A practical guide to help you understand samples, minimum order quantities and the steps leading into productions.

Before production starts

Packaging usually goes through several checks before a full production run.

The exact process varies by supplier, but you may hear about samples, prototypes, proofs, pre-production approvals and MOQ requirements along the way.

The goal of this page is to help you understand what each stage is for and what to confirm before committing to a larger order.

Understanding MOQ

MOQ means Minimum Order Quantity.

It is the minimum quantity a supplier is willing to produce or sell under certain conditions.

MOQ can depend on:

• Packaging format
• Material
• Color
• Printing method
• Finish
• Size
• SKU
• Tooling
• Supplier
• Production method

Always ask what the MOQ applies to.

It may be per size, per color, per design, per SKU or per production run.

Ask about quantity breaks

Pricing often changes depending on quantity.