To start an OEM bag programme a fashion designer needs to supply a dimensioned tech pack, a component-level bill of materials, a hardware specification with finish and plating thickness, vector artwork with placement datums, and an explicit tolerance table — five documents that together let a partner quote accurately and build a representative first sample. Most development delays we see are not production failures; they are brief failures, where a missing tolerance or an unconfirmed finish forces a second sampling round. Assembling the five documents before the first email typically removes two to three weeks from the calendar.
The Minimum Viable Brief
Designers often arrive with a sketch and a mood board, which is a good start but not a brief. A sketch communicates proportion and intent; it does not tell the cutter what seam allowance to leave, the hardware vendor what plating thickness to apply, or the inspector what counts as acceptable. The gap between the two is where iterations are born.
Programme parameters at a glance
| Parameter | Commitment |
|---|---|
| Minimum order quantity | 500 pieces per style / colourway |
| Sampling lead time | 6–10 working days (12–15 days for complex constructions) |
| Bulk production lead time | 35–50 days after sample approval |
| Inspection standard | AQL 2.5 (ISO 2859-1), single sampling, general level II |
| Incoterms | FOB Xiamen — EXW, CIF and DDP available on request |
| Payment terms | T/T 30% deposit / 70% before shipment; L/C at sight for container loads |
| Verified production floor space | 4,950 m² (SGS-verified) |
| Team | 137 staff across 7 production lines |
| Equipment | 149 machines including computerised saddle-stitch and edge-painting units |
| Monthly capacity | 200,000 pieces |
| Entity | Founded 2014; principal has worked in bag development since 2004 |
The table below is what the programme team needs at quotation stage. Items marked essential will block an accurate price if missing; the remainder can be confirmed during sampling without delaying the start.
Designers sometimes worry that supplying a highly specified brief reduces creative freedom. In practice the opposite is true. A precise specification protects the design intent through sampling and bulk, whereas a loose one hands interpretation to whoever happens to be on the line that week.
| Document | Status | What it must state |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensioned tech pack | Essential | External dimensions, panel breakdown, seam types, stitch density, edge finish, internal layout |
| Bill of materials | Essential | Every component with article number, supplier or grade, colour reference and consumption per unit |
| Hardware specification | Essential | Item, substrate, finish, plating thickness in microns, colour, and whether tooling is existing or new |
| Artwork files | Essential | Vector format, Pantone or RAL reference, size, and placement measured from two fixed datums |
| Tolerance table | Essential | Acceptable dimensional variance, colour tolerance, and defect limits by class |
| Target price band | Helpful | The commercial range the programme needs to land within |
| Quantity per colourway | Essential | Confirmed volume, since the standard MOQ is 500 pieces per style per colourway |
| Destination market | Helpful | Determines which compliance declarations and labelling rules apply |
What a Complete Tech Pack Contains
A tech pack is the contract for the physical object. It should allow someone who has never met the designer to build the bag and know whether the result is correct. In practice that means flat drawings with callouts, an exploded view of the construction sequence, and a written specification for every operation that is not obvious from the drawing.
Version control matters more than aesthetics. A tech pack without a revision number generates disputes about which iteration was approved, and the resolution is almost always the more expensive of the two interpretations. Number every revision and confirm which one the sample was built against.
Specifying Materials and Hardware Precisely
"Black leather" is not a specification. Neither is "gold hardware". A material specification needs the tannery or article number, the grade or cut selection, the substance in millimetres, the finish type, and an approved physical swatch retained by both parties. A hardware specification needs the substrate, the finish colour, and the plating thickness stated in microns.
| Specification line | Ambiguous phrasing | Unambiguous phrasing |
|---|---|---|
| Body leather | Black full-grain leather | Article no. —, full-grain bovine, 1.2–1.4 mm,aniline finish, Pantone Black 6 C, swatch approved 2026-07-02 |
| Lining | Suede lining | Microfibre suede, 0.6 mm, colour matched to Pantone 19-4007 TCX, abrasion tested to — cycles |
| Hardware finish | Gold hardware | Zinc alloy, light gold, 0.3 micron plating with lacquer seal, salt-spray tested |
| Zip | Metal zip | YKK Excella #5, antique brass, matched slider and chain, closed-end |
| Thread | Matching thread | Bonded nylon 40s, colour reference —, stitch density 8 SPI |
| Edge finish | Painted edges | Two coats with inter-coat drying, matt finish, flexibility tested on production leather |
- Name the article number for every leather, lining and interlining in the BOM, not just the description.
