1. Define your niche and positioning
The lingerie market is broad, so a new brand wins by being specific. Decide whether you serve a body-inclusive curve customer, a bridal and honeymoon buyer, a fashion-forward fetish range, or an everyday-sexy basics shopper. Your niche dictates fabrics, silhouettes, size range and price — a plus-size range graded to 6X is a very different production brief than a one-size bodystocking line. Write a one-line positioning statement and a target retail price, and let every later decision serve it.
2. Develop your designs (or start from a library)
You have two routes. With OEM you supply finished tech packs — patterns, materials, grading and construction notes — and the factory builds exactly to spec. With ODMyou start from a manufacturer’s existing designs and customise colour, lace, hardware and trims, which is far faster and cheaper for a first collection. Most new brands launch a small capsule of 4–8 styles so they can learn what sells before committing to a wide range.
3. Find a manufacturer who fits your stage
This is the decision that makes or breaks a launch. You need a factory that specialises in intimate apparel, will work at a low starting volume, and can grow with you. Match the production model to where you are:
- OEM lingerie manufacturer — you have your own tech packs and want them built to spec.
- ODM lingerie manufacturer — you want to co-develop from an existing design library.
- Private-label lingerie— you want proven styles finished with your brand’s labels and packaging.
4. Confirm MOQ and budget your first run
Minimum order quantity (MOQ) is the smallest number of pieces a factory will run per style. A low MOQ keeps your launch capital small and lets you test more designs. Our minimum is 100 pcs/style for OEM and 50 pcs for wholesale stock styles — lower moq negotiable for trial/repeat orders and stock styles. For a full breakdown, read our MOQ guide.
5. Sample, fit and approve
Never order bulk from a photo. Request pre-production samples, fit them on a real body or graded forms, and check stretch, recovery, seam strength and colour against your reference. Expect two to three rounds before a style is signed off. Bulk production typically follows in 25–35 days once samples are approved.
6. Build the brand around the garment
What makes it your brand is everything around the stitch: custom woven labels, branded elastics, hangtags, size stickers and retail-ready polybags or boxes. Settle your logo, colour story and packaging early so they ship with your first run. From there it is photography, your storefront, and a go-to-market plan — but the product foundation is now in place.
Ready to brief a factory? Send us your concept and we will advise on materials, MOQ and a realistic first-run plan.