Hand-knit pricing structure and timelines.
How KOCO pricing is structured and how lead times are set, from yarn and artisan hours to pattern writing and sampling.
KOCO pricing is structured from five inputs: yarn, artisan hours, pattern writing, sampling and hand-finishing. Lead times are set by artisan hours per garment and the number of trained artisans assigned, not by machine scheduling, so a larger run extends the timeline rather than the unit cost.
Hand-knit pricing structure and timelines
Pricing and timelines are two sides of the same method. The price is what the inputs cost; the timeline is how long those inputs take across the run. Both are set by the garment, not by a factory slot.
The price build is transparent. Yarn is specified to the brief. Artisan hours are counted from the stitch total and pattern complexity. Pattern writing is a fixed upfront cost, with a separate written pattern of fifty pages or more per size. Sampling covers the prototype for sign-off. Finishing covers hand-joining, hand-blocking and hand-washing, all without electricity.
The timeline has three phases: scoping and pattern writing, sampling and sign-off, and bulk knitting and finishing. The bulk phase scales with the run because every garment is knitted by hand by one artisan. We quote a specific lead time at scoping once the tech pack is in, and we hold to it.
The pricing structure and the timeline it produces.
| Input | How it is priced | How it affects the timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Yarn | Costed to the fibre and weight specified | Sourcing and any custom spin or dye add time |
| Artisan hours | Counted from stitch total and complexity | The main driver of bulk lead time |
| Pattern writing | Fixed upfront, per size | Front-loaded before knitting begins |
| Sampling | Costed per sample round | Each round adds to the pre-bulk timeline |
| Finishing | Costed per garment, done by hand | Adds a fixed phase after knitting |
Quote your collection calendar against the method.
If your production calendar assumes a machine slot, it will not fit hand-knit. The timeline is set by artisan hours, so a larger run takes longer, not less. The advantage is certainty: once we quote a lead time at scoping, it is built from the garment, not from a queue.
Send the tech pack and the date you need delivery. We will scope the price build and the lead time together, and tell you whether the calendar works before you commit.
What sourcing directors ask us.
From artisan hours per garment and the number of trained artisans we can assign to the run. It has three phases: scoping and pattern writing, sampling and sign-off, and bulk knitting and finishing. We quote a specific date at scoping once we have the tech pack.
Often, yes, if we are brought in early enough. The constraint is artisan hours, so the question is whether the run fits the calendar. We will tell you at scoping whether your date is achievable, rather than promise a machine-style slot we cannot hold.
Changes to stitch count, gauge, yarn or construction, because those move artisan hours. Changes to run size do not move the unit cost in the machine-knit sense. We re-quote if the design changes after scoping.
Send us your tech pack.
We will come back with feasibility, indicative costing and lead times for your hand-knit project.