- State plating thickness in microns and require a vendor test report for load-bearing fittings.
- Confirm whether hardware is an existing tooled item or requires new tooling, and who owns the tool.
- Retain a physical approved swatch from the production dye lot, not only a digital reference.
- Specify edge paint type, coat count and finish, since this is a frequent source of early wear complaints.
Artwork, Branding and Placement Datums
Logo placement is the most common cause of a rejected first sample that was otherwise well made. The reason is almost always the same: the placement was described relative to a feature that moves — the centre of the panel, a fixed distance from a seam that shifts with seam allowance, or an edge that changes after turning.
- Choose two fixed datum points that survive the construction process, such as the base edge centreline and the outer gusset fold.
- Dimension the logo position from both datums, so placement is triangulated rather than measured from a single moving point.
- Supply artwork as vector files, with the colour stated as a Pantone, RAL or foil product reference.
- Specify the execution method — deboss, foil, screen print, embroidery or metal plate — and its depth or thickness.
- State the tolerance in millimetres, and agree what happens outside it before sampling starts.
- Photograph the approved logo execution and include it in the quality file alongside the defect dictionary.
Tolerances: Where to Be Strict and Where Not To Be
Over-specification has a cost. Tolerances tighter than the process can economically hold raise rejection rates, inflate unit price and create conflict at inspection without improving the product the customer receives. The discipline is to classify each dimension by whether a retail customer would perceive the variance.
| Dimension type | Suggested tolerance | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Overall external dimensions | ±3 mm | Affects fit in retail fixtures and customer expectation |
| Strap or handle length | ±5 mm | Perceived in wear; tighter tolerance adds cost without benefit |
| Logo placement | ±1 mm | Highly visible; drift reads as poor quality |
| Pocket and internal dimensions | ±3 mm | Functional fit for phones, wallets and laptop sleeves |
| Stitch density | ±1 SPI | Below range weakens seams; above range perforates leather |
| Colour match between panels | Agreed reference standard | Natural shade steps require a reference board, not a number |
| Hardware alignment | ±1 mm | Misalignment is immediately visible on structured bodies |
Note the entry for colour. Numeric colour tolerances are difficult to enforce on natural material because the substrate itself varies. The workable approach is a reference board showing the acceptable range, agreed at sample approval and kept with the inspection team.
The Gaps That Quietly Delay Development
Some omissions are obvious. Others pass unnoticed until the sample arrives and somebody asks a question nobody can answer. The following list is drawn from the delays we encounter most often, in roughly the order they tend to surface.
- No stated unit of measurement on dimensioned drawings, leading to metric and imperial interpretations on the same page.
- Unconfirmed hardware finish, so the sample is built in a substitute that the brand then rejects.
- Artwork supplied as a raster file, forcing a redraw before tooling can be cut.
- Internal layout unspecified, leaving pocket count and dimensions to assumption.
- No target price band, so the first quotation is built to a specification the brand cannot retail at.
- Missing destination market, which defers compliance declarations to the end of the programme.
- No named approver on the brand side, so sample review waits on an internal chain.
