Sourcing fabric directly from an Indian mill rather than through an agent or trading house gives brands mill-direct pricing, direct access to the production team for development, faster problem resolution, and transparent supply chain documentation for certification purposes.
The typical process: Step 1 — Initial inquiry. Send your fabric brief: construction type (woven, what weave structure), fibre content, approximate weight, finish required, and target end use. A good mill should respond with relevant options from their range and indicate development feasibility.
Step 2 — Sample development. Request strike-off samples (small lab dip samples) for colour approval, then lab samples (1-3 metres of the actual construction) for hand feel and quality approval.
Step 3 — Pricing and terms. Mill-direct pricing is quoted FOB (Free on Board) from the nearest port. Request pricing at your development quantity and your anticipated bulk quantity — there is typically a volume break.
Step 4 — Production and quality control. Establish inspection milestones — mid-production and pre-shipment inspection are standard for first orders.
Step 5 — Documentation. For certified fabric, request the relevant certificates (GOTS, OCS, BCI, OEKO-TEX) with the production batch reference.
At Janki Nath & Co., we supply woven fabrics mill-direct to brands and manufacturers across 20+ countries.
Related reading: Sampling process | Export from India
Contact us: jcofabrics@yahoo.co.in | www.jcofabrics.com
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