Wholesale, explained by the people packing the parcels.

A fabric pilling test measures how readily a textile forms those small fuzzy balls on its surface after rubbing or abrasion. The main method families are the Martindale test, random tumble (ICI/pilling box), brush pilling, elastomeric pad, and circular locus, each governed by an ASTM or ISO standard. Which one you choose depends entirely on the fabric's end use, from knitwear to upholstery.

Open-to-buy is the amount of stock, in cost or retail pounds, you can still purchase for a period once your current inventory and everything already on order are accounted for. A positive figure means you have room to commit new purchase orders. Zero means hold your position. Negative means stop, cancel or delay orders, and reforecast before you buy anything else.

Most MOQ advice online is written for American boutiques buying from American vendors. Here is how minimums are actually counted when you buy ladies wear in India, and what each way of counting does to your cash.

Anyone can send you a good photo and a low rate. These are the twelve questions that tell you whether a supplier will still be worth buying from on your fourth order.

Your first order is not stock, it is a question you are asking your customers. Here is how to spend it so the answer is worth having: size ratios, colour depth, and how much to hold back for the restock.

Fabric decides more of your complaints, returns and repeat customers than design does. Here is what cotton, rayon, modal and linen really do, and what to tell a customer who asks.