A Development Timeline Designers Can Plan Around
Once the brief is complete, the calendar is largely predictable. Sampling runs 6–10 working days, or 12–15 for complex constructions such as moulded shells, internal framing or multi-material panelling. Bulk follows 35–50 days after sample approval. What designers control is the approval round-trip in the middle.
| Phase | Duration | Designer action | Decision required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brief preparation | 1–2 weeks | Assemble tech pack, BOM, hardware schedule, artwork, tolerances | Internal sign-off on the frozen specification |
| Quotation and feasibility | 3–7 working days | Respond to technical queries | Accept the costed proposal |
| Sampling | 6–10 working days | Confirm materials before build begins | None during build |
| Sample review | 2–5 working days | Measure against the tech pack, not memory | Approve, or approve with named changes |
| Bulk production | 35–50 days | Attend the mid-run checkpoint if possible | Release the balance before shipment |
| Inspection and transit | 2–5 days plus transit | Review the inspection report and photographs | Release for shipment |
Where we support fashion brands, the programme team reviews the brief before quoting and flags anything that will not build as drawn. That conversation is cheaper for both sides than a second sampling round. Our production partners in Quanzhou, Fujian, build to your specification — 7 lines, 149 machines, 137 staff, and an SGS-verified floor of 4,950 m² — but no amount of capability compensates for a brief that leaves the essential lines blank.
File Formats and Handover Mechanics
Even a technically complete brief can stall on file format. Raster logos, unlicensed fonts, and drawings saved without their linked assets all generate a round of correspondence that adds nothing to the product. Supplying the right formats at the outset removes an entirely avoidable category of delay.
| Asset | Preferred format | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Logo and artwork | Vector (AI, EPS, SVG) with fonts outlined | Scales cleanly to any size and drives embossing, foil and print tooling |
| Technical drawings | PDF with dimensioned callouts, plus the native file | The PDF is the reference; the native file allows measured revision |
| Colour references | Stated Pantone or RAL codes plus a physical swatch | Screens render colour differently; a physical swatch settles disputes |
| Bill of materials | Editable spreadsheet with article numbers | Enables item-by-item costing and revision tracking |
| Photographic reference | High-resolution JPEG or PNG | Used for the defect dictionary and the retained approval sample |
| Packaging artwork | Vector dieline with bleed and barcode placement | Avoids print rework and barcode scanning failures at retail |
One further point that is worth stating plainly: revision history. Every file you send should carry a version number and a date, and the programme team should confirm which version the sample is built against before cutting. In our experience the majority of "the factory got it wrong" cases turn out to be two versions of the same drawing in circulation.
Send us your brief and we will tell you what is missing
Upload your tech pack and sketch, and the programme team will return a feasibility review with gaps flagged and a costed quotation. Email service@junyuanbags.com or WhatsApp +86 177 5002 0688.
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents does a designer need to start an OEM bag programme?
Five documents: a dimensioned tech pack, a component-level bill of materials, a hardware specification with finish and plating thickness, vector artwork with placement measured from two fixed datums, and a tolerance table. Adding your target price band, confirmed quantity per colourway and destination market lets the programme team quote accurately on the first pass rather than asking a round of questions.
Can I start with just a sketch?
You can begin the conversation with a sketch, but quoting and sampling need the full specification. A sketch conveys proportion and design intent; it does not define seam allowance, stitch density, hardware plating or internal layout. Expect the programme team to come back with technical questions, and expect the quotation to be provisional until those are answered.
Why does hardware specification need plating thickness in microns?
Because plating thickness determines how long the finish survives. A fitting plated below specification may look identical on the sample and then wear through to the substrate within a season. Stating microns makes the requirement measurable, and lets you request a vendor test report rather than relying on appearance at inspection.
How should I specify logo placement on a bag?
Measure from two fixed datum points that survive construction, such as the base edge centreline and the outer gusset fold, rather than from a panel centre or a seam that shifts with seam allowance. Supply vector artwork with the colour stated as a Pantone, RAL or foil reference, name the execution method, and state the tolerance in millimetres.
What tolerances are realistic for handmade leather bags?
Overall external dimensions typically hold to around three millimetres, strap and handle lengths to five, and logo placement to one. Stitch density is usually specified with a tolerance of one stitch per inch. Colour is better handled with a photographic reference board than a numeric tolerance, because natural substrate variation makes numbers difficult to enforce.
Do I need to supply my own materials?
