China accounts for a large share of global yarn exports—from acrylic and polyester blends to wool, cotton, chenille, and fancy yarns for knitting and crochet. For importers, wholesalers, private-label brands, and marketplace sellers, sourcing directly from a factory-backed manufacturer can reduce cost, improve margin, and unlock OEM customization.
This guide walks through the full B2B sourcing process: from defining specs to landing goods in your warehouse.
| Buyer type | Typical goals |
|---|---|
| Importers / distributors | Stable supply, catalog breadth, export documentation |
| Wholesale brands | MOQ flexibility, color cards, repeat orders |
| OEM / private label | Custom fiber blend, packaging, labeling |
| Marketplace sellers | Fast replenishment, consistent SKU quality |
| Craft chains & big-box buyers | Certifications, audit readiness, scale |
If you need repeatable quality at volume, factory-direct sourcing beats trading-only intermediaries.
Before contacting suppliers, document:
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Fiber content | 80% acrylic / 20% nylon |
| Count / Nm | Nm 1.8 |
| Weight category | DK, worsted, bulky |
| Twist & ply | Ring-spun, 4-ply |
| Color | Pantone or lab dip |
| Packaging | 100 g ball, 200 g cake, cone |
| Labeling | Care symbols, fiber content, barcode |
Clear specs reduce back-and-forth and help factories quote accurately.
Never skip sampling for new SKUs or colors.
Sample checklist:
For OEM colors, approve a lab dip before bulk dyeing. Keep signed approval records.
Typical factory MOQs for custom yarn:
| Order type | Common MOQ range |
|---|---|
| Stock colors (acrylic bulk) | 100–500 kg per color |
| Custom color dyeing | 200–500 kg per color |
| New blend development | 500 kg+ (trial run) |
| Packaging customization | Varies by label/ball type |
Price drivers: fiber grade, dye complexity, packaging, order volume, seasonality.
Ask for tiered pricing (e.g. 500 kg / 2 MT / 5 MT) and lead time by quantity.
| Term | Who pays freight | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| FOB (e.g. FOB Shanghai) | Buyer arranges ocean freight | Experienced importers |
| CIF | Seller to port of destination | Simpler logistics |
| EXW | Buyer collects at factory | Freight forwarders with China office |
Build a landed cost model:
Landed cost = FOB price + ocean freight + insurance + import duty + local delivery + inspection
Confirm HS code with your broker (e.g. synthetic yarn vs. cotton blends differ in duty).
For private-label or exclusive blends:
Work with manufacturers that maintain spec sheets per SKU to ensure batch-to-batch consistency.
| Certification | Relevance |
|---|---|
| OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 | Consumer safety, chemical limits |
| GRS | Recycled content claims |
| BSCI / social audit | Retail compliance |
| RWS / RAS | Responsible wool/animal fiber |
| OCS 3.0 | Organic content chain of custody |
Match certifications to your retail or marketplace requirements early to avoid rework.
Discovery and vetting: 1–2 weeks. Samples: 1–2 weeks. First bulk order: often 6–10 weeks including production and shipping.
Many knitting/crochet yarn factories start around 200 kg per color for custom dyeing; stock items can be lower.
Often 30–50% lower FOB on synthetic yarns, but calculate landed cost including duty and QC—not FOB alone.
Depends on country. Most yarn imports require correct HS classification and customs entry; use a licensed broker.
Yes—factories often consolidate multiple SKUs/colors into one 20' or 40' container for cost efficiency.
If you are evaluating a China yarn manufacturer for wholesale or OEM:
Sullivans International (China) has supplied knitting and crochet yarn globally since 2003—1,500+ yarn types, OEM/custom production, and export-ready documentation. Contact us for samples and quotes.