870). Recycled wool and recycled lining options with GRS chain-of-custody documentation are available on request. Our factory has passed third-party social compliance audits for ZARA and ASOS, with past audit history for MANGO, ALDI and PIMKIE (2018–2022).
Working with XINHUA APPAREL
We are a woven outerwear OEM/ODM factory in Xuancheng, Anhui — 5 production lines, 150 skilled workers, 5,000 m², annual capacity 500,000 pcs. Low MOQ (500 pcs/style) and 45–60 day reorders are how we support emerging brands and test-market programs.
FAQ
What is the MOQ for wool coats?
500 pcs/style. Sizes can be mixed within the style; multiple colorways can be combined if the fabric is dyed in one lot.
Can you use fabric we nominate or supply?
Yes. You can nominate a mill and we purchase on your behalf, or ship your own fabric to us. We will run 4-point inspection and shrinkage testing either way.
How long does a wool coat order take?
First order 60–90 days from sample approval and deposit. Reorders ship in 45–60 days.
Do you offer recycled wool or recycled lining?
Yes. Recycled wool and recycled lining options with GRS chain-of-custody documentation are available on request.
Can we visit the factory?
Yes. Our Xuancheng facility is about 2.5 hours from Shanghai by car; we host buyer visits and third-party inspections year-round.
What FOB price should we expect?
Wool coat FOB is driven mainly by fabric grade, construction and trim — the spread between an entry build and a premium build is wide, and we would rather quote your specific block than name a range. Send a tech pack and your target price and we will quote against it.
How do we avoid a bad dye lot?
Three things: specify the mill and dye lot number on the tech pack, request a bulk fabric swatch for approval before cutting, and keep the shell fabric to one lot per colorway. We run 4-point inspection and shrinkage testing on receipt, and we reject at fabric stage rather than after cutting.
What is the minimum order for recycled wool?
Recycled wool typically carries the same garment MOQ as virgin wool (500 pcs/style), but availability depends on the mill’s current recycled yarn stock. Send the composition you need and we will confirm what is available for your delivery window.
Get a quote
Email jackie.li@xinhua-apparel.com with your tech pack or reference sample — we reply within one business day.
Related reading: Low MOQ Outerwear Manufacturing explains how 500 pcs/style works in practice. Parka Manufacturing in China covers the shell and insulation decisions on technical outerwear.
This article includes AI-assisted content. Specifications are subject to confirmation with our sales team.
