Luxury Handbag Programme Questions Buyers Ask First

The minimum order quantity is 500 pcs per style / colourway. Two colourways of the same design are planned as two separate blocks because each may require different outer material, lining, thread, edge colour, hardware finish and packing identification, which affects material reservations and line planning.

A reduced test run can be discussed, but it usually changes unit economics and material reservations. The locked baseline remains 500 pcs per style / colourway. If demand testing is the goal, share the planned follow-up quantity so the programme can be assessed as a whole rather than as an isolated small order.

Standard sampling takes 6-10 working days after the specification pack and material direction are confirmed. Complex styles take 12-15 working days when moulded components, intricate panels or newly developed hardware must be proven. Courier transit, buyer review and revision rounds are additional and should be planned separately.

The 35-50 day bulk schedule begins after the order is confirmed, the sample is sealed, materials are released and commercial terms are agreed. It does not begin at enquiry. Repeated revisions, late artwork, changed packaging or delayed material approvals are the most common reasons for a later practical start.

Quality is verified through incoming material checks, first-line review, in-process monitoring, functional and appearance checks, packing verification and final inspection. Final inspection follows AQL 2.5 under ISO 2859-1. Third-party inspection can be arranged when the buyer names the appointed party, format and release authority.

Programmes can consider leather, premium textiles, linings, reinforcements, edge systems and custom-finished hardware based on design, destination and the specification you have defined. Selection weighs hand feel, appearance, construction behaviour, durability, traceability and compliance. Buyers should describe intended character and use rather than choosing from appearance alone.

Request evidence matched to destination and material. Depending on scope this may include REACH Annex XVII, California Proposition 65, CPSIA, GRS for applicable recycled inputs, BSCI or Sedex for social programmes, and Leather Working Group evidence for leather environmental performance. Confirm scope, date and applicable material for each document.

FOB Xiamen is the standard trade term. CIF or DDP can be discussed after destination, shipment profile and service scope are clear. The term determines responsibility for freight, insurance, import handling, duties and final delivery, so it should reflect your own logistics capability and customs familiarity.

Payment structure is agreed before order confirmation and typically combines a deposit with a balance tied to a defined stage such as inspection release or shipment. The important point is clarity: state the stages, documents and currency in writing so that both sides reference the same milestone rather than an informal expectation.

Changes after approval are assessed against the sealed sample before acceptance. We identify effects on materials, cost, sampling rounds and the 35-50 day bulk window, then confirm the decision in writing. Late artwork, revised hardware or changed packaging most often affect schedule rather than unit economics alone.

MOQ 500 pcs applies per style / colourway, so splitting one order across three colours creates three lots unless the total is agreed otherwise before booking. Where the same hide lot and hardware finish cover all colours, cost is mainly affected by changeover and packing identification. Agree the split at quotation time, not at packing time.

Sampling charges cover development time, pattern work and materials consumed on prototypes, so they are normally invoiced separately. Some programmes credit part of the sample fee once bulk reaches a stated quantity. Whichever applies is written into the quotation, because an undocumented verbal credit is a dispute waiting for a season.

The development fee covers pattern making, template cutting, material sourcing, first prototype construction, internal review and the correction notes that follow. It does not cover subsequent bulk materials, tooling for custom hardware, third-party testing or freight. Itemising those separately keeps the first invoice predictable for a new client.

Carton specification covers board grade, dimensions, units per carton, packing method, labelling and pallet arrangement. It is agreed before bulk so freight can be quoted accurately. Boxed-and-protected packing is standard; retail-ready presentation is quoted separately because it changes both material cost and the packing line time.

Bespoke rigid boxes and printed dust bags run their own minimum quantity, commonly 500 units, and add days that the bag calendar did not include. They are booked alongside bulk rather than after it. Printing plates, foil tooling and approval cycles are the slowest parts, so artwork should be signed off while the first sample is being built.

Nominated fittings can be used where volumes and lead times suit the line. The hardware still has to arrive, be inspected for plating, function and dimensional accuracy, and clear the same incoming checks. Where a nomination adds freight, duty or delay, those costs appear as their own lines rather than being absorbed silently into unit pricing.

Tolerances are set per feature: overall dimensions, symmetry, handle drop, strap length and visible seam alignment each get a stated limit on the specification sheet. The approved golden sample is the physical reference those numbers are read against. Agreement before bulk avoids the common argument about whether a deviation is acceptable.

Peak-season space is booked earlier in the calendar, and the cartons have to be ready on the date the booking assumes. Where a programme slips, roll-over or alternative modes are discussed with cost and transit shown before deciding. Under FOB Xiamen the freight decision belongs to the buyer, so the choice is theirs rather than ours.

Yes, provided the patterns, tooling and reference samples are intact and the original materials are still obtainable. Re-ordering is faster because specification and tolerances already exist. The two things that change are hide availability and hardware plating batches, both of which are confirmed before a repeat price is issued.

Release requires the specification, the golden sample, the final AQL 2.5 inspection record and the packing list to agree. Photographic evidence is retained by style code. Shipment proceeds once those four line up, which protects both sides if a claim arrives weeks later at the destination warehouse.