Usually not. Most programmes run on materials sourced through the production partner's established vendor network, which shortens procurement and gives traceability. If you have a specific tannery or hardware supplier, that can be accommodated, but confirm stock status and lead time in writing before accepting a bulk date.
What happens if I change the specification after sampling?
It becomes a revision with its own cost and calendar impact. Changes after approval are the single most common cause of a missed launch date, because they can reopen the pattern, the tooling or the material order. The workable discipline is to freeze the specification and treat any later change as a new quotation.
How much does sampling cost?
It varies with construction complexity and whether new tooling is required. Sampling runs 6–10 working days, or 12–15 for complex constructions, and involves pattern development, material preparation, assembly, finishing and internal review. Ask for sampling and tooling to be quoted as separate lines so you can see what is one-off and what is recurring.
What is the minimum order for a first collection?
The standard minimum is 500 pieces per style per colourway, so a three-colourway style represents 1,500 units. Small-batch pilots below that threshold are available where a brand needs to validate a design before committing to a full season, which is often the more prudent route for a launch collection.
Should my tech pack include the internal layout?
Yes. Pocket count, dimensions, closure type, lining material and any reinforcement should all be specified. The interior is where function is felt and where assumptions most often diverge between the drawing and the finished piece. It is also a common source of rework when it is left undefined.
How do I specify colour for leather panels?
State a Pantone or equivalent reference for the target, then agree a physical reference board showing the acceptable range across panels. Natural leather varies in shade between hides and even within a hide, so a numeric tolerance is hard to enforce. Retain an approved swatch from the production dye lot for inspection.
What compliance information should I provide?
Your destination market. That determines which declarations are required — REACH and related rules for the EU, CPSIA for the US market, and any market-specific labelling requirements. Confirming this at quotation stage avoids deferring test reports to the end of the programme, when they can hold the shipment.
Can you work from a physical sample I already have?
Yes, and it is often the fastest starting point. A physical reference can be measured, disassembled and reverse-engineered into a pattern and BOM. Bring or send the sample along with what you want changed, since most development from an existing piece is adaptation rather than exact replication.
How long does it take to get a first sample?
Six to ten working days for a standard construction once the brief is complete, and twelve to fifteen for complex work such as moulded shells, internal framing or multi-material panelling. The clock starts when the brief is complete, not when the first enquiry arrives.
What is the most common gap in designer briefs?
Undefined tolerances and unconfirmed hardware finishes. Both are easy to overlook because they feel like detail, and both generate rework. A brief that states the logo position to within a millimetre but leaves the hardware finish open will still produce a sample the brand cannot approve.
Who should own the specification on the brand side?
One named person with authority to approve. Programmes where sample approval routes through several internal stakeholders routinely lose two to three weeks per round. Naming a single decision-maker, with the must-keeps agreed internally beforehand, is one of the cheapest schedule controls available.
Do I need a technical background to write a usable brief?
No, but you need to be specific about intent. Describe what the bag must do, where it will be carried, what it must hold and how it should feel, then let the programme team propose the construction to achieve it. Vagueness about intent is the problem; unfamiliarity with technical terminology is not, and it is easily resolved in a review conversation.
What is the difference between a prototype and a confirmation sample?
A prototype validates pattern, proportion and construction, and can be built in a substitute material, which is faster and cheaper. A confirmation sample is built in the actual production material from the confirmed dye lot and is the reference for bulk. Approving a prototype as if it were a confirmation sample is a frequent cause of surprise at bulk.
Who owns the tooling if I pay for it?
It should be stated in the contract before tooling is cut. Common structures are that the brand owns the tool but it is held and maintained by the production partner for the life of the style, or that the partner owns it and amortises the cost. Clarify what happens to the tool if the programme pauses, since dormant tooling can be lost or reallocated.
How detailed does the bill of materials need to be?
Detailed enough to cost and to reorder. That means every component named with an article number, colour reference and per-unit consumption — including items that feel negligible, such as thread, adhesive and interlining. A BOM that omits consumables makes the quotation harder to compare and makes a later material change harder to price accurately.