How to Buy Fabric from China for an Indian Garment Factory
A simple guide for Indian garment makers: how buying fabric from China works, what it costs apart from the fabric price, minimum orders, time, quality checks and customs.
Written by the Angel Sourcing team · Updated October 2026
Why garment makers look at China
China makes a very large share of the world's fabric. Its mills are good at different things: yarn-dyed shirting, viscose prints, knits, lace and embroidery. For an Indian factory this means more choice of fabrics and designs than one local supplier can show, often at prices worth comparing.
But the price on a quotation is only a part of the real cost, and the risks are different from buying in India.
What the fabric price does not include
The per-metre price from a Chinese mill is usually the price at their factory gate. To compare it fairly with an Indian price, add these: freight, insurance, Indian customs duty and other import charges, port and clearance charges, transport to your factory, and the cost of delays or problems.
Always ask for the final price per metre delivered to your factory. This is how Angel Sourcing quotes: one price per metre, confirmed before you order.
Minimum orders, samples and time
Mills usually ask for a minimum for each design and colour. It is often much more than a small or medium factory needs. Sourcing partners who combine orders can offer smaller minimums. At Angel Sourcing, the minimum is 100 metres per colour.
Always approve a real sample before the full order. For dyed fabric, also approve a small colour sample. A sourced order usually takes about 40 days from order confirmation to reach the importer's warehouse. Ready stock that is already in India is much faster.
Quality: check before it ships
The cheapest time to find a problem is before the goods leave the supplier. Check the fabric against the approved sample for colour, width, weight (GSM), feel, defects and shrinkage. Agree in writing what difference is acceptable, for example up to 5% in quantity or shrinkage, and agree what happens if it is more.
Import and customs
Importing needs an import-export code (IEC), the right customs code for the fabric and clearance papers. Many factories prefer to buy from an Indian importer, so they never handle import paperwork. Angel Sourcing is the importer on every order and delivers in India.
When a sourcing partner helps
If you buy from China only now and then, in medium quantities, and do not want to manage suppliers, checking and customs yourself, a partner can save you effort and reduce risk. If you buy very large amounts of one fabric every month, dealing directly with a mill may be better.