Freight Forwarder Directory for the Apparel Industry
Understand what forwarders do for fashion brands and find forwarders and brokers experienced with clothing, footwear and textiles.
Free Freight & Planning Tools
Planning estimates only. Confirm final load plans and costs with your forwarder, carrier or customs broker.
What Is a Freight Forwarder?
A freight forwarder, forwarder or forwarding agent, also known as a non vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC), is a person or company that organizes shipments for individuals or corporations to get goods from the manufacturer or producer to a market, customer or final point of distribution. Forwarders contract with a carrier, or often multiple carriers, to move the goods.
Fashion industry freight forwarders help with the transportation of clothing, footwear, textiles and fashion accessory cargo internationally and domestically.
What a Forwarder Does for Apparel Brands
- Books space with ocean and air carriers and negotiates rates.
- Consolidates small shipments into containers (LCL).
- Prepares documents including bills of lading, air waybills, commercial invoices and packing lists.
- Arranges customs clearance directly or through a licensed broker.
- Coordinates trucking and warehousing, including pick and pack and routing-guide compliance for retailers.
- Manages insurance and tracking to give visibility from factory to DC.
How to Choose a Forwarder
- Look for apparel and textile experience, including GOH and retailer compliance.
- Confirm licenses and credentials, such as NVOCC, IATA, FIATA and customs broker.
- Ask about coverage at your factory origins and destination ports.
- Compare tracking technology, PO management and reporting.
- Get written quotes that list all fees and ask for references.
Forwarder vs. Customs Broker
| Freight forwarder | Customs broker | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Arranges transportation of cargo | Files import entries and pays duties on behalf of the importer |
| Licensed by | Varies by country; NVOCCs registered with regulators | U.S. Customs and Border Protection licenses brokers |
| Many firms do both | Yes | Yes |
Learn more on the customs page.
Freight Forwarder Directory
Jump to a letter, or add your company.
A
A. Burghart Shipping Co. Inc.Licensed U.S. customs broker, international freight forwarder and NVOCC handling import clearance, export coordination and door-to-door shipments.
- ABC Logistics GroupKarachi, Pakistan
Air, ocean, customs brokerage, warehousing and distribution across Pakistan with a specialty in textile traffic from Pakistan to Europe and North America. Also offers PO tracking, buying agent and quality control services via ANC Global.
- Action International, Inc.Miami, FL
Licensed and bonded forwarder and customs broker; air and ocean consolidator with warehousing. Experienced in apparel.
- Advanced Forwarding & LogisticsRotterdam, Netherlands
Netherlands-based forwarder with European distribution and warehousing, plus global sea and air freight. Textile projects welcome.
- Aeronet WorldwideIrvine, CA
Global network of more than 600 offices and partners, founded to serve the high-tech industry with time-critical delivery.
- Ahlers, Shipping & Transport Group
International logistics and maritime service provider with offices in Europe, Asia and CIS/Baltic.
- AirFreight.com
Air freight and delivery services focused on reliable transportation for finished goods and supplies.
- AIT Worldwide Logistics
Chicago-based forwarder offering air, ocean, road and rail transportation plus customs clearance and warehouse management through more than 150 locations.
- Alba Wheels Up InternationalJamaica, NY
International forwarder and U.S. customs broker serving NY, NJ, CA and FL, offering the apparel community competitive rates and value-added services for over fifty years.
- All International Solutions, IncLos Angeles, CA
Freight forwarding specializing in air cargo, sea and ground with free shipping quotes.
- American Shipping Company, Inc.
Integrated logistics combining expertise and information technology for comprehensive management.
- Amfico Agencies Pvt.Ltd.Mumbai, India
Prominent Indian shipping company handling air and sea shipments, FCL and consolidation, with door-to-door service.
- Aramex
Dubai-headquartered logistics company in more than 600 cities across 70 countries.
- Associated Global Systems (AGS)
Network of over 50 logistics centers, delivery agents and airline and carrier partnerships.
- Associated World Logistics NetworkTustin, CA
Global provider of international freight forwarding and logistics with online quotations.
B
- Banglar Cargo LtdDhaka, Bangladesh
Leading Bangladesh forwarder handling air and ocean shipments worldwide.
- BDP International
Privately owned logistics provider delivering transportation and supply chain solutions.
- B.Y.International AgenciesKarachi, Pakistan
Freight forwarding service.
