Why a minimum exists at all
Three things drive minimums. First, yarn: spinning mills sell yarn in minimum quantities per colour, so a colour used on 10 pieces still requires buying a minimum lot of yarn. Second, setup: machines must be programmed and tensioned for each style. Third, colour: yarn dyeing has its own minimum per shade.
That is why a minimum is usually stated per colour rather than per order. Ten colours of one style is ten separate minimums of yarn.
Per style, per colour, per size
There are three different minimums and buyers often confuse them. The style minimum is the smallest total quantity for a given design. The colour minimum is the smallest quantity per shade. The size minimum is usually none at all.
Sizes can normally be mixed freely within a colour. If a supplier insists on a minimum per size, ask why — it is unusual for knitwear.
What a low minimum does and does not buy you
A low minimum lets you test a style, a yarn or a new market without tying up capital. It does not get you the best unit price, because small runs carry higher yarn and setup costs per piece.
The right approach for a first order is usually to accept the higher unit cost, learn what sells, and then push for volume pricing on the styles that work.
Practical ways to lower your effective minimum
- Use fewer colours — each colour carries its own yarn minimum
- Choose stock or widely available yarns rather than a custom-spun shade
- Mix sizes freely within a colour instead of ordering evenly across the board
- Start with one style and scale after you see the quality
- Ask whether a sample or swatch order is possible before committing to bulk
Sampling and development costs
Sample fees are normal, and a pattern or development fee may apply if the style is made specifically for you. The question to ask is whether those costs are credited back against the bulk order, and above which quantity.
Get this in writing at quotation stage. It is a small detail that becomes surprisingly annoying later if it was only discussed verbally.