sourcing · 6 min read

How to request fabric samples

Most first orders are lost in the sampling stage, not in the price negotiation. The usual cause is asking for the wrong kind of sample, or not checking it properly when it arrives.

By Weft Bridge · Reviewed by our Guangzhou sourcing team · Updated 2026-11

Four kinds of sample

Type	What you get	Typical cost	Typical time
Swatch	A4 or smaller cutting of an existing quality	Free to $10	3–7 days
Header / hanger	A set of swatches on a card, often a full colour range	$10–40	1–2 weeks
Lab dip	Dyed sample of your target shade on the bulk fabric	$20–60 per shade	5–10 days
Sample yardage	1–20 m of finished fabric for prototyping	Cost of the fabric + freight	1–3 weeks

What to put in the request

Composition and weight, or a reference garment.
Finished width, not greige width.
Colour reference: a Pantone TCX number plus a physical reference if you have one.
Quantity needed and what it is for — a swatch for approval or yardage for a fit sample.
Your courier account, or accept the freight charge up front.

What to check when it arrives

Weight: weigh a known area and compare with the spec.
Width: measure at three points; selvedge to selvedge.
Shade: check under daylight, not office lighting, and against your approved standard.
Hand feel after a wash, not just out of the bag.
Shrinkage: wash a 30 cm square and measure again.

The one habit that saves the most time

Approve the lab dip and the sample in writing, with a photo of the approved piece kept on file. When bulk arrives, the argument is about a physical object, not a memory. Mills respond very differently when you can produce the approved standard.

FAQ

Should samples be free?

Swatches often are. Lab dips and yardage usually are not, and expecting them free slows the response.

How long should sampling take?

A week for a swatch, two to three weeks for a lab dip plus yardage. If a mill promises three days for a new shade, ask how.

Can I get a sample of the exact bulk?

Only after the bulk is produced. Before that you are approving a standard, not the production run — which is why the inspection matters.