C
- C.H. Robinson International
One of North America's largest third-party logistics companies, offering transportation, sourcing and information services since 1905.
- Clearfreight
International freight forwarding built on experience, key relationships and technology.
- Concord Cargo InternationalDhaka, Bangladesh
International air and sea forwarding with discounted rates ex Bangladesh and pioneer in garment cargo handling since 1984.
D
- Damco
Leading forwarding and supply chain management provider with roughly 9,500 professionals in over 280 owned offices, handling millions of TEU of ocean freight and tonnes of air freight annually.
- DynamicNew Jersey
E
- Ersay TasimacilikTurkey
Forwarding, customs clearance and storage since 1986, with transport by road, rail and sea to Turkish Republics, the Middle East, Russia, Europe, the Far East and beyond.
- Everpole Shipping, Inc.Long Beach, CA
Forwarder/NVOCC providing complete international transportation from LCL to FCL.
- Expeditors
Flexible logistics from planning to delivery, including customs brokerage, air and ocean cargo, distribution, security and compliance.
F
- Fastcargo Logistics, Inc.Miami, FL
- Federal Express
Express and freight transportation worldwide. Includes FedEx Rates & Transit Times tool at https://www.fedex.com/ratefinder/home.
G
- Global Freight LtdDhaka, Bangladesh
Dhaka-based local forwarding company and shipping agent offering rates to Europe, USA and Canada.
- Go Global LogisticsBoston, MA
U.S. customs broker, forwarder and supply chain consultant specializing in apparel and textile classification, duty calculation and special trade programs. Services: customs broker, freight forwarder, supply chain management.
- Great Western Transportation
Full truckload and LTL trucking including dry, refrigerated, flatbed, heavy haul, power-only and trade show freight.
H
K
- Karachi Cargo Services (Pvt.) LtdKarachi, Pakistan
International forwarders in business since 1990, IATA approved and FIATA associate member, with branches across Pakistan.
- Klyf ltd., Maritime AgencyOdessa, Ukraine
Ukraine maritime agency offering port agency, ship agency and forwarding services.
L
- Libra InternationalDoha, Qatar
Freight forwarding, customs brokerage and transport company.
- Liner Shipping Agencies Pvt.Ltd.Calcutta, India
Leading shipping and freight forwarder based in Calcutta.
- LSS Group / Shipping Services Ltd.Dhaka, Bangladesh
Sea/air forwarder and NVOCC in Bangladesh since 1994 and main consolidator with weekly multi-country consolidation to USA, Europe and Singapore.
M
- Marlink S.R.L.Buenos Aires, Argentina
International shipping logistics, freight forwarders, customs brokers and NVOCC.
- Mercury Freight Cambodia LtdPhnom Penh, Cambodia
Handles cargo for garment companies in Cambodia: air and sea freight, export consolidation, customs brokerage, trucking and warehousing.
- Monetti Distributors, IncMiami, FL
Global logistics apparel specialist with an 80,000 sq. ft. Miami distribution center offering pick and pack, ticketing and hanger, quality control, GOH, trucking and customs brokerage.
- M/s International Transport Organization (Pvt.) Ltd. (INTOL)Karachi, Pakistan
Leading NVOCC moving air, sea and land shipments LCL and FCL since 1977.
N
- New World Co., LtdHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Domestic and international forwarding, customs clearance, warehousing, NVOCC and logistics.
- New York Customs Brokers IncJamaica, NY
Twenty years in business and specialists in wearing apparel, with links to garment transporters and pick-and-pack warehouses.
- The Norton Line Inc. Shanghai, ChinaShanghai, China
A Norton Lilly International company providing forwarding, logistics and customs services in China with an English-speaking team.
- NoWaitFreight
Division of Alphamart, Inc. offering truckload, LTL, flatbed, reefer, container, consolidated, airfreight and expedited freight brokerage.
O
- Oceanair, Inc.
35 years of freight forwarding expertise with domestic and international services for shipments of any size.
- Odyssey Logistics
Technology-led logistics strategies across multiple modes with a freight network exceeding $3B globally.
P
- Packair Airfreight, Inc.Los Angeles, CA
International forwarding, customs broker, import/export, crating, fulfillment, ATA Carnet, NVOCC, IATA, TSA CCSF and air, ocean, ground and rail freight.
- Page International, Inc.
Worldwide logistics provider in ocean forwarding, customs brokerage, air freight, NVOCC and domestic transportation.
