Bio-Based Nylon MOQ and Pricing: The Full Chart
The real numbers, published. Baseline, MOQ, GSM chart, lead time, sampling terms. Because founders shopping this category are tired of "let's schedule a call" as the answer to a pricing question.
OHZEHN-TEX™ bio-based nylon fabric starts at $15.50 per yard at 220 GSM. MOQ is 5,000 yards per color per construction. Lead time is approximately 60 days from confirmed spec. GSM range is 150 to 320. Swatch cards and one-yard sample panels are available before any production commit. Pricing published, no schedule-a-call gatekeeping.
1. Why we publish pricing
Bio-based performance fabric has been a "call us for a quote" category since it existed. That gatekeeping is a real cost for founders. A brand shopping five plastic-free options across four countries loses two months to email tag before it has a baseline to plan around. Meanwhile the finance team is waiting for a landed-cost figure to model unit economics.
OHZEHN-TEX publishes because the transparency itself is a competitive move. If our number is out and everyone else's is not, we are the only supplier a founder can pre-model against. Then the sample yard confirms hand and construction, and the conversation goes straight to specs and PO instead of Round 3 of "can you send a NDA first."
2. Full pricing chart (150 to 320 GSM)
Pricing scales with GSM. Heavier fabric uses more bio-based yarn per yard, and heavier constructions carry a modest surcharge on the dye and finishing stages. The chart below is the standard-library reference. Custom constructions and unusual color-fastness bars are quoted separately.
| GSM | Price / yd (USD) | Typical use | Sample stretch profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 GSM | $12.80 | Light base layers, liners, mesh panels | Four-way stretch, low compression |
| 180 GSM | $13.90 | Bra fabric, bralettes, light seamless | Four-way stretch, moderate compression |
| 200 GSM | $14.60 | Swim, light leggings, performance tees | Four-way stretch, moderate to high recovery |
| 220 GSM (baseline) | $15.50 | Leggings, sports bras, standard activewear | Four-way stretch, compression-grade recovery |
| 240 GSM | $16.40 | Heavier leggings, mid-compression shorts | Four-way stretch, high compression |
| 260 GSM | $17.10 | Compression shorts, dense shapewear | Four-way stretch, high compression |
| 280 GSM | $17.80 | Heavy compression, shapewear cores | Four-way stretch, dense recovery |
| 320 GSM | $19.20 | Structural shapewear, heavy support panels | Four-way stretch, engineered structure |
Chart notes. Standard color library is quoted at chart price. Custom color development (lab dip + strike-off) is a one-time development fee, quoted at PO. Deep or fluorescent tones can carry a $0.30 to $0.70 per-yard color surcharge depending on the dye class. Custom finishing (peach-touch, water-repellent bio-treatment, UV-package) is quoted separately.
3. MOQ, in practice
The 5,000-yard floor is per color per construction. What that means at the program level:
- A brand launching one leggings SKU in one color: 5,000 yards.
- A brand launching one leggings SKU in three colors: 15,000 yards, unless colors share a base construction and are dye-lot batched.
- A brand launching leggings and sports bras in the same construction and colorway: two separate MOQs unless the fabrics share GSM and knit.
- A brand running a development capsule (under 5,000 yards): sample panel program available; production POs start at 5,000.
The 5,000-yard floor is the point where the bio-based feedstock, dye set-up, and QC pipeline are cost-efficient. Below it, per-yard cost climbs quickly and we lose the ability to hold the published price.
4. Lead time and sampling turnaround
- Swatch card: 5 to 7 business days from request. Standard color library, no charge, shipped to the address on the form.
- One-yard sample panel: 2 to 3 weeks from confirmed construction. Quoted case by case for non-library constructions.
- Lab dip and strike-off (custom color): 2 to 3 weeks per round, one to two rounds typical.
- Production PO: approximately 60 days from confirmed spec (fabric only). Bio-based feedstock availability can shift the window seasonally; we confirm a firm lead time at PO.
5. What is included in the price
- Bio-based nylon (PA6.10) yarn from qualified castor-oil-derived sebacic acid feedstock.
- Bio-based stretch chemistry to the extent commercially finalized (see the 99.5 percent plant-derived note on the performance fabric guide).
