$13-$20
Return complexity
With apparel return rates at 20-40%, the cost is not just processing. You also lose margin when there is no photo proof, no grading standard, and no rework capability.
The fix:
ShipMonk Apparel Engine
Outsource logistics. Not control.
The ShipMonk Apparel Engine is purpose-built fulfillment technology with the features, visibility, and control apparel brands need to scale.
15+RMAs processed per labor hour
406ksq ft dedicated apparel facility
100%of non-new returns photographed
The real cost of the wrong 3PL
Most 3PLs weren’t built for apparel fulfillment. They were built for boxes. The result is a list of problems your ops team knows by heart and a 3PL that treats them as unavoidable.
$1000s
B2B complexity
Every retailer has its own routing guide. A missed ASN or non-compliant label can trigger a chargeback. Without loadout images and documented proof, you may pay penalties for issues you cannot disprove.
The fix:
10k+ SKUs
SKU complexity
20 designs × 5 sizes × 3 colors = 300 SKUs per collection. Many apparel merchants operate with 10k–15k active SKUs. At that scale, inventory accuracy and pick accuracy drive profitability.
The fix:
Overcharges
Billing complexity
Poly packaging can create a carrier billing blind spot that many 3PLs do not flag or correct. Overcharges can accumulate quietly until someone audits the bills.
The fix:
Your 3PL should be built for apparel. Ours is.
Get My Custom StrategyBuilt for apparel fulfillment
Apparel brands asked for these features. No other 3PL built them all. Welcome to the ShipMonk Apparel Engine.
Returns
Quality Guard
Every returned item is photographed automatically at receiving and after rework, so you have condition proof when it arrives and when it returns to inventory.
Explore Quality Guard → ReturnsReturns Management & Rework
On-site steaming, retagging, and rebagging lets returned inventory recover value without leaving your fulfillment center.
Explore Returns Rework → B2B / WholesaleLoad Management
Group multiple POs into one load, track status, attach documentation, and compare planned vs. actual dates in one place.
Explore Load Management → B2B / WholesaleFreight Loadout Images
Timestamped photos of every load on the order page help you respond to chargebacks quickly.
Explore Freight Loadout Images → InventoryInventory Audit Visibility
Watch your physical inventory count in real time, stage by stage and SKU by SKU, without calling your account team.
Explore Inventory Audit → B2B / WholesalePerfect Order Program
If a fulfillment error is on us, we cover it financially with automatic protection for managed merchants.
Explore Perfect Order Program → BillingCarrier Overcharge Protection
Automated carrier bill audits flag and recover overcharges, especially on high-volume poly mailer shipments.
Explore Overcharge Protection → VASIn-House Embroidery
Custom embroidery in-house at TX and KY facilities with no outside vendor and no added lead time.
Explore Embroidery → B2B / WholesalePortal Management
We manage your retailer portals, including routing, labeling, setup, and uploads for $8/order, so you stay informed without doing the work.
Explore Portal Management →Every feature on this page was built for one industry
See It In ActionKY2 — Apparel Fulfillment Center
One facility. Only apparel.
Most 3PLs run apparel fulfillment through the same facilities as everything else. We built a 406k sq ft facility in Kentucky for only apparel.
406ksq ft
60dock doors
300k+storage locations
CentralUS location
Outsource logistics. Not control.
Total operational control from warehouse floor to customer door
Talk to Our Apparel TeamDifferent problems. One solution.
Most 3PLs treat garments like any other SKU. They aren’t. Returns grading, rework, size curves, SKU proliferation are the job. And your 3PL should be built for all of it.
VP / Director of Operations
“Fees shouldn’t be a surprise at the end of the month.”
Quality Guard photo-documents every return, Inventory Audit Visibility shows real-time counts, and KY2 apparel workflows give you control without constant oversight.
Founder / CEO
“Operations is eating my time. Every 3PL failure shows up in our NPS.”
A partnership backed by KY2, our 406k sq ft facility built for apparel rather than a general warehouse adapted for it.
