Small Batch Production, London
Small Batch Clothing Manufacturer in London, 4 to 150 Pieces
Test a style properly without buying a warehouse of fabric first.
As a small batch clothing manufacturer in London, we make runs from 4 to 150 pieces per style. That's enough to test a style properly, launch a capsule or restock a bestseller, without committing to volume you haven't sold yet.
IMAGE SB-1
Why Factory Minimums Stop Good Collections Before They Start
Ask a large factory for a quote and the first number you hear is often the minimum. Fully factored production commonly asks for 1,000 metres of fabric per colour, sometimes 3,000 metres across a small range. For a brand without sales history, that's thousands of pounds tied up in cloth before a single order comes in.
So promising collections get cut down to the styles the factory will accept, not the ones the designer believes in. Or they never get made at all. Our guide to CMT vs fully factored production explains where those minimums come from.
Small Batch Production From 4 Pieces: What That Actually Means
Our minimum is 4 pieces per style, in one colour, spread across two sizes. Two in a size 10 and two in a size 12, for example. Our maximum is 150 pieces per style. Above that, a larger factory will usually serve you better, and we'll tell you so.
IMAGE SB-2
Because we work on a CMT basis, you supply the pattern, the fabric and the trims, and we supply the cutting, making and finishing. No fabric minimum comes from us, because we're not buying your fabric. For the full story, read why minimum order quantities exist, and why ours stays low.
Making bridal? There's no minimum at all. See our bridal manufacturing page.
What a Small Run Lets You Test Before You Commit
A small run is a real product in real fabric, finished to the standard your customer will receive. That lets you test the things a sample can't. Does the style sell through at full price? Which sizes go first? How do stockists react when it's hanging on their rail?
Once a style proves itself, you reorder with evidence instead of hope. That usually means far less dead stock at the end of the season.
IMAGE SB-3
Why Small Batch Costs More Per Piece, and Still Costs You Less
Let's be straight about it. A piece made in a run of 8 costs more than the same piece in a run of 800. Setting up, cutting and checking the first garment takes similar time whether ten follow or a thousand. Our pricing works on a sliding scale, so the cost per unit comes down as volume grows.
But unit price is only half the sum. Compare what you commit in total: a small run in fabric you've bought by the metre, against 1,000 metres bought before your first sale. The higher unit cost is often the cheaper decision. Our article on cash flow before production goes through the numbers brands usually miss.
Production pricing is confirmed once the pre-production sample is complete, because that's when we know the exact making time. A 50% deposit is taken upfront, and we encourage you to check quality in the studio before the final payment.
Not Production-Ready Yet? You Can Still Start Here
We work with clients at every stage of readiness. Some arrive with graded patterns, sourced fabric and a finished tech pack. Others have a sketch and a deadline.
If your pattern isn't graded yet, our sister studio, Pattern Cutting Studio, handles grading and full pattern development. If you need a sample first, our sampling service builds samples that move straight into production. And if you're stuck on something outside our scope, we'll match you with a consultant who knows that area.
Not sure what to bring to a first conversation? Our guide to your first meeting with a manufacturer covers it.
What We Make, and What We Don't
Small batch doesn't mean anything goes. Our studio specialises in evening wear, bridal, corsetry and structured garments for premium and designer labels. We work with silk, crepe de chine, cupro and modal, and with beaded fabrics, including hand-beading.
IMAGE SB-4
We don't take fur or leather-dominant garments, swimwear, lingerie, childrenswear, or traditional tailoring with floating canvas. We're also not the right studio for high street volume or cost-led production. That isn't a judgement. It's simply where our skills do the most good.
Is Small Batch Production Right for Your Next Collection?
If you're launching a first collection, testing new styles, or restocking in quantities that factories won't take, small batch is usually the right call. If you're already selling thousands of units per style, it probably isn't.
Our two-minute fit quiz will tell you honestly which side you're on.
Ready to Test Your Next Style?
Start with the quiz, or book a complimentary Discovery Call if you already know what you need.
Join Our Newsletter
Subscribe and Get 30 Minutes Instead of 15
Sign up for occasional studio updates and resources content. As a thank you, your first Discovery Call is extended to 30 minutes instead of the standard 15.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.