- Knitting, dyeing, and finishing through the four Fuzhou factories with OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Class II, GRS v4.0, ZDHC, SAC, PVH-accredited lab, and Bureau Veritas verification.
- PFAS-free production line.
- Standard OEKO-TEX-compliant color library.
- Batch-level in-house lab QC.
6. What is not included
- Freight to your CMT. Quoted at PO, FOB Fuzhou or landed to your Pennsylvania address via the Ohzehn LLC operating entity.
- Custom color development beyond the standard library (one-time lab-dip fee).
- Custom finishing outside the standard library (peach-touch, bio-based water-repellent, UV, antimicrobial).
- Ingredient-brand hangtag licensing (separate program terms; nominal per-garment license fee).
- Cut and sew. OHZEHN-TEX is the fabric; garment manufacturing pairs with our manufacturing service or the CMT of your choice.
7. How this compares to the competitive set
- Recycled polyester (rPET) at equivalent construction: typically $4 to $7 per yard. Substantially cheaper. Not plastic-free. Sheds microplastic. See the performance fabric guide for why recycled polyester does not clear the plastic-free bar.
- Fulgar EVO (PA6.10, Italy): comparable chemistry. Euro-priced, typically higher landed cost to US brands due to freight and FX. Distribution weighted toward hosiery and European legwear channels.
- Kintra (bio-polyester, PBS): pricing not publicly published. Different chemistry family. Better fit for drape-driven pieces. See the OHZEHN-TEX vs Kintra comparison.
- Solvay Amni Soul Eco (biodegradable PA6.6, Brazil): pricing quoted case by case. Not bio-based. Weak US warehouse presence.
8. Ingredient-brand hangtag program
Brands specing OHZEHN-TEX™ into finished garments can license the hangtag and mark. The program is modeled on the Gore-Tex playbook: the fabric is the ingredient, the finished apparel brand keeps its own identity, and the OHZEHN-TEX badge on the hangtag signals the plant-derived chemistry to the end consumer. License terms are a nominal per-garment fee, disclosed at contract. See the OHZEHN-TEX™ homepage for the platform overview.
9. Frequently asked questions
How much does bio-based nylon fabric cost?
OHZEHN-TEX bio-based nylon fabric starts at $15.50 per yard at 220 GSM baseline construction. Pricing scales with GSM from roughly $12.80 at 150 GSM up to roughly $19.20 at 320 GSM, subject to color, dye complexity, and finish. Pricing is published; a spec sheet and full chart are available on request.
What is the MOQ for OHZEHN-TEX bio-based nylon?
Minimum order quantity is 5,000 yards per color per construction. A brand running two colors in one construction commits to 10,000 yards. Below the 5,000-yard floor we can generally arrange sample panels and small development runs, but a first production PO starts at 5,000.
What is the lead time on bio-based nylon fabric?
Approximately 60 days from confirmed spec to shipped fabric. Bio-based feedstock availability can shift the window seasonally, so we confirm a firm lead time at PO. Sampling turnaround for swatch and one-yard panels is typically 2 to 3 weeks.
Can I order a sample yard before committing to MOQ?
Yes. Swatch cards and one-yard sample panels are available before any production commit. Swatches ship at no charge; one-yard panels for constructions outside the standard library are quoted case by case. Request through the form or by email.
Is freight included in the price?
No. Chart pricing is fabric only. Freight is quoted at PO, either FOB Fuzhou or landed to a Pennsylvania address via the Ohzehn LLC US operating entity. For US brands, the landed-cost delta over FOB is typically small.
Why is bio-based nylon more expensive than recycled polyester?
Three inputs. Castor-oil-derived sebacic acid costs more per pound than petroleum-derived terephthalic acid. Bio-based spinning runs at smaller scale than commodity polyester spinning. And the certification and testing pipeline (OEKO-TEX, GRS, Bureau Veritas, in-house lab, Miami third-party) carries a per-yard cost. The delta funds the plastic-free chemistry, not margin.
Do you sell yarn or only finished fabric?
Finished fabric is the standard product. Yarn-only sales are handled case by case for brands with their own knitting partner. Contact Dougie directly for a yarn-only quote.