First orders, pilot runs and sample fees

Most brands that write to us are start-ups or first-time private labels that want to test a product before committing to a full production run. This page states, in writing, what a first order can look like: the quantities we accept, what a sample costs, what is deducted later and what is not. The stages that follow are set out on the how to order page.

Standard MOQ: 300 pcs per style per color
Pilot run, start-up brands: 100 pcs per style per color
New structure (ODM): 300 pcs per style per color
Sample fee: USD 80–250 per sample
Sample time: 3-7 days existing style · 7-10 days new structure
Tooling: USD 50–150 per mold, one-time

Three ways a first order can start

Which one applies depends on how much of the product already exists. Pick the column that matches your project and the rest of this page tells you what to expect.

Pilot run for start-up brands

You take a reference style from our catalog and change what makes it yours: logo, Pantone-matched colors, lining, zipper pulls, hangtag and retail or FBA packaging. The tested structure stays.

For start-up and first-time brands, a pilot run of an existing style starts at 100 pcs per style, one color. The same bag in two colors is two combinations, and each color has to reach 100 pcs on its own. The unit price on a pilot is higher than at the standard quantity and is quoted per order.

Standard order

300 pcs per style per color, the quantity every published price range, lead time and customization scope on this site is written for. Light customization runs 15-30 days after written sample approval, heavy customization 20-45 days.

This is also the quantity at which the sample fee is deducted in full, so a brand that pilots first and then reorders at 300 pcs gets the sample fee back on the second order.

New structure (ODM)

You bring a sketch, tech pack or competitor reference and we develop a structure that does not exist yet: window shape, expandable panels, docking modules, strap system, base construction.

New structures are produced at 300 pcs per style per color. Below that quantity we make paid samples only, because pattern development, sampling rounds and any tooling are not recoverable on a smaller run. The sample stage takes 7-10 days.

What a sample costs, and what comes back

The sample fee is USD 80–250 per sample, set by structural complexity: a soft-sided carrier with your logo sits at the low end, a structured bag with a moulded base, expandable panels or custom hardware at the high end. A completely new structure developed from your drawings is quoted separately before any work starts.

The fee covers pattern work, materials, sewing and one round of structural revision requested by you. If the sample does not match the specification you confirmed, we remake it at our cost. Further design changes after that round carry a new sample fee.

Once your first order of that style reaches the standard MOQ, the sample fee is deducted in full from the production payment. Sample courier is charged at cost and is not deducted; a reference figure for DHL or FedEx to the United States or Europe is USD 100–150 per shipment, before duties in your country. You can also give us your own courier account.

Included in the sample fee: Pattern, materials, sewing, one structural revision round, photos and video before shipment
Quoted separately: Metal logo or zipper-pull molds, printing and embroidery plates, special material purchases, third-party testing, courier

Tooling: what a custom metal logo really costs

A custom metal badge, a branded zipper pull or a moulded rubber logo needs its own mold. Expect USD 50–150 per mold, paid once. Mold fees are not deducted from the order, because the mold is made for you and stays yours: it is not used for any other buyer’s product. Embroidery, woven labels, heat transfer and silk screen need no mold and are included in the unit price at any quantity.

Trade terms, confidentiality and what we need from you

EXW, FOB and DDP

Every quotation can be issued EXW or FOB Ningbo or Shanghai. DDP quotations, delivered and duty paid to your warehouse, 3PL or Amazon FBA, are available for the United States, Canada and the main EU markets. Other destinations are quoted FOB with a freight estimate.

Your NDA or our NNN

If your design is not public yet, send your NDA and we sign it before you share drawings, or ask for our NNN agreement (non-disclosure, non-use, non-circumvention), the version written for China-based manufacturing. Drawings, patterns and molds paid for by you are used only for your orders.

What makes the first quote accurate

A reference (photo, link, sketch or tech pack), quantity per style and per color, target market, whether you need your own branding, and any deadline. With those five points the first reply is a quotation, not a list of questions.

Payment

Standard custom orders: 30% deposit, 70% balance before shipment. Highly customized or complex orders: 50% and 50%. Sample and tooling fees are invoiced before development starts. Final terms are always stated on the Proforma Invoice.

Questions buyers ask before a first order

Can we start with 50 pieces to test the market?

The published pilot quantity for an existing style is 100 pcs per style per color, and that is the smallest run we plan production around. Below 100 pcs, the practical route is one or two paid samples of the exact configuration you would sell, which many brands use for photography and pre-orders before the pilot run.

Is the pilot unit price the same as the price at 300 pieces?

No. A pilot run carries the same setup, cutting and changeover cost as a full run spread over fewer pieces, so the unit price is higher and is quoted per order. The quotation shows both figures side by side so you can see the step down at the standard quantity.

Can a pilot run of 100 pieces be split into two colors?

Each color is its own style-color combination and has to reach 100 pcs on its own, so two colors means 200 pcs in total. The reason is upstream: fabric mills and dye lots have their own minimums, and one color below 100 pcs cannot be bought at a workable cost.

Does a new structure qualify for a pilot run?

Not at pilot quantity. A structure developed from your sketch or tech pack is produced at 300 pcs per style per color. Below that we offer paid samples in 7-10 days, which is how most ODM projects validate the design before committing to the run.

Will the sample fee be refunded if we order the pilot quantity?

The sample fee is deducted in full once an order of that style reaches the standard MOQ of 300 pcs. On a pilot run of 100 pcs it is not yet deducted; it is carried forward and credited on the order that reaches 300 pcs.

How long does the first sample take?

3-7 days for an existing style once the specification, materials, logo files and sample fee are confirmed, and 7-10 days for a new structure. Courier to the United States or Europe adds roughly a week. Bulk production then runs 15-30 days for light customization or 20-45 days for heavy customization after written sample approval.

What we do not do. Eland Bag sells B2B only: we are not a retailer and do not sell single units to consumers. A pilot run applies only to an existing catalog style produced with your logo, colors and packaging — a new structure developed from a sketch or tech pack is produced at 300 pieces per style per color, and below that quantity we only make paid samples.

Tell us the quantity you actually want to start with

Send the reference style, your quantity per color and the target market. The quotation comes back with pilot and standard pricing side by side, typically within one business day.

Request a Quotation Browse Reference Styles