A buying house is a sourcing company based in Bangladesh that manages clothing production for overseas buyers. It does not usually own sewing lines. Instead it runs merchandising, sampling, quality control and logistics, and places each order with a suitable factory.

What a buying house does

  • Turns your design or tech pack into costed samples
  • Sources fabric, trims and packaging
  • Chooses factories with the right product skills and compliance record
  • Negotiates price and delivery dates with the factory
  • Checks quality before, during and after production
  • Prepares export documents and books freight

Buying house or factory direct?

Going direct can save the buying house margin when you order large volumes of one product type and have your own team in Bangladesh. A buying house usually makes more sense when you order several categories, need smaller quantities, or have no one on the ground to manage sampling and inspections.

How buying houses charge

Most buying houses either build their margin into a full-package FOB price per piece, or charge a commission on the factory price. Ask which model is used, and whether sampling, inspection and courier costs are included.

How to choose one

  • Own teams. Ask how many merchandisers and quality inspectors they employ directly.
  • Factory transparency. A good buying house tells you which factory makes your order and shares its audits.
  • Product fit. Ask for examples of similar products they have shipped recently.
  • Registration. Check trade licence and membership of the Bangladesh Garment Buying House Association (BGBA).
  • References. Speak to a current client in your market.
  • Communication. Response time during quoting is a good predictor of response time during production.

Questions to ask before you sign

  • Which factory will produce my order, and can I see its certificates?
  • Who inspects quality, and will I receive the inspection reports?
  • What happens if the delivery date is missed?
  • Are my designs protected, and will you sign an NDA?

See how we work, or request a quote to compare us with other options.