Hand Knit Pricing Structure and Production Timelines
This page explains the hand knit pricing structure and hand knitting production timelines, based on how hand-knitted manufacturing operates at KOCO.
KOCO provides hand-knitting labour manufacturing.
Pricing and timelines reflect that reality.
How Hand Knit Pricing Structure Works at KOCO Knitting
KOCO’s pricing is based on labour and production inputs, not on selling finished garments.
Yarn, pattern writing, and knitting labour are distinct parts of how the work is carried out, and they are costed separately because that is how KOCO operates commercially.
Pricing reflects what is required to produce a hand-knitted garment accurately, not what a finished garment might retail for.
Pattern Writing as a One-Time Cost
Pattern writing is a one-time cost.
A hand-knitted pattern is a detailed, multi-page document written stitch by stitch to a specific yarn. It instructs knitters exactly how to produce the garment.
Pattern writing is undertaken at the sample stage and does not repeat for future production runs of the same garment, provided the yarn and specifications remain unchanged.
KOCO engages specialist pattern writers for this work. Pattern writing is priced separately because it is development work, not knitting labour.
The Sample Garment and Its Role in Pricing
A sample garment is knitted before production begins.
The sample garment reflects:
- the written pattern
- the selected yarn
- the actual knitting time
- the construction and finishing approach
The sample garment is sent to the customer for review and approval. Production does not proceed until approval is received.
Once approved, the sample garment becomes the reference point for:
- knitting time
- labour cost
- production timelines
Hand Knitted Garment Pricing: Production Knitting as Labour
Production knitting is priced per garment as labour.
Each garment is knitted by one knitter, from start to finish, using the approved pattern and yarn.
The labour cost reflects:
- knitting time
- stitch complexity
- yarn thickness
- garment size
- construction and finishing requirements
There is no automation and no way to reduce the time required to knit a single garment. The time is known and fixed once the sample is approved.
Yarn as a Separate Cost
Yarn is sourced from spinning mills and invoiced separately because it is a direct production input.
Exact yarn usage cannot be known until a garment has been knitted. For this reason, yarn is charged per kilo rather than per garment.
The yarn used in production matches the yarn used in the approved sample garment.
What Drives Pricing
Pricing is driven by the level of work required to knit the garment. Hand knit manufacturing costs reflect actual labour and material requirements.
Factors that increase the amount of work include:
- finer yarns
- denser stitch structures
- detailed stitch patterns
- larger garment sizes
- more intricate construction
A garment knitted in a thicker yarn with a simpler structure takes less time than a garment knitted in a fine yarn with complex stitch work. That difference is reflected directly in labour cost.
How Hand Knitting Production Timelines Are Determined
Timelines are determined by capacity, not speed.
Each garment takes a fixed amount of time to knit. That time does not shorten.
Timelines are calculated based on:
- the number of garments
- the number of knitters available
- the fixed knitting time per garment
If thirty knitters are producing thirty garments, those garments take the same amount of time to complete as it takes one knitter to knit one garment.
When Timelines Are Confirmed
Production timelines are not confirmed until the sample garment has been approved.
Before approval, the focus is on accuracy. After approval, production proceeds predictably because:
- the pattern is fixed
- the yarn is fixed
- the knitting time per garment is known
Changes after sample approval affect timelines because they introduce new work.
Freight as a Separate Stage
Freight is treated as a separate stage and is not included in production timelines.
Delivery timing depends on destination and logistics outside the manufacturing process. Separating freight avoids confusion between making the garment and moving it.
Why This Structure Works
KOCO’s pricing and timeline structure reflects how hand-knitted manufacturing actually works.
- labour is costed as labour
- yarn is costed as a production input
- development work is separated from production
- timelines are based on capacity, not assumptions
This structure avoids surprises and ensures that manufacturing remains controlled, predictable, and accurate.
Predictability Through Clarity
Hand-knitted manufacturing does not rely on flexibility at the end of the process.
It relies on clarity at the beginning.
Clear decisions around yarn, pattern writing, and sample approval allow hand knitted garment pricing and timelines to be set with confidence and upheld throughout manufacturing.