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September 4, 2026

Hijab Wholesale Pricing Strategy: How to Price Your Collection for Profit and Growth

Key Takeaways· Written for Hijab brand founders setting prices for their collection for the first time
  • A sustainable wholesale pricing structure requires a minimum 2.5× keystone markup from FOB cost to wholesale price, and 5–6× from FOB cost to recommended retail price.
  • Modal hijabs typically carry a 20–35% retail price premium over comparable jersey styles — the 'modal' label carries genuine perceived value in the premium market.
  • For DTC brands, landed cost (FOB + shipping + import duty) is the base for margin calculation — not FOB cost alone.
  • Pricing below cost or below minimum viable margin is more common in the hijab market than most founders realise — model your full cost structure before setting prices.
  • QIUYAN's FOB Yiwu prices range from $4.50–9.50 per unit depending on fabric type and specification — contact us for a specific quotation based on your product brief.

Building a cost model before setting prices

Pricing without a cost model is one of the most common and damaging mistakes in the hijab brand market. Brands that underprice in the early stages struggle to maintain quality suppliers and can't invest in growth — brands that overprice relative to their quality and positioning struggle with conversion.

Understanding your cost structure

FOB (Free On Board) cost: The price you pay the manufacturer at the port of origin (Yiwu, China). This is the headline price in the factory quotation.

Landed cost: FOB + international freight + import duty + customs clearance fee + inland delivery to warehouse. This is your actual cost of goods.

Example for a modal hijab, UK brand: - FOB price (Yiwu): $7.00 - International air freight: $2.50 (per unit at 200-unit shipment weight) - UK import duty: 12% of CIF value ≈ $0.84 - UK customs clearance: $0.30 - Total landed cost: approximately $10.64 (≈ £8.50)

Wholesale pricing (if selling to retailers): - Minimum viable wholesale: landed cost × 2.5 = £21.25 - Recommended wholesale: landed cost × 3.0 = £25.50

Retail pricing: - Retailer keystone markup (× 2.0): £42.50–51.00 - Typical premium UK boutique retail price for modal hijab: £40–55 ✓

The maths work. If the retail price needs to be lower, either the FOB cost must come down or the margin structure is not viable.

Jersey vs modal pricing benchmarks

Based on current UK and EU market data:

ProductLanded cost (UK)WholesaleRetail
Cotton jersey hijab£5–7£14–18£22–32
Bamboo jersey hijab£6–8£16–20£25–38
Liquid jersey hijab£6–8£16–20£22–35
Modal hijab (solid)£8–11£22–28£35–55
Modal embellished hijab£10–14£28–38£45–70

DTC pricing: margins and investment capacity

DTC brands selling direct to consumer at full retail price have higher potential margins but also higher marketing costs. A viable DTC margin structure:

  • Landed cost: £8.50 (modal hijab example above)
  • Retail price: £45
  • Gross margin: £45 − £8.50 = £36.50 (81% gross margin)
  • Less marketing cost: £12 (customer acquisition cost for a premium fashion brand)
  • Less platform/payment fees: £1.80 (4% of revenue)
  • Less fulfilment: £3.50
  • Contribution margin: £36.50 − £17.30 = £19.20 (43%)

A 43% contribution margin is viable for a DTC brand. Anything below 30% makes it very difficult to invest in growth while remaining profitable.

Frequently Asked Questions

+What is a keystone markup?
Keystone markup is a standard retail pricing rule: the retail price is double the wholesale cost. A product with a £20 wholesale price has a £40 keystone retail price. Keystoning is the minimum markup most retailers require — many premium retailers apply 2.2–2.5× wholesale to retail.
+How do I calculate import duty for hijabs imported to the UK?
Hijabs imported to the UK from China fall under HS code 6117.10 (for scarves/headwear accessories). The standard UK Global Tariff rate is 12% of the CIF (cost + insurance + freight) value. Use the UK government's trade tariff tool (trade-tariff.service.gov.uk) for the current rate.

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