If you’ve never sourced hand embroidery from India before, the process can feel opaque from the outside. You know what you want the finished piece to look like. What you don’t know is how to get from a sketch or a Pinterest board to a finished, production-ready order—without wasting weeks on back-and-forth or, worse, paying for a sample that arrives nothing like what you asked for.
This guide answers the three questions every first-time buyer asks before they place an order: What’s the minimum order quantity? What do I actually need to send to a manufacturer? And how long is this going to take? We’ve answered these questions for designers and brands for over 30 years—here’s the straight version, without the sales pitch.
Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) — What It Actually Depends On
MOQ is the question every buyer asks first and the one manufacturers are most often vague about. Here’s why: there is no single MOQ for hand embroidery, because hand embroidery isn’t one product. The honest answer is that MOQ depends on four things, and a manufacturer who gives you a flat number before seeing your design hasn’t actually thought about your order.
- The technique: Simple threadwork or appliqué can be economically produced in smaller runs. Dense Zardozi or fine beadwork—where a single piece can take an artisan several days — needs a higher volume to justify setup and material sourcing
- The base fabric: If you’re supplying your own fabric, MOQ is usually driven by the embroidery technique alone. If we’re sourcing fabric on your behalf, fabric mills have their own minimums, which can become the real constraint
- Design complexity and colourways: A single motif in one colourway is simpler to scale than a complex multi-colour, multi-bead design—each colourway effectively restarts material sourcing and artisan briefing
- Whether it’s sampling or production: This is the most important distinction, and the one most buyers don’t realise exists
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| There is no MOQ for a first sample. That’s worth repeating: sampling and production are two different stages with two different rules, and a manufacturer that quotes you a production MOQ before you’ve even seen a swatch in your fabric is asking you to commit before you have any evidence that the quality is right. |
A Realistic MOQ Range, By Technique
| Technique | Typical Production MOQ | Why |
| Threadwork/appliqué | 50–150 pieces | Faster per-piece execution, lower material cost to set up |
| Beaded trims/motifs (sold by metre or piece) | 100–300 metres / 200+ motifs | Often produced as yardage or batch motifs, which favours volume |
| Zardozi / metallic embroidery | 50–100 pieces | Slower execution justifies a smaller, higher-value run |
| Fully beaded couture garments | 10–30 pieces | High labour hours per piece mean even small runs are substantial orders |
| Bridal/one-off pieces | 1 piece (made-to-order) | Single-piece production is standard for bridal—this isn’t a ‘minimum’ situation at all |
If a number you’ve been quoted elsewhere doesn’t roughly match this table, ask what’s driving it—it usually means either the technique is more complex than it looks or the manufacturer is quoting a number that suits their production schedule rather than your order.
Tech Packs — What to Send Before You Ask for a Quote
A tech pack is the single biggest factor in whether your first sample comes back right the first time. We get tech packs at every level of polish, from a full Adobe Illustrator file with colour codes and a bill of materials to a phone photo of a hand sketch with a paragraph of notes. Both can work. What matters is that the information below is in there somewhere.
- A sketch, a flat drawing, a reference photo, or a moodboard image of the motif or pattern. If you have a reference garment with similar embroidery, a photo of it (even from another brand, purely as a technique reference) is genuinely useful—we are not going to copy someone else’s design; we use it to understand the stitch type you mean. A clear visual reference
- Where on the garment or product does the embroidery go? A simple flat sketch with the motif drawn in position is enough—you don’t need professional CAD for this. Placement
- How large is the motif in real measurements? ‘Medium-sized’ means something different to every person who reads it. Give us a measurement, even an approximate one, in centimetres or inches. Scale
- What is the embroidery going onto? If you’re sending your own fabric, tell us the composition (silk, cotton, georgette, leather, etc.) and send a swatch if possible. If you want us to source it, tell us the weight and drape you’re after. Fabric
- Pantone codes are ideal but not required. A clear photo reference, or even ‘gold metallic thread, deep emerald beads’ written in plain English, is enough for us to source from. Colour
- If you already know you want Zardozi, or Tambour beading, or appliqué, say so. If you don’t know—and most first-time buyers don’t—describe the look you want, and we’ll recommend the right technique. Technique, if you know it
How to Order Hand Embroidery from India — A First-Time Buyer’s Guide
| You do not need a professional tech pack to start. A clear sketch, a fabric swatch, and a short written description covering placement, scale, and colour will get you an accurate first quote and an accurate first sample. Polish helps, but it isn’t the barrier most first-time buyers assume it is. |
Timelines — From First Enquiry to Finished Goods
This is the part most manufacturers are least specific about, because timelines genuinely vary with technique and order size. Here is what each stage realistically takes, so you can plan a launch date backwards from a real number instead of an optimistic one.
