How to Start a Private Label Activewear Line: A Step-by-Step Guide
Private label is the most common way new activewear brands launch: you work with a manufacturer that makes the garments, and you sell them under your own brand. This guide walks through each step, from choosing your route to receiving your first branded order.
- Three routes: our existing styles with your brand, modified styles, or your own design.
- MOQ: lower on existing styles; 200 pieces per style and color for custom Cut & Sew, 500 for seamless.
- No tech pack needed: pattern development is free; you pay only the sample fee.
- Branding: logos, labels, hangtags, packaging and Amazon FBA prep.
- Timeline: about 7 weeks from brief to finished bulk order.
What is private label activewear?
Private label activewear is made by a manufacturer and sold under your brand. The factory produces the leggings, sports bras or sets with your logo, labels, hangtags and packaging, so they arrive ready to sell. You own the brand and the customer relationship; the factory handles development and production.
Private label, white label or fully custom?
These terms are often mixed up. White label products are generic items that many sellers relabel, usually with only a brand label added. Private label goes further: the product is made for your brand, and you choose how much of it to customize. In practice there are three routes:
| Route | What you customize | MOQ | Development |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our existing styles, your brand | Logo, labels, hangtags, packaging and colors from available fabrics | Lower | Fastest |
| Modified styles | Fabric, colors, lengths, waistbands, straps or pockets | 200 pcs per style and color (Cut & Sew) | One or two sample rounds |
| Your own design | Everything, from your tech pack, reference or sketch | 200 pcs Cut & Sew, 500 pcs seamless | Pattern development and sampling |
Many brands combine routes: they launch with a few existing styles and add their own designs in the next drop.
Step 1: Define your first collection
Start small and focused. Decide which categories you launch with, such as leggings, sports bras or matching sets, who your customer is, and the retail price you are aiming for. For a first drop, three to six styles in one or two core colors is usually enough to test the market without tying up too much stock.
Step 2: Choose your route
If speed and a low MOQ matter most, start from existing styles. If you want a product that is clearly yours, modify a style or develop your own design. Because MOQ is counted per style and per color, the number of colors you choose affects your total order more than anything else. Our MOQ guide explains how it is counted.
Step 3: Prepare a simple brief
You do not need a tech pack to start. A good brief includes:
- The product: category, style references, photos or links.
- Fabric and feel: soft and second-skin, compressive, matte or brushed.
- Colors and approximate quantities per color.
- Size range: XXS–XL as standard, with plus sizes up to 3XL for Cut & Sew.
- Branding: your logo file and where you want it.
- Packaging and where you will sell, for example your own store or Amazon.
If you only have a reference photo or sketch, our pattern makers develop the pattern at no extra cost.
Step 4: Choose your fabric
Fabric sets both the feel and most of the cost. Nylon-spandex blends feel soft and smooth; polyester-spandex blends are durable and well suited to prints; GRS-certified recycled fabrics are available for sustainable collections. Our leggings cost guide compares the fabrics we use most.
Step 5: Plan your branding
Branding is what turns a well-made garment into your product. Decide it before sampling, so the sample shows the finished result. Our logo options guide compares the methods:
| Item | Options |
|---|---|
| Logo | Silicone, heat transfer, reflective print, embroidery or custom prints |
| Labels | Printed or woven neck, size and care labels |
| Hangtags | Your design, with brand story, price or barcode sticker |
| Packaging | Standard or custom printed polybags, zip bags or boxes |
| Amazon FBA | UPC or EAN barcode labels, FBA labels and carton requirements |
See all options on our private label service page.
Step 6: Sample and approve
Every private label order starts with a sample. Samples take 12–15 days and cost US$10–15 per style, and the fee is fully refunded once your bulk order reaches the MOQ. When the sample arrives, check:
- Fit and measurements across the waist, hips and length.
- Opacity, with a squat test in good light.
- Logo position, size and finish.
- Labels, hangtags and packaging.
Approve the sample or request changes. The approved sample becomes the reference for bulk production.
Step 7: Bulk production, inspection and shipping
Bulk production takes about 35 days after sample approval. Garments are checked during production and inspected against the approved sample before packing, with AQL 2.5 sampling; see our quality control process. Orders ship FOB China with your forwarder, and we accept T/T bank transfer.
A typical private label timeline
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Brief and quote | We reply within 24 hours |
| Sample development | 12–15 days |
| Sample review and changes | Depends on your feedback |
| Bulk production | About 35 days after sample approval |
| From brief to finished bulk | About 7 weeks |
Selling on Amazon? Plan FBA prep from the start
If you sell through Amazon FBA, tell us at the brief stage. We can add UPC or EAN barcode labels and FBA labels, and pack cartons to your FBA requirements, so your stock can go straight to the warehouse.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Too many colors in the first drop, which multiplies the MOQ.
- Deciding branding after sampling, so the sample does not show the finished product.
- Skipping a proper sample review, especially fit and opacity.
- Guessing the size split instead of using sales data or a simple size curve.
- Forgetting freight and duties in your budget; FOB prices cover delivery to the port in China only.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOQ for private label activewear?
At MIDYOGA, custom Cut & Sew styles start from 200 pieces per style, per color and seamless styles from 500. Our existing styles with your logo and labels can start from a lower MOQ, which we confirm in your quote.
Do I need a tech pack to start a private label line?
No. You can start from one of our existing styles, or send a reference photo, product link or sketch. Our pattern makers develop the pattern at no extra cost, and you only pay the sample fee.
What is the difference between private label and white label activewear?
White label products are generic items that many sellers relabel. Private label products are made for your brand, with your branding and, depending on the route, your own colors, fabrics or design.
Can you prepare private label activewear for Amazon FBA?
Yes. We can add UPC or EAN barcode labels and FBA labels, and pack cartons to your FBA requirements.
How long does it take to launch a private label activewear line?
About 7 weeks from brief to finished bulk order: 12–15 days for samples, then about 35 days of bulk production after sample approval, plus the time you need to review samples.
Can I put my logo on your existing styles?
Yes. Adding your logo, labels and packaging to one of our current styles is the fastest way to launch, with a lower MOQ than a new design.
Tell us about your brand.
Share the styles, branding and quantities you have in mind, and we reply with a quote within 24 hours. Only your work email is required.
- A tech packShare technical drawings, measurements and material requirements.
- A reference productShare a photo, product link or sample, with the details you want to develop.
- An early ideaDescribe the category, intended activity and wearing experience.