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Small batches · Canada

Small-Batch Clothing Manufacturing for Canadian Brands

A smaller apparel run still needs a clear product specification, quantities by style and variant, sample approval, quality criteria and a written delivery plan. Fenalt coordinates managed apparel manufacturing and sourcing through factories, suppliers and production partners selected for each project. Fenalt does not claim to own factories or manufacture in Canada. Production origin, available methods and commercial terms must be confirmed for the individual brief.

Define the run by style, colour and size

Fenalt's standard minimum order quantity is 50 pieces per style. Treat this as a standard planning reference, not a promise that every fabric, colour, size split or finish is feasible at that quantity. Ask the project quote to confirm the minimum for the actual specification.

Build the brief around the decisions that shape the garment and order:

  • Garment type, intended use, construction, fit and size range.
  • Current tech pack or product description, measurement chart and tolerances.
  • Fabric and known fibre composition, colourways, trims and finishing.
  • Print or embroidery artwork, branding, labels and packaging.
  • Quantities separated by style, colour and size, with sample and bulk quantities distinguished.
  • Delivery destination, target planning window, approval contacts and known inspection or documentation needs.

Mark unsettled details as open questions. Keep sample comments, substitutions and specification revisions tied to the correct version, and record who can approve changes. A written quotation should confirm scope and assumptions for materials, sample stages, inspection, packaging, transport, exclusions and responsibilities. This page does not set public prices or universal material minimums.

Plan samples, bulk timing and quality together

Fenalt's sample planning reference is 10–15 days for sample production, plus a separate 3–5 day reference for sample shipping. Confirm the sample stage, dispatch point and transport method for the project. The shipping reference is not a guaranteed arrival date.

Bulk production is referenced at 15–20 days from pre-production sample sign-off to export dispatch. Freight, customs processing and final delivery are separate stages; the production reference is not a door-to-door schedule. Confirm the order calendar and approvals in writing.

Before bulk production is planned, keep the approved sample and tech-pack version with the quantity split, label and packaging artwork, and inspection criteria. Fenalt's approved inspection reference is AQL 2.5 under ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 Level II, when applicable to the agreed quality plan. Confirm the inspection stage, lot, sampling, responsibilities and acceptance criteria. AQL is a sampling method, not a promise that every garment is inspected or defect-free. Non-conformities are reviewed against the agreed quality standard and appropriate corrective action is coordinated with the production partner.

Check Canadian textile information before approving labels

For consumer textile products covered by the federal Textile Labelling Act and Regulations, the disclosure label generally identifies the generic name and percentage of each fibre present at 5% or more of total fibre mass, and the responsible dealer's name and mailing address or an eligible Canadian CA Identification Number. Where sections of a garment use different fibre content, sectional disclosure may apply. Required fibre names and fibre-related information are generally in English and French, except in areas where only one official language is used in consumer transactions. The label must be factual, legible and accessible to prospective consumers at purchase. Which products require a permanent label, what may use a hangtag, and which exceptions apply depend on the product.

Federal textile rules do not make written care instructions mandatory in every case; if care instructions are provided, they must be accurate and not misleading. Confirm the garment category, fibre calculation, component disclosure, label format, dealer identity and any applicable exception with the Canadian importer or a textile-labelling specialist before artwork is approved. See the Competition Bureau's textile labelling requirements and its detailed guidance on fibre and sectional disclosure.

Add a separate check for products marketed in Quebec

Quebec's Charter of the French Language adds product-inscription requirements. In general, inscriptions on a product, its container or wrapping, and documents supplied with it must be in French. Other-language text may accompany French, but must not be more prominent or available on more favourable terms. Separate federal bilingual fibre rules still matter; a page written in English does not change product-label requirements.

Quebec's trademark rules also changed on 1 June 2025: generic or descriptive elements within a trademark must also appear in French on the product or on a medium permanently attached to it. The company name and the name under which a product is marketed may be treated differently, and specific transition provisions may apply to some existing goods. Have a Quebec specialist confirm the current rule, trademark status, product inscriptions, any applicable transition eligibility and responsibility for the label before production artwork is finalized. This summary is planning information, not legal advice. Consult the OQLF guidance for trademarks on products and section 51 of the Charter.

Confirm the delivery term for the actual route

Fenalt's approved starting terms are DAP for small-batch courier shipments and FOB Chattogram for bulk sea freight. Routing and terms depend on production origin, destination, shipment size and the agreed Incoterm. Confirm the named place or port, transport responsibilities and import arrangements in the specific quotation. These terms do not promise a shipping date or DDP treatment. The draft does not assign Fenalt the role of importer of record and does not provide a tariff rate, tax total or landed-cost estimate.