Start with a reference the supplier can identify

A useful quotation starts with a specific fabric brief. Send a Hanzhong SKU when you have selected a published quality. If you are matching an existing fabric, describe what must remain the same and what can change. A garment photograph can communicate appearance, but it cannot establish fibre percentages, construction or finishing. Ask whether a physical reference is needed.

For an initial shortlist, open the fabric library and retain the product links beside your notes. This keeps the discussion attached to identifiable qualities instead of a general request for linen.

Separate confirmed requirements from open questions

Record the intended garment, composition, weight and width. For width, ask whether the number includes selvedges or represents usable cutting width. Specify the requested finish if it is known. If you do not know a detail, write that it needs supplier clarification rather than copying a number from an unrelated product.

Color and quantity need their own lines. State the quantity per color for each quality, whether several colors belong to the same project, and whether the quantity is a trial requirement or an estimated repeat order. These are questions for quotation review, not assurances that a particular minimum will be accepted.

Copy this enquiry brief

  • Company, contact name, business email and country.
  • SKU or reference: include the product link or describe the sample.
  • Garment and season: explain the end use.
  • Composition, target GSM and acceptable alternatives.
  • Width: state the requirement and ask for the measurement basis.
  • Finish and color: identify confirmed requirements and open questions.
  • Quantity: list metres per color and per SKU.
  • Destination and required date: distinguish a target date from a confirmed commitment.
  • Sample request: explain what you need to assess before ordering.

Make competing quotations comparable

Before comparing totals, check that each quotation covers the same quality, finish, color basis, quantity and unit. Ask the supplier to identify the currency, pricing unit, delivery basis, sample or development charges, and quotation validity. A lower headline figure is difficult to assess when the underlying specifications differ.

Keep the quotation together with the agreed specification and approved sample reference. If the buyer changes the finish or quantity later, ask for an updated quotation so that the previous assumptions do not become an accidental order instruction.

Move the conversation to the next decision

When sending an enquiry, ask one clear question: can the supplier review this quality and quantity, or which details are still required? Once a relevant fabric is identified, use the sample approval checklist before confirming bulk. You can send a fabric brief even when some specification fields still need discussion.