| Stage | Typical Duration | What Happens |
| Quote & technical review | 1–3 working days | We review your tech pack, confirm technique and feasibility, and come back with questions if anything is unclear |
| Sampling | 7–15 working days | A first physical sample is made in your fabric, your colors, and your design—this is your evidence before any production commitment |
| Sample revision (if needed) | 5–10 working days | A first physical sample is made in your fabric, your colours, and your design—this is your evidence before any production commitment |
| Production (small run, simpler technique) | 3–5 weeks | Threadwork, appliqué, simpler motif work at moderate volumes |
| Production (complex technique or larger run) | 6–10 weeks | Zardozi, dense beadwork, multi-colourway orders, or higher volumes |
| Quality control & finishing | 3–5 working days | Every piece is checked against the approved sample before packing |
| Shipping (international) | 5–15 working days | Varies by destination and shipping method — we’ll confirm an exact estimate once your address is confirmed |
Add it together, and a realistic timeline from first enquiry to finished goods in hand is typically 6–14 weeks, depending almost entirely on technique complexity and order size. If you’re working toward a launch date, work backwards from this range rather than the headline number any single stage might give you in isolation.
The Five Questions Worth Asking Before You Commit
Whether you order from us or anyone else, these are the questions that separate a smooth first order from a frustrating one.
- If the answer is no, that’s a serious red flag. Photos and renders are not a substitute for holding the actual embroidery in your hand. Can I see a physical sample before committing to production?
- Ask directly how design files are stored and whether they’re shared with other clients. A manufacturer with nothing to hide will have a clear, immediate answer. Is my design kept confidential?
- Understand the revision process and whether it costs extra before you need it, not after. What happens if the first sample isn’t right?
- A single point of contact who can give you a real status update is worth more than a sales team that goes quiet after the deposit clears. Who do I talk to once production starts?
- Ask specifically whether the quote includes fabric, finishing, packaging, and shipping, or just the embroidery labour — these are very different numbers and the gap catches first-time buyers more than any other single issue. What’s included in the quoted price?
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How PBS Exim Handles This Process
We’ve been hand embroidering and beading for fashion and home brands for over 30 years, working out of our own facility in Mumbai. A few specifics, since this entire guide has been about specifics rather than general reassurance:
- First sample: We quote and produce your first sample against your tech pack—however polished or rough it is — and walk you through technique recommendations if you’re not sure what you need
- No surprise MOQ: We confirm production MOQ after we’ve seen your design, not before, because the honest number depends on what you’re asking for
- One point of contact: You work with the same person from the quote through to shipped goods
- Worldwide shipping: We ship internationally and can talk through realistic timelines for your specific destination once we know where the goods are headed
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum order quantity for hand embroidery from India?
There is no fixed number—it depends on the embroidery technique, whether you’re supplying fabric, and how many colourways you need. As a general range, simpler threadwork can start around 50–150 pieces, while complex beaded couture work may have a production minimum as low as 10–30 pieces due to the labour involved. Sampling has no minimum at all.
Do I need a professional tech pack to get a quote?
No. A clear sketch or reference image, a fabric swatch if you’re supplying one, and a short written description of placement, scale, and colour is enough to start. A formal tech pack with measurements and a bill of materials helps speed up the process, but it isn’t a requirement for a first quote.
How long does it take to get a sample?
Typically 7–15 working days for a first sample, depending on technique complexity. If a revision is needed after the first sample — which is common and normal — add another 5–10 working days for the revised version.
How long does full production take after the sample is approved?
3–5 weeks for simpler techniques at moderate volumes, and 6–10 weeks for complex techniques like dense Zardozi or beadwork, or for larger order volumes. Add shipping time on top—typically 5–15 working days internationally, depending on destination and method.
Can I supply my own fabric, or does the manufacturer source it?
Both are common. If you supply fabric, send a swatch with your enquiry so we can confirm it’s compatible with the embroidery technique you want. If you’d like us to source fabric, please tell us the weight, drape, and composition you’re after, and we’ll recommend options.