Private label or custom?
- Private label: you put your brand on a product the factory already makes, often with changes to colour, materials or packaging. Faster, lower MOQs, little or no tooling.
- Custom (OEM): the factory makes a product to your design. Slower and usually needs tooling, but the product is yours.
- ODM: the factory’s own design, adapted for you. A middle ground.
We help you decide which route fits your budget, timeline and how different you need the product to be.
Start with a specification
A good specification is the most valuable document in a private-label project. It removes guesswork for the factory and gives the inspector something to check against. We write it with you, covering:
- materials and grades, with references where possible
- dimensions and tolerances
- colours, matched to Pantone or physical swatches
- finish, logo application and print method
- packaging: retail box, inserts, outer cartons and shipping marks
- labels and barcodes for your sales channels
Tooling
Moulds and tooling can be a large one-off cost. We compare factories on tooling cost as well as unit price, and put tooling ownership in writing so the moulds stay yours if you move production later.
Samples and the golden sample
Expect several rounds for a custom product. We check each round against the specification before it reaches you, so you only review samples worth your time. The approved sample, signed off by you and the factory, becomes the standard for production and inspection.
Packaging and labelling for the UK and EU
Packaging needs to protect the product in transit and meet the rules where you sell. We check artwork before print for:
- importer or manufacturer name and address
- CE or UKCA marking where the product requires it
- safety warnings and age labelling, for toys for example
- barcodes in the format your sales channels require
- language requirements for the EU countries you sell in
Testing and certification
We coordinate accredited third-party laboratories for the tests your product needs, such as EN 71 for toys, LFGB or EU food-contact rules for kitchenware, or REACH chemical testing. The lab issues the reports. You, as the importer or brand owner, remain responsible for compliance, and we make sure you have the documents to show it.
Typical timeline
A straightforward private-label product can move from brief to production in six to ten weeks. A custom product with new tooling usually takes longer, often three to five months, depending on design changes and testing.