CFO / Finance
“I keep finding hidden fees. Fulfillment mistakes cost us more than just the fix.”
Carrier Overcharge Protection audits every bill, Inventory Audit Visibility reduces shrink surprises, and billing protections catch hidden costs before they add up.
Director of CX
“We can’t win disputes because we have no proof. Returns come back inconsistently graded.”
Quality Guard photo-documents every return. Automatic Returns Arrival Status confirms when items enter the system, with standardized grading on every item.
Director of Ecommerce
“I’m spending half my week reconciling spreadsheets because our 3PL can’t give us usable data.”
Data Catalog exports BI-ready data daily, Insights surfaces trends automatically, and in-app Automation Rules reduce manual spreadsheet reconciliation.
Wholesale / B2B Lead
“Chargebacks are killing our Nordstrom relationship and I can’t prove it wasn’t our fault.”
Perfect Order Program covers fulfillment errors financially, Freight Loadout Images provide chargeback defense, and Portal Management handles retailer compliance for you.
Competitors have the basics. We have the proof.
| Capability | ShipMonk | ShipBob | Stord |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apparel-dedicated facility | KY2 — 406k sq ft | General facilities | General facilities |
| Photo proof on returned items | Quality Guard (auto) | Not available | Not available |
| In-house returns rework | Steam, retag, rebag, more | Limited | Not available |
| Freight loadout images | Timestamped, in-portal | Limited | Not available |
| Real-time inventory audit visibility | Stage-by-stage in portal | Limited | Limited |
| Retailer portal management | $8/order, dedicated team | EDI integration, manual portal | EDI integration, manual portals |
| Chargeback protection program | Perfect Order Program | Not available | Not available |
| In-house embroidery | TX & KY facilities | Not available | Not available |
Results apparel brands actually see
20%
Reduction in shipping costs in the first 2 weeks.
200%
Increase in orders per month
600%
Order spike handled without delays
4x
We stayed for the service and intuitive software. ShipMonk kept up with our 4x growth without missing a beat.
The resources apparel ops teams actually use
From cost calculators to facility tours, the tactical resources apparel ops teams need to make better decisions.
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The Pre-Peak 3PL Audit: 6 Signs Your Fulfillment Partner Will Cost You This Q4
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Wholesale Fulfillment Is a Different Game. Your 3PL Should Play It That Way.
D2C fulfillment is fast-paced. Wholesale runs on stricter timelines, routing rules, and compliance requirements that demand a different operating model ...
Chargebacks Aren’t Mistakes. They’re Missing Controls.
Retailer penalties usually trace back to documentation gaps your 3PL should already be closing ...
Ecommerce Returns Management for Apparel Brands: What Really Happens to a Returned Garment
A customer clicks return, the label prints, and the package ships. What happens after that is where margin is won or lost ...
ShipMonk Opens First Fulfillment Center Designed Specifically for Apparel Brands
The new Louisville facility reflects ShipMonk’s focus on apparel brands, with fulfillment workflows tailored to category-specific needs ...
What our customers are saying
As a large CPG that has been through several Fulfillment partners in the last few years, we can finally say that we found a home.
Jason Welsh
Their customer service teams are telepathic, telekinetic, and pyrokinetic. They know my issue before I tell them, are already solving them, and are fired up to help.
Noah Gould
We were OOS on inventory with a large number of backorders. ShipMonk tripled their daily throughput and resolved everything within 24 hours. Amazing!
Nikhil Byanna
We came for ShipMonk’s pricing but stayed for their great customer service. Since we started working with ShipMonk we have grown more than 4x.
Mike Abadi
Been with ShipMonk for several years. We have regular meetings and the service is excellent. Highly recommend to ecommerce brands.
Chris Neville
Apparel fulfillment, designed for your complexity
Tell us about your apparel operations, and we’ll design a fulfillment solution built for your complexity—from returns to SKU scale. Get your custom quote today.
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