Most first orders from a new supplier are not one design in one size. An importer wants to test three or four designs, or to fill a truck with a floor tile and a matching wall tile. This guide explains how the minimum order quantity (MOQ) works for tiles from Iran and how a mixed load is planned, with real pallet figures.
1. What MOQ Means for Tiles
For tile, the minimum order is set per model, not per shipment. Each design has to be produced, sorted and packed in its own batch so that every box of that design has the same shade. The minimum for a model depends on the design, the size, the production plan and whether the model is in stock. That is why a supplier quotes the MOQ for each model on the quotation rather than publishing one number for everything.
In practice the order is planned in whole pallets. A pallet holds between about 54 and 130 m², depending on the size and the body, so the smallest sensible quantity for a model is usually one or more full pallets.
2. The Real Limit of a Load Is Weight
A 20 ft container or one truck to Iraq carries about 25 tonnes of tile. Tile is heavy, so a load is full by weight long before it is full by space. This is also why a 40 ft container carries little more tile than a 20 ft one: its weight limit is almost the same.
The weight of a pallet depends on the size and the body. These are typical figures from our export panel:
| Tile | m² per pallet | kg per pallet | Pallets in a full load |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60x60 porcelain, 9.5 mm | 115.2 | 2,430 | 10 |
| 60x60 red body, 10 mm | 129.6 | 2,500 | 10 |
| 60x120 white body, 11 mm | 102.2 | 2,450 | 10 |
| 40x40 white body, 15 mm | 78.1 | 2,265 | 11 |
| 80x80 porcelain, 12 mm polished | 53.8 | 1,390 | 17 |
3. How a Mixed Load Is Planned
A mixed load is planned pallet by pallet. Each model is counted in whole pallets, the pallet weights are added up, and the total has to stay under the weight limit. Different designs in the same size and body are the simplest case, because every pallet weighs about the same. Different sizes and bodies can share a load too; the plan just has to add the different pallet weights.
Worked example: three products in one 20 ft container
| Product | Pallets | m² | kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60x60 porcelain, 9.5 mm (two designs, 2 pallets each) | 4 | 460.8 | 9,720 |
| 60x120 white body, 11 mm | 3 | 306.7 | 7,350 |
| 40x40 white body, 15 mm | 3 | 234.4 | 6,795 |
| Total | 10 | 1,001.9 | 23,865 |
The load stays about 1.1 t under the 25 t limit. Even the lightest pallet in the table (1,390 kg) would take it over, so this plan is full. Whether each model in a plan like this is accepted depends on its own minimum, which is confirmed before the proforma invoice is issued.
4. Five Rules for a Smooth Mixed Order
- Plan in pallets, not square metres. Ask for the m² per pallet of each model and round your quantities to whole pallets.
- Keep one shade batch per design. Each design in the load should come from one production batch, so a project is not split between two shades.
- Check the weight, not the space. Add the pallet weights; the load is full at about 25 t.
- Put the heavy pallets first. Thick tiles such as a 15 mm 40x40 fill the weight limit faster than a 10 mm tile.
- Agree the plan on the proforma. The final pallet list, m² and weights belong on the proforma invoice and the packing list.
5. Mixing Porcelain and Ceramic in One Load
Porcelain, white body and red body can travel together. A common plan is porcelain for busy floors, white body for homes and walls, and red body where price matters most. If you are not sure which body each part of your project needs, read Red Body vs White Body vs Porcelain Tiles, or compare all sizes on the porcelain and ceramic floor tiles page.
Conclusion
MOQ for tile is set per model, and a load is limited by weight. With the pallet weight of each model, a mixed container or truck can be planned in a few minutes and confirmed on the proforma. For how pallets are packed and secured, see our container loading guide.
Planning a mixed first order? Send the models and quantities through our quote form and we will reply with the minimum for each model and a pallet-by-pallet loading plan.