Launching a gym wear or activewear brand has never been cheaper to start and never been easier to get wrong. The difference is almost always the manufacturer relationship: what they need from you, what they charge for, and what they will and won’t do at small quantities. This checklist is the one we walk new brands through at Zees Commerce.
1. Decide what you are actually launching
A first collection does not need twelve products. The brands that get to a second order usually start with three to five: leggings, a sports bra, a t-shirt, shorts and a hoodie, in two colourways. That is 6–10 designs, which at an MOQ of 10 pieces per design means a launch inventory of 60–100 units instead of the 500+ most factories demand.
2. Understand MOQ and why it matters more than unit price
A factory quoting $6 a piece at MOQ 300 is not cheaper than one quoting $8 at MOQ 10 if you cannot sell 300 pieces of one style. Cash tied up in unsold stock is the number one killer of new apparel brands. Ask every manufacturer for MOQ per design and colour, not per order.
3. What private label actually includes
Private label means the garment carries your brand, not the factory’s. Confirm the manufacturer provides:
- Woven or printed neck labels with your logo (or tagless heat-transfer labels)
- Care and content labels that meet US, UK and EU labelling rules
- Hang tags and branded poly bags or boxes
- Size labels and an agreed size chart
At Zees Commerce these are quoted in the unit price for brands, not added later.
4. Fabrics that customers notice
Gym wear buyers judge fabric before they judge your logo. The safe starting points: nylon-spandex (78/22) for leggings and bras, polyester interlock for training tees, 320–380 GSM cotton-poly fleece for hoodies and joggers. Ask for fabric swatches with your sample and test them yourself: squat in the leggings, wash the tee twice, check the hoodie’s pilling.
5. Sampling: never skip it
A digital mock-up shows placement. A physical sample shows fit, colour, stretch and stitching. Budget for one sample per style; at Zees Commerce Samples are made in 5 days, shipping separate and the sample cost is typically credited against the bulk order.
6. Timeline from idea to inventory
- Tech pack or reference garments and logo files: week 1
- Mock-ups and quote: 2–3 days
- Samples: made in 5 days, plus courier
- Bulk production: 15–30 days after sample approval, depending on quantity
- Shipping: 3–6 days by air
Seven to ten weeks from first email to stock on your shelf is realistic if you approve promptly.
7. Costs to plan for beyond the garment
Freight and duties, label and packaging setup, sample costs, and product photography. Ask your manufacturer to quote freight to your door so your landed cost is known before you set retail prices.
Start with these products
The styles most new activewear brands launch with: seamless sets, sculpting and flared leggings, biker shorts, men’s joggers, compression tees and layering jackets. All from 10 pieces per design.
8. Questions to ask before you commit
- What is the MOQ per design and colour?
- Do you own the factory or broker production elsewhere?
- Can I see the sample before the full run, and is its cost credited?
- What decoration methods are in-house (screen print, embroidery, sublimation)?
- What is the reorder lead time once my sizes and colours are on file?
Zees Commerce manufactures factory-direct in Sialkot with a US office in Los Angeles, MOQ 10 pieces per design, samples made in 5 days. Send us your first collection idea and we will return pricing, MOQ confirmation and a timeline within one business day. Request a private label quote, or browse gym wear, leggings and hoodies.