By Private Label Leather · Published · 5 min read
Minimum order quantities frustrate new brands, but they exist for practical reasons. Understanding them helps you plan a first order that a manufacturer can accept and you can sell.
Why minimums exist
- Leather is bought in hides and lots, not by the metre. A special colour may only be available in a minimum batch.
- Set-up time — patterns, cutting dies and machine settings — is the same for 50 pieces as for 500.
- Custom components such as branded zip pullers, metal plates and printed boxes have their own supplier minimums.
Ways to work within a minimum
- Choose a stock leather colour rather than a custom dye
- Start with fewer colours and a tighter size range
- Use standard hardware with a branded label or debossed logo
- Ask whether colours or styles can be combined towards the minimum
Samples
A sample is usually charged, because it is made individually with pattern work. Budget for at least one revision. Ask whether the sample cost is credited against a bulk order and how long sampling takes — both should appear on the quotation.
Timing your first order
Work backwards from when you need stock: shipping time, production time, sample rounds, and time to agree the quotation. Share your target delivery date early so the manufacturer can tell you if it is realistic.
See our page on sampling and MOQ, or discuss a sample.