- Patriot Express, IncIndependence, MO
Distribution, transportation and warehousing company in a Foreign Trade Zone with climate-set underground storage.
- Pioneer Express Pvt. LimitedKarachi, Pakistan
Logistics and freight forwarding services since 1989.
- Priority One Brokers, Inc.
Integrated customs brokerage and transportation services created in 1984.
- Prosperous Freight Services LtdYangon, Myanmar
Leading air/sea forwarder specializing in garment and apparel shipments ex Yangon with own warehouse and customs clearing team.
- PT. Multi UnggulSurabaya, Indonesia
Leading forwarder across Indonesia since 1995 with its own customs brokerage and door-to-door services.
Q
- Qingdao Yunfeng International Freight Agency Co., LtdQingdao, China
Grade A freight agency offering shipping forwarding, customs clearance, commodity inspection and container yard services.
R
- Rogers and BrownCharleston, SC
Global freight, export forwarding, import customs brokerage, duty drawback, trade consulting, warehousing and 3PL.
S
- Sab Logistica S.A.Buenos Aires, Argentina
Freight forwarder moving cargo in Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil.
- S Cargo LtdDhaka, Bangladesh
Bangladesh forwarder specializing in all types of apparel shipments, FCL or LCL, by air and sea.
- Sea Coast TowingMassachusetts
- Sea-Nebula MaritimeDhaka, Bangladesh
Air and ocean consolidation, PO follow-up, warehousing, inland transportation and customs brokerage.
- Serra International, Inc
Import, export, logistics, distribution and oversized cargo services; in business since 1919.
- Shanghai ALS International Transportation CO., LTDShanghai, China
Multi-service forwarder for air, ocean and ground cargo, terminal-to-terminal or door-to-door.
- SHA Transport Express Co., Ltd. (STE)Cambodia
Forwarding, clearance, couriers and logistics for FCL, LCL and consolidation. Established 2002.
- Speedmark Transportation Inc.Inwood, NY
Global logistics with offices in over 60 cities and logistics partner to leaders in apparel and footwear.
- Stile AssociatesValley Stream, NY
Customs brokerage, forwarding and logistics for over 37 years with web-based shipment tracking. Profile: https://www.apparelsearch.com/shipping_freight/freight_forwarders/companies/s/stile_associates.htm
- Surface Shipping & Transport Systems Pvt.LtdChennai, India
Forwarder and consolidator by sea and air with door-to-door, brokerage, FCL and LCL services.
- Swift Global Shipping & Logistics / SGSLMumbai, India
Established in 1998, handling export and import cargo worldwide.
- SEKO Logistics
Global end-to-end logistics, e-commerce and fulfillment from more than 150 offices in over 60 countries.
T
- Thompson Ahern & Co. Ltd.Toronto, Canada
Established in 1875; one of Canada's most experienced customs brokers, forwarders and third-party logistics providers.
- Transcontainer Transport Inc.
International transport and logistics services consolidating shipping concerns into one process.
U
- United Shipping, Inc.
Worldwide network of independently owned freight forwarders and customs brokers established in 1988.
V
- Via-Vision International Transport Inc.Montreal, Canada
FCL and LCL exports from Canada, airfreight, trucking, warehousing and insurance.
- VR Cargo International
Leading mass goods carrier in Finland and to Russia.
W
- World Class ShippingValley Stream, NY
Licensed forwarder and customs broker (NVOCC, IATA, FIATA) with import/export, air/ocean, letters of credit and trade show shipping.
Related guides
Other Shipping Options
Thank you for using our apparel industry freight forwarder directory. When you are done, return to our shipping main page for more resources on transporting clothing, footwear, textiles or fashion accessories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a freight forwarder and an NVOCC?
An NVOCC is a type of forwarder that issues its own bills of lading and acts as a carrier for shippers without operating vessels. Many forwarders are also NVOCCs.
Do forwarders handle customs clearance?
Many do, either as licensed customs brokers themselves or through partners. Ask whether clearance is included and how duties and fees are billed.
When should a small fashion brand use a forwarder?
When shipments are international, involve several parties, or require consolidation and documents you do not want to manage yourself. A forwarder can also help small brands access better carrier rates through LCL consolidation.
How do I compare forwarder quotes?
Compare the full door-to-door scope, transit time, included services and fees such as origin charges, documentation, customs and delivery, not just the ocean or air rate.