Export & Trade Economy of Garment Manufacturing
How an export order is won, shipped and paid for — and what trade rules cost.
A practical route through the trade side of garment making: reading buyer demand and market signals, quoting and confirming an export order, planning lead time and capacity, carrying the cost of compliance and testing, handling duties, rules of origin and trade preferences, and shipping with documents that get the factory paid. Built from the chapters and value chain stages already on this site, ordered so each module builds on the last.
What does “export & trade economy” mean here?
This is not an economics course about markets or national economies. It follows one export order out of the factory and across the border:
- The order is won or lost at enquiry. Buyer demand, capability and price expectation decide which orders are worth taking.
- Lead time is a promise with a price. Capacity in minutes decides whether a delivery date can be met.
- Trade rules move the money. Duty, rules of origin and preference schemes change what the buyer really pays.
- Documents decide payment. A correct shipment with wrong papers still does not get paid on time.
The Cost Economy course on this site follows the money inside the factory. This one follows the order out of the country.
- 6 modules · 14 chapters · 15 stages
- About 12–16 hours of reading and quizzes at your own pace
What you will be able to do
- Read market and buyer signals that decide which orders a factory should chase
- Quote and confirm an export order with lead time, terms and risks written down
- Plan capacity and lead time so a delivery date can actually be met
- Account for testing, audit and compliance cost as part of the export price
- Explain duties, rules of origin and trade preferences in plain terms
- Assemble the shipping documents that decide when and whether a factory is paid
Who it is for
- Merchandisers and export staff handling buyer orders and shipping documents
- Factory managers planning lead time, capacity and delivery commitments
- Sourcing and compliance staff working with duties, origin and buyer requirements
The six modules
1. Export markets and buyer demand
Read market signals and buyer behaviour to judge which export orders are worth chasing.
3 chapters · 3 stages · 5-question quiz
2. Quoting and confirming an export order
Take an enquiry through sampling and quotation to a confirmed order with terms you can meet.
3 chapters · 3 stages · 5-question quiz
3. Lead time, capacity and delivery
Plan capacity and lead time from order confirmation to finishing, and see what a slipped date costs.
3 chapters · 3 stages · 5-question quiz
4. The compliance cost of exporting
Price testing, inspection and audit requirements as part of the export order, not as an afterthought.
3 chapters · 3 stages · 5-question quiz
5. Duties, rules of origin and trade preferences
Explain how duty, origin rules and preference schemes change the landed cost of an order.
3 chapters · 3 stages · 5-question quiz
6. Shipment, documents and getting paid
Assemble the shipping and payment documents, and see where a factory loses money after the goods leave.
3 chapters · 3 stages · 5-question quiz
How this course works
- Each module points to chapters and value chain stages already published here — nothing is hidden behind a paywall.
- Module quizzes are graded in your browser, including the duty and financing calculations. Best scores are kept on your device, and on your account when you sign in.
- Marking chapters and stages complete as you go counts towards the site certificates.
- This is self-study material written and reviewed by Sanjeewa Dehiwalage. It is not an accredited qualification, and duty rates, preference schemes and figures used are worked examples, not legal or customs advice.