Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum for a custom bulk order?
50 pairs per size per design. A wide spread of sizes and designs means several small runs, and it is priced accordingly.
How long does the whole process take?
Sampling takes 5-9 working days; production and transit depend on quantity and destination. Ask for all three separately.
Can I change the design after approving the sample?
Changes after approval usually mean a re-run. That is why approval is the stage to be strict about.
Do I need to pay for the mould?
A custom grip pattern or logo mould costs a one-time fee per size and design. Stock patterns have no mould fee and can be colour-matched.
What should be on the sample approval?
The specification in writing, the colour references, and photos of the sample. That way the bulk order has a single reference point.
A custom sock order runs through six stages: design and specification, quotation, sampling, sample approval, bulk production and shipping. The two stages buyers most often rush are the specification and the sample approval, and those are the two that decide whether the bulk order arrives as expected.
| Bulk Order Stage | Typical Timeline | Buyer Input Required | Factory Deliverable & QC Gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Specification & Mockup | 1–2 Days | Logo file, target sock style, size breakdown, and quantity (from 50 pairs/size/design; 500 for trampoline) | Free digital mockup + needle count (144N/168N), yarn blend, and unit quote |
| 2. Physical Sampling | 5–9 Days | Confirmation of mockup, yarn colorway (330+ stock colors), and grip pattern | Knitted and silicone-dispensed pre-production sample (photos/video or shipped sample) |
| 3. Bulk Knitting & Dispensing | 10–25 Days | Sample approval, final packaging artwork (header card/OPP bag), and deposit | Cylinder knitting, toe linking, boarding, heat-cured silicone grip, and final quality inspection |
| 4. Final Inspection & DDP Delivery | By Air / Sea DDP | Delivery address (USA, UK, Europe, Australia, or global warehouse) | Sizing & grip adhesion check, carton packing list, and door-to-door customs clearance |
Stage 1: Design and Specification
Before a factory can quote, it needs to know what the sock is. That means the use case, the fibre and percentages, the sizes with measurements, the artwork with placement, and the packaging. A design sketch alone is not enough, because a sketch cannot be priced: the yarn, the knit gauge and the finishing process are what cost money.
The document that carries all of this is the tech pack. Our tech pack guide lists what to include; the short version is sketch with measurements, yarn with percentages, size chart with foot lengths, vector artwork with placement, and a packaging decision.
Stage 2: Quotation
A useful quote separates the cost drivers rather than giving a single number. Ask for the price at two or three volumes, the mould fee for a custom grip or logo if applicable, the sample fee, and the freight basis. A quote that only states a unit price makes it impossible to see where the volume discount starts or which part of the specification is driving the cost.
Compare quotes line by line against the same specification. Two quotes for “the same sock” are usually quotes for two different socks: one with a stock grip pattern and one with a moulded logo, one with a standard header card and one with printed packaging.
Stage 3: Sampling
Samples take 5-9 working days and a small fee. Ask for the sample in the size that will sell most, with the actual grip pattern and the actual logo placement. A sample that skips the finishing is a sample that has not tested the part most likely to go wrong.
When the sample arrives, test it in use rather than in the hand. Wear it for a session or a walk, wash it once, and check the three failure points: does the cuff hold, does the grip stay put, does the toe seam sit flat. Those are what the bulk order will reproduce.
Stage 4: Sample Approval
Approval is the point of no return. Once the sample is signed off, the bulk order is produced to match it, and a change after that point usually means a re-run. Two things make approval reliable: a written confirmation of the specification alongside the sample, and photographs of the sample with the approved colour references.
If something is wrong, say so at this stage. A cuff that is slightly loose or a colour that is slightly off will be reproduced exactly, thousands of times, if it is approved. Buyers who approve a “close enough” sample are the ones who discover the problem at the container.
Stage 5: Bulk Production
Production starts after the deposit and the approved sample. The factory knits to the approved specification, applies the finishing, checks at the end of the line and packs. For a custom order, the quality check should include the specific items the buyer cares about: the grip adhesion, the logo alignment, the cuff tension, the size match against the chart.
Ask for the production time separately from the shipping time. A single lead-time figure usually covers only the factory, and a launch planned around it discovers the gap while the goods are in transit.
Stage 6: Shipping and Documents
The shipment travels with the commercial invoice, the packing list and the transport documents, and the fibre percentages and the HS code should appear on the invoice. Our HS code guide covers classification; our care label guide covers what has to be on the product.
Check the label artwork against the shipment before it leaves, not after it arrives. A relabelling cycle at destination costs more than a label review at origin.
What Makes an Order Go Smoothly
Three habits separate a smooth order from a difficult one. Specify in numbers rather than adjectives. Approve a sample that has been worn and washed. Ask for the three lead times separately. Everything else — the emails, the follow-ups, the disputes — usually traces back to one of those three being skipped.
Our standard construction families are in our material guide, and the enquiry-to-delivery sequence is described in our ordering guide.
Ready to start your bulk production run? Explore our 3-step custom sock OEM process, custom Pilates grip socks, and trampoline park grip socks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum for a custom bulk order?
50 pairs per size per design. A wide spread of sizes and designs means several small runs, and it is priced accordingly.
How long does the whole process take?
Sampling takes 5-9 working days; production and transit depend on quantity and destination. Ask for all three separately.
Can I change the design after approving the sample?
Changes after approval usually mean a re-run. That is why approval is the stage to be strict about.
Do I need to pay for the mould?
A custom grip pattern or logo mould costs a one-time fee per size and design. Stock patterns have no mould fee and can be colour-matched.
What should be on the sample approval?
The specification in writing, the colour references, and photos of the sample. That way the bulk order has a single reference point.
Ready to start a custom order? Send your spec and we will quote and sample from it.