Indicative 2026 FOB prices to manufacture activewear in China typically run from about US$4 to US$13 per piece for yoga and active styles, US$6 to US$16 for seamless, US$5 to US$14 for swimwear, and US$12 to US$45+ for technical outerwear — but the figure you actually pay depends on fabric, construction, decoration, certifications, and order size. The numbers below are general industry ranges, not exact Linked Sourcing quotes; use them to budget, then request an exact quote for your specific tech pack.
Indicative FOB Price Ranges by Tier (2026)
The table below shows approximate per-piece FOB prices at a typical mid MOQ (roughly 500–1,000 pcs per style). “Budget” assumes basic poly/spandex and minimal decoration; “Premium” assumes performance or recycled fabrics, complex construction, and branded trims.
| Category | Budget (FOB) | Standard (FOB) | Premium (FOB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yoga & active (leggings, bras, sets) | US$4–6 | US$6–9 | US$9–13 |
| Seamless (knitted-to-shape) | US$6–8 | US$8–11 | US$11–16 |
| Swimwear (bikinis, one-pieces) | US$5–7 | US$7–10 | US$10–14 |
| Outdoor & outerwear (shells, insulated) | US$12–20 | US$20–32 | US$32–45+ |
These ranges vary widely with spec. A buttery four-way-stretch legging in recycled nylon with a silicone waistband logo sits very differently from a basic poly tank. They are budgeting ranges, not commitments. Send us your tech pack or reference sample and we will price it precisely.
How MOQ Moves Your Unit Cost
Order quantity is one of the biggest levers on unit price because several costs are fixed per style regardless of how many pieces you make: pattern and sample development, cutting setup, screen/print plate creation, and seamless knit programming. Spread those over more units and the per-piece cost falls.
A rough illustration for a mid-spec legging:
| Quantity per style | Indicative relative unit cost |
|---|---|
| 300 pcs (pilot / launch) | Baseline (highest unit cost) |
| 3,000 pcs | ~15–30% lower than 300 pcs |
| 30,000 pcs | ~5–15% lower again than 3,000 pcs |
The pattern is clear: the biggest savings happen as you move off a small first run, and they flatten out at high volume because fabric and labour — which scale linearly — start to dominate the bill of materials. Our typical MOQ is a low-to-mid 200–300 pcs per style, with sample-cost deduction and small-batch pilot runs so new brands can validate a product before scaling. For the full economics of small versus large runs, see our guide to sampling cost and timelines, and to request an exact quote at your target volume.
What Drives Activewear Cost: A Breakdown
1. Fabric (usually 40–60% of FOB)
Fabric is almost always the largest single cost. A standard poly/spandex jersey is the cheap end; premium nylon/elastane knits, brushed modal, chlorine-resistant swim fabric, and technical shell fabrics cost more. Recycled and eco-certified fabrics carry a premium — typically a few percent to low double digits over conventional equivalents. Over 60% of our production uses recycled or eco-certified fabrics, and we offer GRS-certified recycled nylon and polyester, plus biodegradable nylon, Sorona, Tencel, and bamboo viscose with PFAS-free finishes.
2. Construction and labour
This is where garment complexity shows up. A simple two-panel tank is cheap to sew; a contoured legging with a gusset, bonded waistband, and four-needle six-thread flatlock seams takes more operations and more skilled time. Seamless knitting on Santoni or Shima Seiki whole-garment machines and laser/thermal bonding add cost but eliminate chafe-prone stitching. Taped, waterproof seams on outerwear add meaningful labour.
3. Trims and hardware
Elastic, zippers, drawcords, silicone logos, reflective transfers, woven labels, and hangtags all add up. Branded YKK-grade zippers and custom silicone heat-transfers cost more than generic equivalents but are often what makes a garment read as premium. Sustainable packaging is available and priced accordingly.
4. Decoration
Plain dyed garments are cheapest. Sublimation, multi-colour screen printing, all-over digital print, embroidery, and engineered placement prints each add cost — driven by number of colours, coverage area, and setup. Print plate and screen setup is a fixed cost per design, which is why decoration hits small runs harder per unit.
5. Certifications and testing
If your buyer requires OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, bluesign, or GRS materials, or third-party lab testing to AATCC, ISO, REACH, or RSL standards, those add to the bill — both in certified materials and in test fees (SGS, BV, or Intertek). Our factories hold BSCI, Sedex, OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, bluesign, and GRS, and we run 3-stage IQC/IPQC/FQC inspection at AQL 2.5, so you are not paying to build compliance from scratch. For what each mark means to your buyer, see our activewear certifications guide.
OEM vs ODM: How It Affects Price
If you supply a complete tech pack and approved sample (OEM), you pay only for production. If you want us to design from a concept brief using our in-house design team and fabric library (ODM), there is development work involved, though it is often folded into the program rather than charged as a large standalone fee. ODM is usually the faster route to market for brands without an internal design and patternmaking function. We break down the trade-offs in OEM vs ODM for activewear.
Trade Terms That Change the Final Number
FOB is the most common quoting basis, but your landed cost also depends on the term:
- FOB — you arrange and pay freight and duties from the China port onward.
- CIF — we cover cost, insurance, and freight to your destination port; you handle import.
- DDP — we deliver duty-paid to your door, simplest for you but the highest quoted price because it bundles freight, insurance, and duties.
We offer FOB, CIF, and DDP, with payment by T/T, L/C, or open account, and Good / Better / Best pricing options so you can dial spec to your target price point. Sampling runs 7–10 working days and bulk production 30–45 days after confirmation. Common questions on terms and timelines are answered in our FAQs.
Get an Exact Quote
The ranges above are useful for budgeting, but the only number that matters is the one priced against your actual garment. Send us your tech pack, a reference sample, or even just a photo and a target price, and we will come back — usually within one business day — with a precise FOB/CIF/DDP quote, recommended fabrics, and a sampling plan. As a factory-direct group that owns its production (not a trading middleman), the price you get reflects the real cost of making your garment, not a reseller markup.