How the calculator works
How the calculator works

From a 60-second brief to a factory-ready plan

No sign-up to see your FOB range. Drop your email only if you want the full breakdown and matched factories.

01

Tell us the brief

Product, fabric, MOQ, complexity, certifications. Takes 60 seconds.

02

Get a realistic FOB range

Built from 600+ real quotes our network has issued in 2024 to 2025.

03

Receive the full PDF

Itemized breakdown + 5 factory matches in your inbox within minutes.

04

Decide your next move

DIY with the directory, or have us source and intro 3 factories for you.

Anatomy of an FOB price
Anatomy of an FOB price

Where every euro of your unit cost actually goes

Most founders blow margin because they don't know what's negotiable. This is the breakdown a Portuguese factory uses internally. Now you have it too.

Cost line % of FOB
Fabric & trims
Driven by composition, GSM, certifications
38 to 48%
Cut, make & trim (CMT)
Construction complexity & finishing
28 to 35%
Print / embroidery / wash
Optional, varies by technique
0 to 12%
Pattern, grading & sampling
Amortized over your run
4 to 8%
Factory margin & overhead
Standard for EU production
10 to 15%
Logistics & duties (FOB → DDP)
Add to FOB for landed cost
+5 to 9%
Six tools your accountant will thank you for
Inside the free PDF

Six tools your accountant will thank you for

Drop your email after the estimate and we'll send the full document. Used by 1,200+ founders to plan their first production run.

Itemized cost sheet

Material, CMT, trims, sampling, packaging. Broken down line by line.

5 matched factories

Vetted Portuguese makers that fit your category, MOQ and certifications.

Fabric sourcing notes

Where to source the recommended fabric in Portugal & Spain at your volume.

FOB → DDP calculator

Add freight, duties and last-mile to get your true landed cost per unit.

Margin planner

Wholesale & retail price targets to hit 60%+ gross margin.

Tech pack checklist

What you need before you email a factory so you don't get ghosted.

Built from 600+ real quotes
Our methodology

Built from 600+ real quotes. Updated quarterly.

We don't guess. Every range you see comes from actual purchase orders our network has issued or quoted in the last 12 months across the Porto, Braga and Guimarães textile clusters.

  • Anonymized data from 80+ certified factories
  • Cross-checked against published EU labor cost indices
  • Quarterly refresh. Last update April 2026
  • Independent: we take zero commission from factories
A €0 calculator vs. a €5,000 consultant
Why use this instead of...

A €0 calculator vs. a €5,000 consultant

  PCF calculator Sourcing consultant
Time to first realistic price
60 seconds
2 to 4 weeks of emails
Cost
Free
€2k to 5k consultant
Based on
600+ EU factory quotes
One person's rolodex
Includes factory matches
Yes, 5 makers
Maybe, eventually
Bias
We don't take factory commissions
Often paid by factories
The full founder toolkit
More free tools

The full founder toolkit, ships in 2026

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MOQ planner

How many units do you actually need to break even?

Soon

Sample cost estimator

What sampling will cost you before tooling.

Soon

Portugal vs. Asia comparator

Side-by-side landed cost at your volume.

Soon

Tech pack readiness check

Score your tech pack before sending it out.

