Apparel Freight Forwarder for US Retail Brands

Apparel & Retail

Apparel multiplies fast: styles by colors by sizes, across more factories and countries than ever. We turn many small POs into full containers and keep every one of them in view until the drop date.

Brands now source from more countries than ever, and in 2025 Vietnam overtook China as the largest US apparel supplier. More factories means more POs to consolidate and track, against in-store and online dates where late goods get marked down.

Apparel and cotton are priority sectors for forced-labor enforcement, so importers need fiber-to-garment records ready before goods ship. We collect supplier documents at the PO stage, alongside the labels, tickets and carton specs your retailers require.

Why it’s hard

What makes it hard to move.

[01]

Huge SKU counts, fixed drops

Styles times colors times sizes, delivered against fixed in-store and online dates. Late goods get marked down.
[02]

Sourcing that keeps moving

A record share of brands source from more than ten countries, so there are more factories and POs to manage than ever.
[03]

Forced-labor scrutiny

Goods with Xinjiang cotton are presumed barred, and detentions can hold goods for months. Traceability has to start at the fiber.
[04]

Retail compliance

Routing guides, ticketing, carton labels and floor-ready requirements, with chargebacks for every error.

The year at a glance

Two drop dates make the year.

Back-to-school and holiday set the calendar. August to November has traditionally carried more than a third of annual US apparel imports, so space tightens just when you need it.

Jan: Steady
Feb: Steady
Mar: Book space
Apr: Book space
May: On the water
Jun: On the water
Jul: In store / peak
Aug: In store / peak
Sep: On the water
Oct: On the water
Nov: In store / peak
Dec: In store / peak

Jan–Feb: Lunar New Year disrupts spring production, so build it into spring and summer set dates.
May–Aug: Back-to-school goods sail in early summer to land in July and August.
Sep–Nov: Holiday goods land by October and November, when peak surcharges and space are at their tightest.

At the border

The rules that apply.

Apparel faces labeling, safety and forced-labor checks at the US border, and a missing document can hold goods for months. Confirm your obligations with your customs broker or counsel; we organize the paperwork at the source.

[01] FTC

Fiber, origin and care labels

Garments need labels showing fiber content, country of origin and the manufacturer or dealer identity, plus permanent care instructions. Wool and fur have their own labeling acts.
[02] UFLPA

Forced-labor presumption

Goods with any Xinjiang content are presumed made with forced labor and can be detained. Overturning that takes clear and convincing evidence from fiber to garment.
[03] CPSC

Children’s apparel

Children’s clothing needs third-party testing, tracking labels and a Children’s Product Certificate, filed electronically in ACE since July 2026.
[04] CPSC

Flammability

Clothing textiles are subject to the CPSC general flammability standard, with stricter rules for children’s sleepwear.
[05] Lacey Act

Footwear and handbags

APHIS names footwear and handbags as Lacey Act examples where plant-based materials are used, so they need a declaration.
[06] CBP

Textile origin

Origin for textiles follows specific rules on where the fabric was formed or the garment assembled, which matters for transshipment risk.

How OWL helps

Built around how you ship.

Origins

Origins we ship from.

Our own teams across Asia, close to the factories. What we move from each origin depends on the category, so talk to us about what you buy and where, and we’ll show you how we’d ship it.

Aerial view of the Yantian container port in Shenzhen beneath the mountains, China

Origin

Shipping from China

Nine offices across every major port and manufacturing cluster, from Tianjin to Shenzhen.

Container barges on the Saigon River beside the port wharves of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Origin

Shipping from Vietnam

Our own teams in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, for the fastest-growing origin for US importers.

The Chao Phraya River through Bangkok at blue hour, Thailand

Origin

Shipping from Thailand

Laem Chabang, Bangkok and the manufacturing corridor of the Eastern Seaboard.

A barge and a fishing boat on the river at Phnom Penh at dusk, Cambodia

Origin

Shipping from Cambodia

Apparel, footwear and travel goods, shipped through Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh.

Sunset over the Mekong River at Vientiane, Laos

Origin

Shipping from Laos

Landlocked, not locked out: rail, road and river routes to the sea from Vientiane.

The Port of Colombo container terminals and city skyline at golden hour, Sri Lanka

Origin

Shipping from Sri Lanka

Apparel, rubber and tea, with Colombo as one of South Asia’s great transshipment hubs.

Talk to us about your origins

FAQ

Apparel logistics, answered.

Ask us anything

[01]What labels does imported clothing need in the US?

Under FTC rules, garments need labels showing fiber content by percentage, country of origin and the manufacturer or dealer identity (company name or RN number), plus permanent care instructions. Wool and fur products have their own labeling acts.

[02]How does UFLPA affect apparel imports?

Apparel and cotton are UFLPA high-priority sectors, and goods with any Xinjiang content are presumed made with forced labor and can be detained. Importers need traceability documents from fiber through yarn, fabric and garment to prove otherwise, and should collect them before goods ship.

[03]Does children’s clothing need a CPSC certificate?

Yes. Children’s apparel is a children’s product, so it needs third-party testing for applicable requirements, such as lead in paint and trims, plus tracking labels and a Children’s Product Certificate. Since July 2026, that certificate data must be filed electronically in ACE at entry.

[04]When should I ship back-to-school and holiday apparel?

Back-to-school goods typically need to land in July and August, and holiday goods by October and November. August to November has historically carried more than a third of annual US apparel imports, so space and peak surcharges tighten then.

[05]Which countries supply the most apparel to the US?

In 2025 Vietnam overtook China as the largest US apparel supplier, with China in second place. Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Cambodia are also major sources, and Cambodia is growing fastest.

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