How Linenwind Runs OEM and ODM Projects: A Factory Walkthrough

How Linenwind Runs OEM and ODM Projects: A Factory Walkthrough

Most sourcing guides stop at theory: what an OEM or ODM agreement means, which one to choose, what to watch for. This article is different. We are Linenwind, a linen-only garment factory in Dongguan, China, and we are going to walk you through what actually happens inside our building from the moment you send an inquiry to the day your cartons leave for the port. No sales gloss, no skipped steps. You will see every stage, who does what, how long it takes, and where your money and your risk sit at each checkpoint.

The timeline you should keep in your head: a complete OEM or ODM linen program runs roughly 6-10 weeks from first contact to goods ready for shipment, with sampling (7-14 days), a pre-production sample (5-7 days), and bulk production (25-45 days) as the three big blocks. Sea freight to the US or EU adds another 25-45 days, so plan the season, not just the order. If you want the numbers behind each stage, our average lead time guide and bulk production lead time guide go deeper. Here, we focus on the walkthrough itself.

Before the First Call: What We Need From You

Every project starts the same way: an inquiry arrives by email or through our contact page. The quality of that first message decides how fast we can move. For an OEM project, the ideal package contains a tech pack or a clear style reference with measurements and size range, the target fabric (weight, weave, colour, and whether you have a fabric in mind or need our advice), trims and label requirements, the quantity per style, and your desired ship date or launch window.

For an ODM project, you do not need a full tech pack. You need a starting point: a style you like from our range, a reference photo, a fabric direction, and your target price. From that, our development team selects base patterns and proposes modifications. Either way, we confirm feasibility, MOQ, and a preliminary timeline within one working day, and we sign a confidentiality agreement before any design work begins.

Inside the building, that first message lands with our project intake team, not a sales queue. They triage the request against capacity, fabric availability, and season timing, assign a project coordinator, and open a project file that follows the order through every stage. You deal with one coordinator for the life of the project, which is why our clients rarely feel lost between departments. The coordinator is your single point of truth for schedules, costs, and decisions.

Step 1 — Feasibility and Quotation

Once we have your request, the costing team takes over. For linen, the quote is built from four lines: fabric (the largest share, especially for European flax), labour (cutting and sewing, driven by the style's SMV, or standard minute value), trims and labels, and finishing (washing, pressing, packing). Linen's slub texture slows sewing compared with cotton, so labour cost per piece runs higher, and a complex construction such as a lined blazer costs noticeably more than a simple slip dress.

At the same time we check the order against our MOQ structure. The base is 60 pieces per style per colour, with 30-50 pieces possible for simple styles such as slip dresses. If your quantity sits below the threshold, we tell you honestly and suggest either a stock-fabric ODM style or a smaller first run, rather than quietly raising the unit price. You receive a written quotation with the MOQ, the unit price by volume tier, the sampling fee policy (credited back on the bulk order), and a preliminary lead time.

What moves a linen quotation: heavier GSM adds fabric cost; garment dyeing and enzyme washing add finishing time and cost; embroidery and complex trims raise the SMV; and certified European flax carries a documented premium over standard linen. We itemize every line so you can see exactly where the money goes and where a small design change could save cost, before you approve anything.

Step 2 — Fabric Sourcing and Development

Linen is decided by its fabric. If your program uses a stock fabric from our bank, this step is short: we confirm the lot, its weight, and its shrinkage data. If you need a custom development, this is where the schedule opens up. European flax from France, Belgium, or the Netherlands carries its own sourcing lead time, and we pre-book certified flax lots early in the season to protect our clients' schedules.

Stock versus custom is the first fabric decision you will make. Stock fabrics ship faster, cost less per metre, and carry tested shrinkage data from day one; custom weaves give you an exclusive hand feel and colour story but add sourcing time and a development premium. Our advice is consistent: use stock for your first program, then invest in a custom weave once you know what sells. The fabric decision is also a cost decision, and we show you both paths in the quotation so the trade is explicit.