Calculator FAQ
Calculator FAQ

Questions founders ask before they trust the number

How accurate is this calculator?
Within roughly ±8% of the final FOB quote you'll receive from a Portuguese factory, assuming your tech pack is complete. The ranges are built from 600+ real quotes issued by our network in 2024 to 2025 across t-shirts, knitwear, woven shirts, dresses and outerwear.
What's FOB and why does it matter?
FOB (Free On Board) is the price per unit at the factory door, before shipping, duties and last-mile. It's the number every brand should benchmark on. We also show you suggested wholesale and retail so you can sanity-check margin in one glance.
Do I need a tech pack to get a real quote?
Yes. The calculator gives you a directional range so you can plan. To get a binding factory quote you'll need a tech pack with measurements, BOM, stitch types, labels and packaging. Our €290 tech pack service produces factory-ready files in 5 days.
What if my MOQ is below 100 units?
Our network floor is 100 units per style. Below that, you're typically looking at small-batch ateliers or print-on-demand, which is a different economic model with different margins. Mention it in the contact form and we'll point you to the right option.
Can I trust the factory matches in the PDF?
Every factory in the directory has been visited, audited or worked with directly by our team in the last 24 months. We refuse listings from anyone who can't show a recent social audit (SMETA, BSCI, SA8000) or equivalent.
Is my email safe?
Yes. Single-opt-in, GDPR compliant, and you can unsubscribe with one click. We never sell or share your data with factories or third parties.
Skip the guesswork. Get a real number.
Production calculator

Skip the guesswork.
Get a real number.

Tell us your fabric, units, and finishing. We'll send back a realistic Portuguese production quote within one working day. No fluff, no bait pricing.

Run the calculator Talk to a human
MOQ from 100 units Quote in 24h Made in Portugal
Tangible deliverables, not vibes
What you actually get

Tangible deliverables, not vibes

Factory-ready tech pack

9-page PDF + editable Figma file. Flat sketches, BOM, construction notes.

Sourcing brief & shortlist

3 vetted factory matches with confirmed MOQs and price expectations.

Sample tracking sheet

Round-by-round sample feedback in a shared doc you can show your factory.

Our promise
Our promise

If we can't help you, we'll tell you on the call.

About 1 in 5 founders we speak to are better off using our free tools than paying us. We tell them. It's how we sleep at night and how we keep a 4.9/5 rating.

Replacement

Factories don't fit? We re-source once free.

Quote review

We catch overcharges before you sign.

No kickbacks

Factories never pay us. Ever.

Field notes from Portuguese factories
Industry insights

Field notes from Portuguese factories.

Real prices, real scripts, real production stories. No SEO mush. New essays every two weeks.

Subscribe to the journal
Our story
Our story

We started PCF after getting ghosted by 22 factories.

Now we help fashion founders skip the part where they cry into a spreadsheet.

From a tiny knitwear brand to 600+ founders helped
2019 Today

From a tiny knitwear brand to 600+ founders helped

In 2019 we tried to launch a 200-piece knitwear line. It took 8 months to find a factory that would even reply. We spent €4,200 on samples that never shipped. We almost quit.

When we finally cracked it, founders started DM-ing us asking how. We turned that knowledge into a directory, a calculator, and a sourcing service. Seven years later, we've helped 600+ brands launch in Portugal, without the cold-email graveyard.

600+
Founders
80+
Vetted factories
€2.4M
Production sourced
Three rules we never break
What we stand for

Three rules we never break

No factory kickbacks

We charge flat fees. Factories never pay us. That's the only way our recommendations stay honest.

Founder-first answers

If your idea is a bad business, we'll tell you. We'd rather lose a client than ship them into a wall.

Small batches matter

We refuse to work with factories that disrespect MOQs under 200. Indie brands built this industry.

Seven years, one mission
Milestones

Seven years, one mission

2019
Started as a knitwear brand

Got ghosted by 22 factories. Took notes.

2020
First directory shared on Reddit

12 factories, free PDF. 4,000 downloads in a week.

2021
Launched Cost Calculator v1

Founders wanted to know prices before reaching out.

2023
Sourcing service launched

First done-with-you offer. Sold out in 6 weeks.

2025
80+ vetted factories, 600 founders helped

And we're just getting started.

2026
Premium Directory & Journal go live

Paid directory with full contact data, plus bi-weekly field notes from Portuguese factories.

Inside the workshops we work with
Behind the scenes

Inside the workshops we work with

The most useful 39 euros
"The most useful 39 euros a small fashion brand can spend in 2026."
Business of Fashion · Indie Brand Report 2024
Want to talk to us directly?

Want to talk to us directly?

Book a free 15-minute call. No pitch, no upsell.

Get in touch
Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers from people who've sourced 100+ orders in Portugal.

Yes. Born and based in Portugal, currently in Porto. Speaking the language gets us honest pricing, faster sample turnarounds, and access to workshops that don't reply to cold emails in English.

No. We're paid by you. Factories pay us nothing, which is why our recommendations are honest and our quotes match what you'd get if you walked in yourself. Anyone charging you nothing is being paid by someone else.

Small and intentional. Three of us in Portugal: a sourcing lead, a production manager who's been on factory floors for 12 years, and a quality control partner who handles in-person visits. We cap how many brands we onboard each quarter so the work stays personal.

Yes. Once you've committed to an order of 100 units or more, we set up in-person visits across Porto, Guimarães, and Braga. We translate, drive, and stay with you the whole day. Most brands hit two or three workshops in a single trip and walk out with samples in hand.

Talk to a real person in Portugal
Real humans, fast replies

Talk to a real person in Portugal.

Reply within 1 business day. No bots, no sales pipelines, no nonsense.

Send us a message

Send us a message

We answer every email personally. Usually within hours.

By submitting, you agree to our (very short) privacy policy. We won't spam you.

Email
hello@portugalclothingfactory.com
Best for everything
Book a free call
15-min discovery call
For sourcing & consulting
WhatsApp
+351 9XX XXX XXX
For existing clients
Office
Rua de Cedofeita, Porto, Portugal
By appointment only
Hours
Mon to Fri · 9:00 to 18:00 WET
We reply within 1 business day
Reply stats
< 24h
Average reply time
100%
Emails answered personally
Free
First 15-min call
Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers from people who've sourced 100+ orders in Portugal.

Yes, every time. Average reply is under 24 hours, usually within a few. Every email gets a personal response from someone who actually understands sourcing in Portugal. No auto-responders, no junior reps copying templates.

To figure out whether Portugal is the right fit for what you're making and whether we're the right people to help. We'll ask about your styles, target MOQ, timeline, and budget. If we can help, we'll explain how. If we can't, we'll point you somewhere that can.

No pitch, no follow-up sales sequences. The call is genuinely useful even if you never work with us.

Yes, by appointment. We're based in Rua de Cedofeita in central Porto. If you're in town, email us a few days ahead and we'll set aside an hour to walk through your project, look at fabric swatches, and plan factory visits if you want to see workshops in person.

Yes. About 60% of our clients are based outside Europe, mostly in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada. We handle the time zone gap by replying same-day in your morning and shipping samples DDP so you don't deal with customs. Minimum order is 100 units across all regions.

Brands building with us in Portugal
Testimonials

Brands building with us in Portugal

Founders who moved their production to Portugal and never looked back. 100-unit minimums, honest pricing, and factories that reply.