For custom weaves, we produce lab dips and fabric swatches so you can confirm colour and hand feel before pattern work starts. Every lot, stock or custom, goes through the same discipline: pre-washing and shrinkage testing, because linen shrinks roughly 3-7% on the first wash and our pre-treated lots hold residual shrinkage to 3% or below. The testing report becomes part of your project file, and the same numbers guide the pattern allowances we cut. This is the point where certified European linen with lot-level documentation is confirmed, so your brand can make defensible claims in the European and US markets. Our European linen quality guide explains how certification is verified at each step.

[IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER alt="Linen fabric swatches and lab dip cards laid out on a factory table with a colour chart"]

Step 3 — Sampling: What You Actually Receive

Sampling takes 7-14 days for most styles: 7-10 days for simple linen shirts and tops, 10-14 days for dresses, pants, and styles with pleats or embroidery, and 14-21 days for brand-new designs with custom fabric. Each revision round typically adds 2-4 days, and most programs complete in one or two rounds. The sampling lead time FAQ breaks every style type down.

When your sample ships, it is not just a garment. You receive three things: the garment sample itself, so you can feel the drape and inspect the stitching; a fabric swatch set from the actual lot with weight and shrinkage data; and a wash test report documenting post-wash measurements, puckering, and colour fastness. This package is what makes linen sampling trustworthy, and it is the cheapest insurance in the entire program. For new developments, sample fees apply and are credited back when you place the bulk order.

Feedback quality decides how many revision rounds you need. The clients who finish in one round send structured comments: photos of the fit points, measurements against the spec, and a clear list of changes by priority. Vague feedback like "make it feel nicer" starts a second round by definition. We coach every client on how to review a sample, because a tight review saves everyone two weeks of the season.

[IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER alt="Linen sample garment on a fitting form next to fabric swatches and a wash test report"]

Step 4 — PP Sample Approval: When the Clock Starts

Once you approve the fit sample, we produce the Pre-Production Sample, or PP sample, which takes 5-7 days. The PP sample locks the final measurements, fabric, and finishing exactly as bulk will be made. Your approval of the PP sample is the most important moment in the project, because it is the moment the production clock starts.

At PP approval we do two things in writing: we confirm the ship date and we commit the production calendar to your order. This is the industry convention and we follow it strictly, because it protects you: the 25-35 day bulk window is measured from an approved, locked design, not from a vague estimate. If you change anything after PP approval, part of the clock restarts, so we encourage every client to treat the PP sample as the final word on the design.

Check the PP sample like an auditor: lay it next to the approved fit sample, measure every key point against the spec, check the fabric against the swatch, verify the trims, and confirm the care label content matches your market requirements. Any discrepancy found now is a two-day fix; the same discrepancy found in bulk is a re-run. We walk you through this checklist before you sign off, so nothing is left to luck.

Step 5 — Bulk Production on the Factory Floor

Bulk production runs in four stages, and each one has a clear duration and a clear owner. The table below is the same schedule we commit to in writing at PP approval.

Total bulk production is 25-35 days for standard styles, 30-45 days for first-time OEM or ODM programs, and up to 45-60 days for complex developments or imported European flax. Expedited runs of 20-25 days are possible for repeat styles with stock fabric, subject to capacity. You receive milestone updates at fabric, cutting, sewing, and QC checkpoints, so you always know where your order stands without chasing us. Each update is a short written status with photos and, where relevant, a percentage complete against the schedule. If a stage is running late, you hear it at the stage, not at the ship date, which is the difference between a manageable adjustment and a missed season.

Three linen risks get special attention on the floor. Shrinkage: every lot is pre-washed and the washing room logs actual shrinkage per batch, so the fit you approved holds through the bulk wash. Slub texture: the natural irregularities that give linen its character also slow cutting and sewing, so lines are staffed and paced for linen, not cotton. Finishing sensitivity: heat and humidity affect the hand feel and colour, so finishing is controlled and checked against the approved sample before anything is packed.

[IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER alt="Linen garments in production on a sewing line with operators at workstations in a bright factory"]

Step 6 — Quality Control: AQL and Inline Inspection

Quality control at a linen factory is not a single final check; it is a chain of checkpoints. During production we run inline inspections at cutting, sewing, and finishing, because a defect caught at the workstation costs cents while a defect caught in the carton costs a return. Before bulk begins, we agree the AQL inspection level and sampling plan with you, so the acceptance criteria are settled before a single piece is sewn.

Final inspection covers measurements against the approved PP sample, seam and stitch quality, shrinkage and colour fastness on the actual bulk wash, and packaging. You receive inspection photos and a report with the bulk order, and we arrange third-party inspection if your contract requires it. For a full look at what a linen-specific QC system checks, our custom production process guide covers the floor-level detail.

A practical note on AQL levels: most apparel programs run AQL 2.5 for major defects, and we agree the level in writing before bulk. If your retail channel demands a stricter level, say AQL 1.0, that is a cost and time adjustment we quote transparently, not a surprise at inspection. Knowing your channel's requirement before production is the cheapest QC decision you will make.

Step 7 — Shipment, Documentation, and Handover

When the goods pass final QC, they are packed, cartoned, and prepared for shipment. Sea freight to the US or EU typically adds 25-45 days depending on the port; air freight runs about 5-10 days for smaller, urgent programs. We prepare the export documentation: commercial invoice, packing list, and the certificates that apply to your program, such as OEKO-TEX or European Flax documentation at lot level.

Packing is specified in your quotation: poly bags or individual folding, hang tags and carton markings, and carton quantities matched to your warehouse or retail requirements. We confirm the packing spec at PP approval, because it affects carton counts, freight volume, and duty classification. For first-time importers we also advise on insurance, Incoterms, and what to expect at customs, so the handover is smooth from our dock to your door.

The handover is the point where many first-time buyers worry about the unknown, which is why we publish our lead times in writing and confirm every ship date at PP approval. You know the schedule, the documents, and the cost before the goods move. From here, the project becomes your logistics decision, and our support team stays available through arrival for any documentation or claim questions.

The Full Timeline at a Glance

Add the blocks and a typical program lands at 6-10 weeks from first contact to goods ready, plus freight. This is why we tell every brand to plan the season, not the order: a summer linen collection should be in production by early spring, not discussed in spring. Build a two-week buffer into your launch date for inspection, port delays, or a late design decision, and you will almost never miss a season.

What Changes If You Modify Something Mid-Project

Modifications are normal, but their cost depends on when they happen. During sampling, changes are expected and priced into the revision rounds. Between PP approval and production, a change to trims, size range, or fabric restarts part of the clock: fabric must be re-ordered, patterns re-graded, or the line re-set. We always give you a written impact statement, with the added days and added cost, before making any change, so the decision is yours with full information.

Concrete examples: switching a button from stock to a custom branded button adds sourcing and trim lead time of roughly 3-5 days. Adding a size to the range requires re-grading and a new PP check, adding 3-4 days. Changing the fabric after PP approval is the expensive one, because the new lot needs testing and the production slot may shift; expect 7-14 days and a revised unit price. None of these are refusals, they are honest trade-offs.

The practical rule our best clients follow: freeze the design at the PP sample, and treat everything after that as exceptions. If you expect late-season changes, build a 1-2 week buffer into your launch date instead of relying on the factory to absorb them.

Frequently Asked Questions About Working With Us

Start Your Walkthrough

That is the full journey: inquiry, feasibility, fabric, sampling, PP approval, bulk production, QC, and shipment. Every stage exists for a reason, and the reason is usually the same, whether you are running an OEM program with your own tech pack or an ODM program built on our patterns: make the design decisions early, document them, and let the factory execute without surprises.

If you are still deciding between OEM and ODM for your first collection, our decision guide comparing the models against your brand stage covers the strategic side, and the work-with-a-factory guide covers the preparation side. When you are ready to start, send your tech pack or your rough idea through our contact page, and you will have feasibility, MOQ, and a timeline within one working day. The walkthrough starts with that first message.