"We launched with 100 units per style across three pieces. Portugal Clothing Factory matched us with a workshop in Porto that nailed the quality on sample round one. Everything sold out in 8 weeks and we placed a reorder for 500 units before Christmas."
Isabelle Laurent
Isabelle Laurent
Founder, Maison Isabelle · Paris
"I'd been quoted 48 euros per piece for our merino tee by a sourcing consultant. Through this service we got the same quality for 31 euros direct from the factory. The directory paid for itself on our first sample."
Marcus Chen
Marcus Chen
Co-founder, Hayden & Co · New York
"Our tech pack was a mess. They rebuilt the spec sheet for our linen dress, caught three grading errors before sampling, and the factory hit our measurements on the first round. Saved us at least 4 weeks."
Sofia Moretti
Sofia Moretti
Creative Director, Velo Studio · Milan
"We launched with 100 units per style across three pieces. Portugal Clothing Factory matched us with a workshop in Porto that nailed the quality on sample round one. Everything sold out in 8 weeks and we placed a reorder for 500 units before Christmas."
Isabelle Laurent
Isabelle Laurent
Founder, Maison Isabelle · Paris
"I'd been quoted 48 euros per piece for our merino tee by a sourcing consultant. Through this service we got the same quality for 31 euros direct from the factory. The directory paid for itself on our first sample."
Marcus Chen
Marcus Chen
Co-founder, Hayden & Co · New York
"Our tech pack was a mess. They rebuilt the spec sheet for our linen dress, caught three grading errors before sampling, and the factory hit our measurements on the first round. Saved us at least 4 weeks."
Sofia Moretti
Sofia Moretti
Creative Director, Velo Studio · Milan
"We'd worked with a factory in Asia for 3 years and switched to Portugal for the quality jump. Lead times went from 16 weeks to 7, returns dropped by half, and our stockists started reordering within a month."
James Whitfield
James Whitfield
Founder, Whitfield Knits · London
"I was nervous about the 100-unit minimum because my drops are tiny. They found us a small workshop in Braga that genuinely loves short runs. Our capsule collection landed with every piece accounted for."
Emma Andersen
Emma Andersen
Designer, Nord Atelier · Copenhagen
"DDP shipping is the thing nobody tells you about. Previous orders cost us 2 days of customs paperwork every time. Now the box shows up at our warehouse ready to stock. That alone is worth the fee."
Oliver Hayes
Oliver Hayes
Head of Production, Coastline · Brighton
"We'd worked with a factory in Asia for 3 years and switched to Portugal for the quality jump. Lead times went from 16 weeks to 7, returns dropped by half, and our stockists started reordering within a month."
James Whitfield
James Whitfield
Founder, Whitfield Knits · London
"I was nervous about the 100-unit minimum because my drops are tiny. They found us a small workshop in Braga that genuinely loves short runs. Our capsule collection landed with every piece accounted for."
Emma Andersen
Emma Andersen
Designer, Nord Atelier · Copenhagen
"DDP shipping is the thing nobody tells you about. Previous orders cost us 2 days of customs paperwork every time. Now the box shows up at our warehouse ready to stock. That alone is worth the fee."
Oliver Hayes
Oliver Hayes
Head of Production, Coastline · Brighton
"They flew out with us to Guimarães, drove us between three workshops, translated the meetings, and stayed through sampling. It cost us a plane ticket and nothing else. Best money we've spent on our supply chain."
Charlotte Dubois
Charlotte Dubois
Founder, Lune · Paris
"The directory is the closest thing to actually living in Portugal. We've sourced three separate categories through it. Each time the factory has been professional, the pricing honest, and the quality above our retail price point."
Thomas Becker
Thomas Becker
Co-founder, Werkstatt · Berlin
"Our first production run was 200 units of a jersey dress. The factory handled pattern grading, fabric sourcing, and finishing without us managing anything. We placed a reorder of 800 units before the first batch sold through."
Amelia Thornton
Amelia Thornton
CEO, Thornton Studio · Los Angeles
"They flew out with us to Guimarães, drove us between three workshops, translated the meetings, and stayed through sampling. It cost us a plane ticket and nothing else. Best money we've spent on our supply chain."
Charlotte Dubois
Charlotte Dubois
Founder, Lune · Paris
"The directory is the closest thing to actually living in Portugal. We've sourced three separate categories through it. Each time the factory has been professional, the pricing honest, and the quality above our retail price point."
Thomas Becker
Thomas Becker
Co-founder, Werkstatt · Berlin
"Our first production run was 200 units of a jersey dress. The factory handled pattern grading, fabric sourcing, and finishing without us managing anything. We placed a reorder of 800 units before the first batch sold through."
Amelia Thornton
Amelia Thornton
CEO, Thornton Studio · Los Angeles
Inside the workshops | Portuguese Production
Portuguese Production

Inside the workshops

Scroll to rotate through ateliers, sample rooms, and factory floors across Porto, Guimarães, and Braga.

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